The benefits of lean management techniques are indisputable. But while many programme managers are aware of lean as a concept, there is often a lesser understanding of how to apply lean techniques in practice.

Lean tools need not be complicated. Here are five easy lean techniques that can help when internal processes appear unwieldy or slow.

1/ Root cause analysis using the ‘5 Whys’ technique

When difficulties occur, most managers will instinctively seek a solution to make them disappear. But this approach assumes you know why the issues occurred in the first place – which will not always be the case.

The 5 Whys is a lean tool that harnesses the power of interrogation to drill down and identify the underlying cause of an issue. Essentially you ask yourself why you have the problem, then write your answers. Then ask why again.

The resulting list of potential root causes helps inform actions to reduce or eliminate the problem, instead of purely treating the symptoms.

2/ The 3Cs

The 3Cs is a longstanding lean tool that stands for ‘concern, cause and countermeasure’. It helps team members identify, understand and solve problems collectively using boards.

These boards – which can be physical or digital – allow anyone to log a concern and demonstrate progress towards resolving it.

If the reason behind the problem is unknown, you can use the 5 Whys technique mentioned above to better understand the ‘cause’. The ‘countermeasure’ then becomes the solution.

3/ Choosing by Advantages (CBA)

In every project there are times when a major decision needs to be made.

One lean tool that is particularly effective for decision-making is Choosing by Advantages (CBA). This collaborative method encourages team members to consider the potential advantages of each alternative, leading to more informed decisions.

With clear documentation on these group decisions, the CBA technique brings a transparency that helps ensure unanimous confidence in the final decision.

4/ Process mapping

One of the key advantages of process mapping is that it presents a broad overview of any given project. This allows teams a deeper understanding of the entire process and their role in it by taking an ‘as-is’ look at what is happening at that moment.

The next step is to review the entire process through the classic lean lens by asking which steps add value, which do not, and which can be removed. This will help to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

‘Future state’ process maps — which outline the ideal way a project should operate in the future — can also help measure progress and provide direction. The real benefit, however, comes from the actions generated throughout the process.

Finally, from a programme perspective, process mapping gives people confidence that things are moving towards the desired outcomes.

5/ Kanban boards

Our final lean tool is Kanban boards. Employing the power of visualisation, Kanban boards are an efficient method of visually managing team workflows.

Sticky notes are used to represent work, while categories like ‘To Do’, ‘In Progress’, ‘Peer Review’ and ‘Done’ enable teams to monitor real-time progress and track actions.

Unlike dashboards, Kanban boards do not require data collection, nor do they quantify overall performance. Instead, they provide a visual snapshot of the workflow – and a place for people to come together to update their progress.

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With a full pipeline of projects promising industrial renewal and a clean energy future, America is on the cusp of an offshore wind energy revolution. The Biden Administration has set targets of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind (OSW) in United States waters by 2030 –enough to power 10 million homes with clean energy. They are also targeting 15GW of floating OSW by 2035, to complement the modest 0.042GW of installations that exist today. The Administration is supporting the plan with financial measures and environmental stewardship to underpin the vast investment required to unlock OSW’s full potential.

Thanks to pioneering OSW development across the globe, in particular northern and western Europe, harnessing the powerful gusts that blow over the oceans is now an efficient and increasingly affordable technology to decarbonize energy supplies and minimize further climate change impact.

For a vibrant offshore wind industry to take off in the United States, one critical element cannot be overlooked: the need for port infrastructure that can handle the enormous scale of the project components. Recent years have seen staggering growth in this technology, with turbine sizes increasing rapidly to reduce the levelized cost of energy. These are massive machines: the world’s largest, currently under construction in China, sweeps 10 football fields with every spin. In the United States, GE is constructing manufacturing facilities for the Haliade X’s blade that is longer than a football field with a rotor that sweeps seven football fields every spin.

Ports are essential to the development of offshore wind. They are where offshore wind turbine generator (WTG) components, foundations and other equipment get transported, stored and assembled. Ports are where floating substructures are assembled and turbines are erected prior to delivery to the offshore project site, where OSW equipment manufacturers setup their fabrication and storage yards, and where operation and maintenance activities are led. Ports are a hub for the industry, as the massive equipment involved makes marine transport essential. With the rapid development of new technologies in the green energy sector, the role of ports is also becoming increasingly prominent in the generation and distribution of renewable hydrogen.

The OSW industry in the United States is complicated by the Jones Act ^[1], also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Designed to protect the American shipping industry from foreign competition, the law limits trade between two ports within the United States to American flagged ships. In short, the Jones Act protects the shipping industry from foreign competition. While similar laws are found in other countries and often apply to intra-national shipping by sea, air, or truck, for the emerging United States offshore wind industry, the Jones act adds significant complexity as there are currently no United States flagged vessels in the existing global fleet of offshore wind installation vessels.

Under the accepted interpretation of the Jones Act, the offshore wind farm or project site is considered a United States port, and as such, only United States flagged vessels can transport materials between the marshalling port and the project site. Many developers appear to have addressed this challenge by engaging local tugs and barges to transport the equipment from the marshalling yard to the foreign flagged installation vessel which stays within the project site – avoiding violation of the Jones Act. This generally adds cost due to the need for supplemental vessels and increases risk due to the added number of vessel interfaces and additional materials handling.

There are several alternate strategies being considered in the industry. Ports need to be designed to accommodate today’s ocean-going barges, while also preparing to accommodate tomorrow’s United States flagged wind turbine installation vessels (WTIV) – the first of which is scheduled for delivery in early 2024. Solutions will look different across geographies based on water depths, installation equipment and turbine characteristics, so careful consideration of all factors is critical.

A technical challenge and a financial conundrum

While the OSW opportunity for ports is sizable, so are the challenges. Current OSW ports are being built or adapted to handle turbines that are rated up to 12-14 megawatts (MW), with nacelles ­– the component which houses all the generating elements of a wind turbine – weighing nearly 700 tons, the blades are more than 330 feet in length (approximately 100 meters) and the towers taller still. In the future, it is projected that ports will have to make room for even larger machines with rated generating capacities of 22MW or more.

OSW farms require several types of ports: for storage, marshalling and assembly of WTG components, foundation, cable, anchors, substations during the construction phase, installation and then ports for operation and maintenance during the asset life. While technical requirements vary depending on the planned usage, most are rigorous relative to standard port requirements. For the current generation of WTGs, an installation port requires up to 70 acres, with a minimum of two heavy lift berths of 650 feet (200 meters) each with a depth at berth, turning basin, and along the access channel of at least 36 feet (11 meters).

While early mover construction activity in the United States has been limited to ports in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey, as many as thirteen coastal states are actively developing prospective ports for OSW. To date, port construction has been concentrated along the United States’ Eastern seaboard, which is shallower than the West Coast and therefore more suitable for fixed-bottom turbine installations. The floating technologies planned for the West Coast will drive unique port requirements and substantial investment due to port space, load capacity and lifting equipment required for floater assembly and storage prior to transport for offshore installation.

A recent report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory describes current OSW port capacity as “inadequate” and states that “half of the existing pipeline is at risk of not being installed by 2030 because of limited port and vessel availability.” ^[2]  It estimates that achieving President Biden’s goal of 30GW by 2030 will require a roughly $6 billion investment in ports and vessels.

This is where the economics of OSW become increasingly challenging. Advances in technology have made OSW competitive with other energy sources, but significant upfront investment is still required to develop a supply chain that can support the sector’s growth. It can take more than a decade for an offshore wind farm to advance from conception to operation, leaving a significant gap between investment and revenue generation, and limited capacity for project developers to fund port infrastructure development.

For port developers considering OSW, there is a further complication in the form of necessary return on investment. To recover the significant investment in port development, installation ports will need upwards of 10 to 20+ year revenue streams associated with leasing and terminal operation. However, OSW developers are typically interested in short-term (2-5 year) lease periods that are commensurate with the offshore wind farm construction or installation window. This leaves a big financial gap for port owners unless they can line up a series of developers that will commit to use the port’s facilities over a cumulative span of a decade or more. Right now, few developers are willing to commit resources that far ahead, particularly given the limited insight into leasing rounds beyond 2025.

Leveraging global expertise for United States development

In November 2022, after more than a decade of infrastructure development that transformed the country, the sporting world watched a successful soccer World Cup play out in Qatar. A crucial element of this was a $5 billion project to build Hamad Port in Mesaieed, Qatar. This was the world’s largest greenfield port development, for which we acted as program management consultant ^[3].

Relocating the port from central Doha, Qatar was key to unlocking the logistical challenge of building the infrastructure for the World Cup, including roads, bridges, a mass transit system, and stadiums. Bringing the port project together in time to support other infrastructure development necessary for a successful tournament required expertise in planning, procurement, risk / schedule management, cost control, safety, quality assurance and more. The lessons we learned in Qatar are relevant to the challenges of building OSW ports in the United States as these ports are catalyzing OSW development.

This significant global expertise is being utilized to develop the necessary OSW port infrastructure already underway in the United States, where AECOM Tishman is managing the construction of the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County^[4]. New Jersey has plans to become a hub for the OSW industry and the New Jersey Wind Port together with the Port of Paulsboro are central to those plans. The New Jersey Wind Port will support the manufacturing, fabrication, marshalling and assembly of WTGs, whereas the Port of Paulsboro will continue supporting the fabrication of fixed bottom monopile^* foundations. While the Port of Paulsboro is undergoing Phase 2 development, ground was broken in 2021 for the New Jersey Wind Port’s 220-acre parcel, which was previously a dredge material placement.

Both the New Jersey Wind Port and Port of Paulsboro are public-private partnerships (PPP) – a model for financing and developing infrastructure that could unlock the financial resources necessary for OSW infrastructure development elsewhere in the United States. The state of New Jersey has invested more than $500 million to kick-start development at Paulsboro and the New Jersey Wind Port^[5] and hopes the combined facilities will support 11GW of OSW projects by 2040.

That level of commitment, along with development funding, will help give the private sector the confidence to invest. Paulsboro has had success already by attracting leading manufacturers within the OSW industry supply chain. Specifically, EEW, a German manufacturer, is investing in the construction of a 70-acre monopile fabrication facility^[6] at the site, which creates approximately 260 local jobs.

Finding the right funding support

At the federal level, the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law in November 2021 by President Biden also recognizes the potential of OSW to stimulate economic activity. Three specific provisions impact OSW: 1) increased funding for vessels, of which there is a shortage; 2) among other OSW impacting provisions, the IIJA program includes over $600 million in port grants through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program^[7]; 3) the regulatory authority to permit energy storage on the Outer Continental Shelf, which could allow the development of hydrogen production from OSW and is regarded as an important mechanism for extending the potential of wind power beyond electrification.

Growing pains

 Political commitment, climate change and technological advancement have created a rich opportunity for OSW in the United States. The installation and maintenance of 45GW of fixed and floating wind projects over the next two decades offers an enormous opportunity for economic growth in coastal communities across the entire continent. The Biden Administration targets the creation of 77,000 new jobs, the revitalization of old, underachieving ports as hubs for the OSW industry, and a cleaner, more affordable energy transition in the long run.

As discussed, to achieve these targets the United States OSW industry will need to overcome substantial legal, logistical, technical, financial, and environmental challenges. Overcoming these barriers requires expertise that is both broad and deep, covering disciplines from port design and construction to environmental management and brokering alternative delivery models like PPPs, as well as expert grant writers helping in the application process. We have developed expertise over decades of working in the maritime market planning, designing, and delivering ports across the world, as well as enabling the energy transition through commitment to the OSW market. We believe in the sustainable, decarbonized future that renewable energy promises, and we are committed to working with all those helping to bring it closer.

* Monopiles are mega scale steel pipe piles (i.e. 40-feet in diameter) that are driven into the seabed and act as foundations for the tower sections of offshore wind turbines to sit upon.

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Below are just a few of the highlights from the report which shows how we are providing truly sustainable solutions for our clients informed by decades of experience, industry-leading ESG expertise and, above all, a drive to do good and be good.

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Progressed toward our goal of science-based net zero by 2040, a target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

We reached operational net zero in fiscal 2021, while reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions which cover fleet and office energy, respectively, by 47 percent from our full year 2018 baseline year, using key travel and real estate initiatives. In accordance with the new and even more rigorous SBTi net zero standard, we have also set an updated 2040 net zero target which emphasizes decarbonization over offsets. This ambitious target places us among the forefront of companies globally.

Launched our ESG Advisory Services, supported by decades of expertise

One of our signature milestones this year has been the launch of our ESG Advisory practice, which deploys our depth of expertise to navigate our clients through this rapidly evolving space and realize their ambitious visions. Working with organizations at the forefront of the green transition globally, including the United Kingdom’s Network Rail and Airport Authority Hong Kong, our Advisory Services are mitigating risk, building trust and improving long-term outcomes worldwide.

Advanced ScopeX initiatives to accelerate our ESG offering for clients and cut carbon in our work

ScopeX is a core offering of our ESG services and will be one of our greatest contributions to tackling the climate crisis. By accounting for materials, site locations, logistics and construction methods, it will help reduce and eliminate the impact of projects on the natural environment. With ScopeX, we aim to reduce the carbon impact of major projects by at least 50 percent.

Acted on equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) by addressing equity challenges globally and regionally

We continue to make progress towards greater equity, diversity and inclusion. We’re nearing our target for women to compose 35 percent of our workforce, with women in 18 percent of leadership roles and making up 33 percent of our overall workforce. We have also fostered a culture of inclusivity that has been recognized by organizations like the Human Rights Campaign— which has named us a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality in the United States. Our ED&I commitments efforts extend to the communities we serve, where we’ve implemented locally relevant workplace diversity and pay equity goals.

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Beyond a commitment

In just one year, we’ve made objective progress on our targets and have set even more stringent ones so that we can lead for our clients and our people. But what can’t be quantified is our sense of purpose.

For us, ESG is so much more than a commitment—it’s something we see every day in our work, where its impact is truly felt. I invite you to see that impact for yourself in this year’s report and explore each of our accomplishments as we continue to deliver Sustainable Legacies worldwide.

Read the report

The post Our 2022 ESG Report: a year of Sustainable Legacies appeared first on Without Limits.

In response, electricity transmission utilities globally are grappling with providing enough location-specific capacity to support the rapidly expanding renewable energy generation industry. In Australia and New Zealand, limited large-scale transmission projects have been developed over the last few decades, and the need for transmission infrastructure is slowing the energy transition. Renewable energy zones (REZs) have emerged as a promising path to meet the expanding needs of communities and help our collective net zero vision.

REZs centralise investment, enabling multiple generation parties to co-locate and share common transmission and grid connection infrastructure. They unlock benefits like economies of scale through shared infrastructure costs, accelerating the timely connection of large-scale generation, incentivising regional investment and helping meet government-mandated renewable energy targets.

AECOM has been at the forefront of REZ development in Australia, assisting transmission network utilities and government entities in developing these projects. In this article, we share key learnings and what we need to mobilise future projects.

Key learnings
Changes in delivery mechanisms
Faster timelines and large-scale projects drive the need to adapt transmission project delivery in the energy sector. Historically, network providers managed projects under separate design and construct contracts, ensuring well-controlled design standards and construction. However, we need a faster and more agile approach to enable the speed of change required to transition our network to support net-zero goals.

Australian government bodies are increasingly involved in developing strategies and projects to accelerate the transition to net zero and are bringing different skill sets to project development. Leveraging diverse skill sets from aligned industries like transport and oil and gas is helping the sector to be more agile and develop projects under time pressure. As a result, existing power industry teams must adjust, becoming more flexible and responsive to client and regulatory demands.

Social licence
It has been several decades since large-scale transmission projects have been undertaken in Australia, and the expectations of landholders and stakeholders have changed significantly.

• Unlike roads, where the benefit and impact can be seen in the same area, transmission lines tend to impact areas that don’t see the direct benefit. While landowners may support the net-zero goal, there is limited benefit to them directly from a transmission line project.
• Transmission projects can cause significant community concern and angst, often amplified by media coverage and negative sentiment.

Considerable work is needed to improve social licence to build on recent developments and work through what best practice looks like at an industry level.

Resource availability
The global move to net zero means many countries are competing for the same resources, both people and the equipment supply chain. Most countries are tasked with the same challenges to transform their energy sectors, and in many cases are ahead of Australia and New Zealand from a delivery perspective.

With pressure rising to deliver critical energy infrastructure, we are seeing innovative procurement approaches. In NSW and ACT, high voltage transmission operator Transgrid is developing several large-scale projects over the next five years and is using a bundled procurement process, with support from the Commonwealth Government. While bundling is not new in some infrastructure sectors, it is unusual for large transmission projects, typically undertaken as singular regulated asset projects. However, innovative approaches must become more common to quickly deliver the industry’s vision.

Attracting talent
The industry’s significant challenge is the need for more skilled and technically competent people for large-scale transmission projects. The number of engineers, technical professionals and contractors in the energy sector constrains the number of projects we can deliver in parallel. It is likely that there will not be enough time and resources to have the same level of control over the design as seen historically. So, how will we increase the number of people working on developing electrical infrastructure? The industry can increase participation in projects by:

• incentivising migration post-COVID
• improving female participation (currently around 24 percent)
• increasing vocational employment opportunities
• advertising to build awareness of the industry and its benefits.

Unlike the mining sector, which used increased wages to help solve resourcing challenges, the energy sector must prioritise keeping consumer power prices affordable. We will need varied approaches to address our resourcing challenges as we increase project numbers and size, looking at partnerships with education organisations and industry-specific programs to drive uptake.

As we push toward a net-zero future, REZ developments will be an important part of our overall energy mix, reaping the benefits of shared infrastructure, driving economies of scale, and accelerating grid integration.

The journey of REZ projects has highlighted the need for agile project delivery, embracing diverse skill sets, digital tools, and new procurement methods to accelerate the transition in a competitive landscape. Social licence remains our biggest challenge, and fairness and equity must be a strong focus. After all, we’re all in this together.

Learn more about AECOM’s energy transition services here. 

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Americans drive. In fact, they covered more than 3.2 trillion miles — on more than four million miles worth of roads in one year alone. In addition to people, over 70 percent of the nation’s goods journey across the United States’ road network every year. This transportation system is foundational to the livelihoods of millions of citizens and the broader economy.

Today, roads are largely paid for through the gas tax. These revenues, taken by federal, state and local government at the pump, are redistributed nationally to support the maintenance and operation of roads and mass-transit systems.

Gas tax receipts have fallen in recent years as some turn to hybrid and electric vehicles that consume less gas or none at all. In a country where more than 43 percent of public roadways are in “poor or mediocre” condition¹, revenue generated from the gas tax can no longer keep pace with the investment needed to maintain the nation’s transportation system. A recent study forecasts that by 2031 less than half of transportation will continue to be funded by the gas tax, compared to what is available in the Highway Trust Fund today.²

With growing imperatives to cut congestion and greenhouse gas emissions caused by transportation, a new approach to funding our transportation system is required.

Charging drivers per mile

Advanced technology, coupled with the urgency of securing long-term funding models and incentives to bring the trillion-dollar Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to action, have come together to create fertile ground for rapid growth. The IIJA has provisions for research, technology and innovation. It also includes funding for a national pilot on user fees per mile driven.

Oregon, recognizing the future solvency issues of relying on the gas tax, launched the nation’s first road usage charge system in 2015, Oregon Department of Transportation stated: “This new funding model weans us off fossil fuels using a modern, technology-based solution that combats climate change while assessing drivers fairly for their road use.”¹

Several states nationwide, from California to Utah and Virginia, have also developed road usage charge pilots that count the miles traveled and assess a driver’s fee per mile utilizing a variety of technologies. Drivers upload their data through a selection of systems, from pay-as-you-go using GPS, to quarterly post-pay facilitated by information uploaded from the car. There are also non-automated approaches such as submitting a photo of an odometer reading.

Adoption challenges and benefits

Technology alone will not be sufficient to drive a widespread adoption of new funding models. Setting up programs nationwide takes cooperation and planning in the deployment of infrastructure and technology, as well as support from drivers and other influential groups.

The first significant challenge is consumer acceptance. The gas tax is currently hidden from sight as drivers pay at the pump. For most, its existence is either unknown or long forgotten and broadly uncontentious. A per-mile charge brings the cost of road use into plain sight in the form of an expense linked directly to miles driven. Few new user charges are instantly popular and, in some cases, require legislation to effectively implement. That said, where such alternatives have been introduced, like in Oregon, they have drawn understanding and interest from road users.

Benefits need to be clearly communicated to encourage acceptance of the new system. In many instances, road usage charges can be more equitable than a gas tax, which by its nature collects more revenue from people driving older, less fuel-efficient vehicles than those in newer hybrid models.

Technology’s role

Today, more than 91 percent of vehicles sold are connected. LTE/5G connectivity enables data collection around distances traveled, locations, driving behavior and other information. Using this embedded connectivity to participate in a road user charge program will necessitate answers to many questions, including who the data belongs to and what they are able to do with it. Does the data in the car belong to the driver? Or to the car manufacturer or software companies who might then be able to extract further value from it?

Data distribution to third parties is the subject of some commercial sensitivity and drivers need to be convinced that it is a worthwhile trade-off to provide their information in return for better service. Oregon Department of Transportation is again leading the way by piloting a process to evaluate how connected vehicles can participate in the road usage charge program.

Given that tolling enterprises are equipped with new technologies to detect vehicles, infrastructure capable of interacting with vehicle telematics systems, and a significant history and business structure to manage financial transactions and customer services, they could also be a significant participant in the deployment of a road usage charge program. At present, several studies and pilots are looking to integrate tolling and road usage charging to enable standards that support data sharing between systems. In fact, the Society of Automotive Engineers has developed a standard “that identifies the communications interface between road user, connected vehicle and tolling service provider to support road-user charging.”²

Policy and incentives can drive behavior change

Utilizing technology that interacts directly with drivers, several states are also engaging road usage charge programs to encourage change. Congestion and air pollution, for example, can be remedied by dynamic charging which can help manage demand and encourage travel during non-congested periods or carpooling. Road usage charge program technologies could build on a model deployed in Tennessee where an app-based program pays people per mile traveled in carpools or on transit. An additional benefit of these programs could be more equitably delivering mobility-related assistance, such as reduced fees for qualified individuals.

Today, both Utah and Oregon provide incentives in their programs, in some cases highlighting environmental benefits, and in both emphasizing the fair and equitable approach that road usage charging brings to funding the transportation system. In Oregon participants using combustion engines earn fuel-tax credits. In Utah, where the program is only for electric vehicles at present, a 1 cent per-mile charge replaces a flat vehicle registration, with the state promising: “You’ll never pay more in the program, but you may pay less.”

Global expertise

Keeping America moving encompasses challenges from climate justice to social equity, feasibility to public outreach and so much in between. Our extensive global experience in tolling and user-fee practice, policy development and implementation, as well as our physical and digital design integration, enable us to accompany our public authorities and partners on this essential innovation journey.

We’re working with transportation authorities and other key partners around the world to stimulate action. We’ve helped facilitate cordon pricing in London, visitor toll tags in Florida, and recently helped to deploy express lanes and user fee infrastructure on the vital route between San Francisco Airport and Silicon Valley. Today, we’re working with California to deploy its latest road charging pilot, facilitating actual payments between road users and the state. As designers and deployers of world-class user payment systems, we’re using technology to build and fund the smarter, safer and more efficient transportation systems of the future enabling a climate-friendly tomorrow.

[1] https://www.oregon.gov/odot/programs/pages/orego.aspx

[2] https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3217/r/

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The revised and expanded PAS 2080 Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure specification represents a massive advancement in how our industry can play a crucial role in enabling reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through greater understanding, thereby accelerating the charge to net zero.

PAS 2080 has established itself as the global gold standard for carbon management in infrastructure since its release by The British Standards Institution (BSI) in 2016. However, the upgrade – PAS 2080:2023 – introduces a decisive and exciting change: it is now the world’s first framework to unite both buildings and infrastructure in the decarbonisation of the built environment.

What’s in the new PAS2080:2023 revision?

The revised PAS demands that every part of the value chain works together to consider the whole life carbon of projects by bringing carbon impact into decision-making as early as possible, considering our assets as part of a wider system, and embedding best practices within procurement through to end-of-life management.

Furthermore, it requires industry to break the habit of viewing carbon with tunnel vision. Now, we must consider the importance and influence of interrelationships like nature-based solutions, climate adaptation and biodiversity and their impacts on carbon.

Everybody working in the built environment knows full well that collaboration is critical to accelerating decarbonisation. As industry contributes over 50 per cent of global carbon emissions, there is a huge task ahead of us. And so, we welcome a framework designed by and for the industry that emphasises and provides vital guidance on how it can be achieved across the full life of a project or programme.

The renewed PAS will undoubtedly help industry put the inconsistencies of the past behind it and collaborate to ensure we get the basics of carbon management right. It will boost cooperation to identify and mitigate emissions at every stage.

As a member of the Technical Advisory Panel for the revised PAS 2080: 2023, we are fully committed to working with all our partners and customers to ensure the specification is harnessed to its full potential in reducing the carbon impact of our projects.

Three key elements of the new PAS that should guide our thinking

As the industry continues on the decarbonisation path, there are three key elements to the new PAS that should guide our thinking:

1/ We must work together and factor in carbon thinking right from the start

At the heart of the renewed PAS is the recognition that there must be behavioural change if we’re to achieve our collective goals. And so it insists that all stakeholders, including owners, designers, constructors and suppliers, work together in a common framework from the earliest moments of a project. Only by doing that will projects be built on the firmest foundations for success.

As well as demanding leadership and improved governance, the framework establishes roles and responsibilities across the entire value chain to maintain a focus on carbon for the project’s lifetime.

It emphasises decisions and actions that reduce whole-life carbon as early as possible with the whole value chain considered rather than focusing on the capital (or embodied), operational or user carbon in isolation. This refreshed approach will influence broader participation and the sharing of results to reveal best practices for advancing decarbonisation.

The framework will also create a forum for parties to work together and think innovatively about which delivery approaches will work best for people and planet, such as the consideration of retrofit over new build, or the adoption of digital tools and processes.

2/ PAS 2080 certification demonstrates a clear commitment to climate action

It is notable and impressive how many people working in this industry are passionate about making a difference. Adopting the revised PAS 2080 provides us with a framework that will enable the transition to a low-carbon built environment and a means of validating this commitment. Verification will indicate adherence to the industry’s very best practices and will demonstrate clear climate action leadership.

And it also makes business sense. Users can reduce their energy, labour and material costs and win a competitive edge when bidding for tenders in an increasingly carbon and climate-aware world. In the UK for example, government-funded arms-length bodies such as major infrastructure providers National Highways, High Speed Two (HS2) and Network Rail are required to be PAS2080 certified in 2023. This will have wider implications as their supply chain will need to demonstrate compliance too.

3/ Maximise opportunities to build climate resilience

PAS 2080 acknowledges the shared obligation of the industry to contribute towards creating a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

It goes beyond carbon reduction and promotes a holistic approach to project planning that considers the broader impact on climate resilience, biodiversity, and environmental restoration.

A platform for rapid change

PAS 2080 is becoming an increasingly important means of promoting decarbonisation. As panel members of the Institution of Civil Engineers’s (ICE) Carbon Champions Programme, we have observed numerous instances of good practices and innovation within the industry that have resulted from these commitments.

The principles underpinning PAS 2080:2023 are already embraced by ScopeX^TM – AECOM’s approach to solving for carbon. We strongly support our clients’ ambitious decarbonisation commitments and PAS 2080 requirements for their supply chain. It reflects our common drive for decarbonisation, and together enables us to identify and implement innovations and opportunities to create a more sustainable built environment, which is core to the AECOM’s ScopeX^TM approach.

We are excited to collaborate with our clients to push the boundaries of best practices and drive progress towards a more sustainable future for the built environment.

The post All you need to know about the revised PAS 2080 standard on carbon management appeared first on Without Limits.

Looking back at 2022, we saw the wrap of several organizations focused on the deployment of automated vehicles (AVs) with the closing of Argo.ai being the most recent. The combined forces of inflation and potential recession have driven up the cost of investment funding, and the United States is facing intense global pressure related to the development of automation. Vehicle automation also has the additional burden of being a safety-forward technology and safety solutions have traditionally shown a lower return on investment. This economic environment is leaving a strain on start-ups entering the market as well as organizations currently operating in the AV market.

Where does this leave automation? How can AVs prove their safety reputation while delivering on their promising investment to market? More importantly how do we continue to advance a technology and strategy that can help us tackle the significant loss of life caused by our existing modes of transportation that connectivity and automation could help solve.

Continued investments from global giants like Google’s Waymo which recently launched full-fledged robotaxi services in Phoenix, GM and Cruise which launched commercial services this last fall, or Baidu and Pony.ai which have won the right to deploy automated taxis in Beijing point towards a continued growth in a tightening global market.

Infrastructure owners and operators (IOOs) could equally have a significant investment in how to accelerate automation. Over the past few years, IOOs have worked to find their role in the deployment of automated vehicles. For the past decade, AV manufacturers have consistently messaged to IOOs that their vehicles are able to function in environments built for human drivers; however, minor adjustments to the infrastructure, particularly in the form of extra-vehicle situational awareness provided via communications, would allow for AVs to function more optimally. AV operators have explained that infrastructure consistency is important providing an environment that minimizes conflict with other road users. Until now, IOOs have not had a significant role in the deployment of AVs.

What if IOO’s and the AV industry could invest together to identify a set of minimal functional requirements for automation, better accelerating the safety frameworks for deployments, and thereby support automation developers and operators during a time when their funding is tight?

There are a handful of AV operational needs that are common across most platforms and approaches. If IOOs could develop some of these common factors, AV developers may be able to use their limited funding for other automation development. Equally IOOs would be playing an investment role in accelerating the deployment of safety benefits brought by the automation technology.

Some of the key areas of cooperation and support from the IOOs may include:

• Localization support
• Object detection and classification
• Common elements of path planning – such as sparse high-precision GPS waypoints, and high definition (HD) mapping.

If the AV industry can harmonize on these attributes across operational design domains (ODDs), AV developers may use investments to support more specific automation capabilities required for that developer’s specific business needs.

Localization and mapping

Many IOOs are considering creating high-definition maps of their geographies and several are considering integrating these with digital twins that also allow the IOO’s to convene digital policy, rules of the road and insights. As part of their efforts to improve safety in Utah, Utah Department of Transportation has already created HD maps of the entire state. Not all AV operators or designers use mapping the same way, and most AV OEMs create their own maps.  If IOOs were to undertake an effort to understand the minimal set of data attributes needed for these maps, there may be opportunity to provide some harmonized basic mapping protocols that could be used by AV operators.  If IOOs can increase safety with an investment in mapping, that may also allow AV operators to invest in other areas of operation, thereby proliferating safety and mobility improvements and improving automation technology.

IOOs should also work with the AV industry to determine what information can be shared from the industry back to IOOs if, for example, minimal map data is generated and shared with the AV industry, perhaps the industry could reciprocate with high-precision GPS corrections to the position of map elements. A thorough understanding of potential shared data needed to support automation could also be a part of an IOO effort to create digital twins of infrastructure.  If an IOO can work with AV operators to understand data needs, digital twin design can be harmonized to accept and use data from vehicles.

Harmonized asset data

Roadway assets, specifically lane markings, signage, and traffic control devices, are not the same throughout the world.  If IOOs can work together on developing and approving a harmonized dictionary for roadway assets and create a data exchange for this information, this could enable safety capabilities of AVs. This concept is already being pursued in the Department of Transportation Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx), and for other infrastructure-based information such as signal phase and timing (SPaT) through the USDOT Joint Program Office (JPO) Operational Data Environment (ODE). Expanding on the WZDx idea, AV truck operators have also requested a Weigh Station Data Exchange (WSDx), which is another area where IOOs could add a spark.

Likewise, precise localization is a challenge for both automated and connected vehicles, specifically in “urban canyon” areas where tall buildings inhibit direct line of sight to GPS satellites and the GPS signals are reflected.  Tunnels also provide a specific challenge for automated and connected vehicles for blocking GPS entirely, and due to the extreme lighting contrast for machine vision systems when entering or exiting a tunnel. Even in the complete absence of GPS information, AVs have the benefit of numerous onboard sensors, which are used to provide precise localization data to AV systems, such as the path planner. However, the effectiveness of this is tightly coupled to the algorithms used within the AV software stack. The USDOT-sponsored connected vehicle deployments have shown significant challenges in urban areas with tall buildings, specifically in New York City.  In that pilot, the noisy GPS data was addressed using a novel method of measuring time-of-flight from Roadside Unit (RSU) to offset GPS signal error and verified using a vehicle mounted laser pointer. This would be possible by precisely measuring the GPS position of the RSU, which can be transmitted to On-Board Unit (OBUs) or stored in an onboard map of the AV or CV system. This is another example for how automated and connected vehicle systems can inherently improve each other, and how IOOs may be able to better support automation.

Like the RSU solution NYC used, GPS corrections can also be provided using a technology called real time kinematics (RTK), which uses a precisely positioned base station and broadcasts a correction that devices can use to overcome the error in the GPS signal. IOOs could provide something similar as a service to augment GPS precision equipment, which may include any kind of roadside equipment that is able to be precisely located and transmit a simple message with its location and a timestamp; however, regardless of the information an IOO is able to provide, the automated or connected vehicle devices will still need a minimum level of capability to process the data available effectively.

Path planning

Path planning is one of the fundamental components of an AV. In essence, this function is responsible for evaluating all available paths the vehicle could take in both the short-term and long-term planning horizons, and then selecting the “best” path.  This occurs many times each second for short-term planning, which allows a vehicle to correct for small deviations in the vehicle’s position versus its previously planned position, and to react to immediate or predicted hazards that have been detected by the AV’s perception pipeline. Long-term path planning is akin to route planning and may never be revaluated once a route is set; however, a flexible path planning architecture will have the ability to replan a route based on unforeseen circumstances.  To the extent an IOO can support fundamental path-planning which is something AV developers could potentially share.

One of the limitations of today’s AV systems is their inability to drive on roadways that have not been previously mapped by the AV developer using proprietary methods and data structures.  This limits scalability and operational flexibility, but according to the previous mention on minimal map data requirements, IOOs could provide a sparse GPS waypoint data layer, accessible through a permissioned API for example, that would provide the AV developer with an idea of the contours of the roadways that a new route could be created within their system.  The first time a vehicle travels on a new roadway using only the sparse GPS waypoints, it could proceed more cautiously relying more on its onboard sensors to navigate the environment, but as its traversing this new route, it can be recording all the data needed for the AV developer to create its own version of a map.  The AV industry could then contribute back to the IOO information such as corrections to the sparse waypoints, further improving the accuracy of these, and expediting the use of the roadway for others in the future.

Together IOOs and the AV industry have an opportunity to use ingenuity and transferable solutions-thinking to integrate data, systems and mapping that can improve the safety ROI needed to ensure the livelihood of the AV market. Investors, developers, public and private organizations all should be working together to enable the future of automated transportation.

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It’s no secret that for many years, there has been a shortage of engineers around the world. A number of factors, including an increasing aging workforce and lack of interest, have been attributed to the declining numbers. In Hong Kong, it’s facing two additional conditions with the relocation of experienced engineers overseas and new graduates pursuing employment elsewhere rather than locally.

However, the shortage is not because of the absence of opportunities. In fact, under the pandemic, many governments are looking to invest in infrastructure projects to boost their economy and enhance resilience. In Hong Kong, there are ambitious plans for the future development of the city targeting increasing housing and infrastructure with the Northern Metropolis and Lantau Tomorrow Vision initiatives.

I believe the issue is that we need to showcase to more people, especially students, the exciting opportunities available in the engineering field and how the work contributes enormously to benefit their communities. When students are asked about their ideal occupations, their first choices are usually doctors and lawyers. They seldomly think of engineers as much of their work happens behind the scenes. This is especially true for those in the geotechnical discipline where projects are underground and not necessarily as aesthetically attractive as say a towering skyscraper. However, that doesn’t make their work any less important.

A good example is the Po Shan Drainage Tunnels, an innovative groundwater control system built underneath the hillside of the Mid-Levels areas of Hong Kong which offers better control of groundwater levels through a pair of drainage tunnels, 172 sub-vertical drains and an automatic real-time monitoring system. This wonderful piece of engineering work is almost invisible from outside, but it’s critical to reducing landslide risks and protecting the community. Geotechnical engineers are integral in safeguarding the public, whether it’s against devastating natural disasters, or ensuring the safety of a towering skyscraper through the design of a secure foundation to support the building above.

Both companies like AECOM and professional institutions have important roles to play in attracting and developing engineers. AECOM has the unique advantage of offering engineers of different disciplines ample opportunities to work on world-class projects around the world. Many of today’s engineers are excited about the prospects of working on international mega-projects such as NEOM in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, professional bodies can help raise the profiles of engineers and build up the image of the profession through outreach activities. In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) is one of the largest professional bodies, and in my new role as the Chairman of the HKIE Geotechnical Division, I’ll be actively working with its members to recognize and promote the technical excellence and contributions of engineers to the community.

In addition to attracting more talents to the sector, nurturing the current pool of young engineering professionals is just as important. The declining numbers of experienced engineers offers them great opportunities to advance their careers, but some might not be equipped to take on more senior roles or responsibilities. Therefore, it’s up to the more senior engineers to spend more time in supporting the development of the next generations of engineers.

If the shortage of engineers continues to increase, it will certainly affect the delivery of various government and private projects. And if certain projects such as those to increase housing do not come into fruition, it can result in a chain of events that negatively affects different communities.

As someone who has been in the geotechnical engineering discipline for around 23 years, I still find it a very fun job as we are always dealing with uncertainties and complexities. Each project that we work on is unique as no two are the same. When we come to work every day, we are facing new challenges, which can be tough, but also rewarding. To me, engineers are unsung heroes whose contributions span from laying solid foundations for buildings and infrastructures to building safe tunnels through mountains and across the sea to ensuring public safety from different hazards such as landslides and flooding. There is a great sense of satisfaction and mission from this field as your work delivers positive impacts to your community and many others.

Johnny Cheuk is AECOM’s vice president, Geotechnical, Hong Kong, and Chairman of Geotechnical Division at the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

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Despite clear public interest in speeding the delivery of infrastructure improvements in the United States, it can take as many as 4½ years on average to receive environmental approvals that clear the way for major federal projects.

The Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) establishes an approach to reduce these delays, and other permitting reform efforts are being pursued by government to deliver needed highway, rail, water, new energy and utility projects more quickly. At the same time, new cloud-based, interactive digital platforms like AECOM’s PlanEngage can be influential  to help reduce by half the cumulative review time and improve transparency and public engagement. In fact, lawmakers in Congress are considering policies to encourage the use of digital tools in the review process.

Making regulatory documents more accessible

While the review requirements set out in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are critical to protect communities and habitat, a combination of factors over time has combined to extend the environmental review process – leading to costly delays and even dooming worthy projects. Environmental Impact Statements that were as once as short as 10 pages now average 600 pages, plus appendices that typically exceed 1,000 pages. Understaffed regulatory agencies often working across multiple jurisdictions and juggling input from the public, consultants and other stakeholders can bog down under the sheer weight of the review process.

Online digital platforms like PlanEngage essentially make NEPA documents more accessible, expanding stakeholder engagement and transparency, while enabling interactivity and edits in real time between regulatory agencies and the public that can speed up reviews.

How PlanEngage made collaboration easier in Arizona

This was the case in Arizona where PlanEngage was first used by the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) during review of a 280-mile interstate highway segment between Nogales and Wickenburg. Instead of navigating dense, static, two-dimensional PDF documents, the platform allowed users to search headings and subheadings through a navigation bar and provide input. Readers could pop out graphics, see photos and visualizations in a separate window on their devices, and provide input.

In addition to promoting more efficient reviews, online digital platforms allow for better collaboration between agencies that can identify and resolve conflicts earlier in the process, which also reduces the number of formal comments on the draft EIS. In the case of Arizona’s I-11 expansion, it also unlocked new opportunities.

Arizona officials said the results achieved through the interactive process will guide their efforts on future studies.

With as much as $1.2 trillion in new federal infrastructure spending hitting the market, and greater demand by the public for input and more equitable ways to deliver it, the timing is right for increased uptake of online digital platforms. In a process where debate is limited to formal written submissions or public hearings, interactive, mobile-phone friendly documents and engagement, can draw higher levels of interest, reach a broader audience and allow for a wider diversity of voices in real time.

What’s more, officials say, is that better public understanding of projects leads to more substantive comments, less ambiguity and fewer delays or challenges related to not being able to find information in a timely way.

Reducing costs, speeding up delivery

The core goals of environmental review and public participation remain as important as ever in the review process. Delivering an ambitious infrastructure program requires a new approach that aligns with the original intent of NEPA requirements and helps get projects off the drawing board.

A 2015 analysis prepared by Common Good, a nonpartisan reform coalition, found that a six-year delay in starting construction on public projects cost the nation nearly $4 trillion, a sum far in excess of the amount needed to modernize America’s infrastructure. Today’s inflationary economy has already begun eating into the spending power created by IIJA and client project decision-making.

Regulators and clients alike can play a role in encouraging innovation and moving from the approach of previous generations for environmental reviews to an interactive, cloud-based platform approach appropriate for 21st century infrastructure. The outcomes can lead to better projects delivered faster and more economically, while ensuring the environmental protections that keep our communities safe and thriving.

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The reduction of waste through circular economy principles and resource efficiency has a key role to play in reducing the environmental impact of major road and rail projects. However, uptake of new earthworks assessment and management techniques and processes within the UK is arguably slow. There’s a very real risk that potential opportunities to reduce cost and carbon may be lost if our industry continues to take a traditional approach to earthworks management.

This article draws from global best practice and specialist geosystem knowledge to suggest alternative ways that clients and contractors can take ownership of ground conditions – even unforeseen ones – to reduce costs and carbon, and to benefit local communities.

The potential of geosystems

There are many ways to reuse site-won materials ranging from primary fills for earthworks structures through to those needing modification or improvement to allow their reuse in a meaningful way. We use the term ‘geosystems’ to include any composite solution to ground engineering challenges, which are more sustainable and cost efficient than traditional alternatives. Geosystems cover applications from ground improvement techniques such as mechanical or chemical soil stabilisation through to reinforced soil applications such as abutment thrust relief walls or geotextile encased columns.

While geotechnical engineers may possess the tools to manage unforeseen ground conditions in a sustainable way, they are often hindered from using these techniques as the prevailing site conditions are perceived by many as not being appropriate – forming barriers to their use.

In the UK, a traditional, risk-averse, highly conservative approach to ground engineering prevails, where (carbon intensive) methods are often chosen over globally employed methodologies, which are often mistakenly labeled ‘innovative’.

However green shoots are emerging from some client organisations who appear to recognise the potential benefits of adopting new techniques.  A recent study from HS2 in conjunction with the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Partnership (i3P) identified potential annual savings of £300 million within earthworks alone from 26 key opportunities within the UK.

There are many ways we can improve our approach to earthworks management for the wider benefit: by embracing more pragmatism in our design and management processes; building in resilience; and questioning the standard options so prevalent in our industry.

Ultimately however, there is no substitute for a comprehensive ground investigation: as it’s the tool by which we can design out excess conservatism and ensure sustainable, lower cost solutions are adopted at the outset.

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A decade after the London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and it’s a good time for reflection on the legacy for East London and the capital as a whole.

While it would be hard to deny that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP) and its surrounding development has failed to clear certain hurdles that often stand in the way of success on large regeneration schemes, it is clear that the overall improvement and transformation of East London is still anchored in the original premise for the Games: the delivery of the Park; rewilding of the Lea River; extended public transport networks; new social infrastructure; new housing (although the low levels of truly affordable housing is a disappointment given the original vision) and job creation in innovative and creative industries.

AECOM led the masterplanning consortium of designers, planners, engineers and engagement specialists for the entire scheme including games-time mode and planning for legacy build-out.

Here are five key things we learned along the way.

1/ Flexibility for the future

In masterplanning the QEOP and its legacy – as in any major project – planning for an unknown future is about creating a framework of possibilities. Flexibility has been key to the ongoing evolution from a post-industrial river valley to the setting for a global event and now the QEOP and its developments.

At this scale of development, flexibility comes in many guises. Our job was to create the opportunities for change to take place, for example designing games venues and facilities with a different future use in mind or enabling the planned Stratford Waterfront residential neighbourhood to be reimagined as the new cultural quarter.

Ultimately, we learned about the critical importance of seeking and finding the balance of delivering just the right amount of permanent framework development within a robust masterplan, flexible planning permissions and environmental assessments, which offer the opportunity for existing and future communities to own, evolve and grow the place for themselves.

2/Greenest games

The sustainability and environmental story of the games and park can be read at different scales.

At a micro level, the innovative biodiversity action plan ensured that detailed attention was paid to protecting and enhancing the habitats of the smallest animals and plants, while at the macro level, the legacy for London was a brand new, large-scale, accessible, high-quality public park.

A valuable part of the green and blue infrastructure of the city, the public park certainly demonstrated its value during the coronavirus pandemic.

Knowing that sustainability considerations can get lost in some large projects, we learned that sustainability had to be factored into every piece of design and every decision from the specification of building materials; the careful planning of bridges and roads; utilities; flood management; and the fact that all spectators (and most future residents and visitors) arrived on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.

3/Power to the people

The best lesson learned here was in listening widely and listening well. This was enabled by embedding a stakeholder engagement team with the planning and design teams, a fully integrated approach that today would be called co-creation. There was a culture of engagement and listening that became everyone’s responsibility.

In listening widely, we engaged with the broadest stakeholder groups from local residents and businesses, school children, sporting bodies and to local and city authority councillors. We heard about people’s concerns, but also their hopes, and tried to incorporate as many of their ideas as possible. The process and conversations meant we were able to develop a mutual understanding of what was possible.

Engagement is as important now as it was at the time of the Games as longstanding – and new -residents begin to own this new part of London. Efforts to embed QEOP in the local area so that benefits are more widely spread must continue.

4/Joined-up places

Connections within, across and around the park, and its integration into the fabric of the broader capital and beyond, have been critical to its success. The planning process sought to embed a network of movement, providing multiple ways for people to explore and evolve new routes, connecting people to employment and leisure opportunities. This has also stimulated organic development particularly in those areas which fringe the QEOP which have transformed into thriving new districts.

We have learned about the power of connectivity whether it’s by path or cycle way, bus routes or rail services. We are already seeing how opportunities in places like Hackney Wick or Fish Island can be opened up by a bridge in the right place, or an interesting intersection created by connections that facilitate access and movement, and that, in turn, sparks investment.

5/Stronger together

Our work was about making a place for people, so it was critical that the process had a very human dimension. This included fostering the collaboration of four host boroughs, transport agencies, local and regional government and the mayor, communities and latterly the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Collaboration also included co-locating planning and design teams from many practices, sharing offices and sharing ideas for the best solutions, enjoying the discussions and visits… all working together for the same purpose, to the same deadline for a great sense of shared endeavour.

We learned that collaboration is all when it comes to creating the conditions for a new, culturally rich and flourishing part of the city.

The post Five key things London 2012 taught us about successful placemaking appeared first on Without Limits.

After a turbulent period which started with Brexit and was sustained by coronavirus, materials, labour and supply chain issues have now been ramped up by the conflict in Ukraine. Wider economic inflation, in turn, is driving costs to all-time highs.  

Yet the most surprising thing about the logistics market at present is that it is buoyant in the face of these staggering materials price hikes. The industrial market has experienced double-digit increases on build cost over the past eighteen months – leading to an incredibly challenging time for market participants, where demand is high, but supply of key elements is low. 

Logistics buildings typically have a very simple design, comprising an envelope of structural steel, a concrete slab, and then cladding on the walls and roof. However, with steel and concrete now in high demand and low supply, logistics centres’ need for large amounts of steel means costs and delays have become particularly pronounced. Steel and concrete are also energy intensive products to produce. As energy pieces rise, production costs have also soared. 

How inflation impacts procurement

The typical procurement route for this building type is changing. A previous preference for single-stage tendering is now changing in favour of two-stage tendering, and to a more partner-based approach. Many of the bigger developers are even bypassing two-stage tendering – instead, going straight to a partnership with a contractor at an early stage, in order to try and lock in prices and contractor availability.  

January 2022 saw some of the sharpest materials price increases on record. To offset building costs, rental prices are rising on units. This shift in yield has helped upcoming and in-development projects to continue to be financially viable. The problem developers face doing deals going forwards is how to predict build cost, and whether deals can be achieved on a fixed-price basis.  

Design with end use in mind

The biggest change with this building type over the past decade has been the shift to ecommerce, which now dominates demand. All retailers are assessing their ‘dark lstores’ and last-mile facilities and want to use them to help gain a competitive advantage over rivals – by ensuring their logistics centres enable the fastest and smoothest order fulfilment. 

While logistics centres are relatively simple in design, there are differences in facility layouts and heights based on what stage and type of fulfilment they are catering to. Last-mile logistics centres typically have a ground-based operation inside the building. They do not require high racking and are often laid out like a supermarket, with staff doing the picking rather than shoppers. In contrast, larger distribution centres, perhaps leased or owned by major international online retailers, feature high bay racking, and often deploy greater levels of technology and robotics for picking products.  

Therefore when developing a shell, it is important to consider the expected end use. For example, a fulfilment centre which has heavy amounts of robotics may need to reconsider the use of roof lights, windows, and sources of natural light, which can confuse robot tracking and motion sensors.   

Amenities for the people who working in logistics centres are improving, as labour shortages make it more important to attract and retain workers. Some core features are found in almost every project – such as a canteen, showers, changing and toilet facilities, and a large car park. However, gyms, sports fields, trim trails and additional EV charging points for staff cars and grassy outdoor meeting or relaxation areas have all been included in recent projects, to attract tenants and retain labour.  

To maximise value, some tenants are opting to make their distribution centres also their HQ or primary office location. This may also drive-up demand for enhanced staff amenities and increased office design. Offices are typically fitted out to Cat A. 

Making logistics centres sustainable

Because logistics centres are such large, open spaces, the cost impact to improving sustainability is relatively small compared to the cost of the building itself. BREEAM Very Good is easily achievable with speculative logistics developments, and is now a baseline; BREEAM Excellent status is also being reached on some projects where tenants have demanded it.  

Logistics centres, with their large flat roofs, are obvious choices for solar PV installation and this is now commonplace. Some developers are selling the electricity generated from their rooftops to tenants. Making logistics centres self-sufficient from an energy perspective will likely become a strong selling point soon.  

Location also informs what sustainability measures can be included. Rainwater harvesting, on-site wind turbines, EV charging points at every delivery van space and water attenuation are all being deployed on projects.  

A smarter and more efficient future

Rather than a case of ‘survival of the fittest’, where only the largest contractors or tenants can take on and manage the risk associated with the inflation happening on these projects, it may turn out to be survival of the smartest – those industry players who can collaborate with the right partners; secure prices, labour and materials as efficiently as possible; and keep watch and respond to the retail trends which are influencing demand for these buildings.  

This is an abridged version of an article that was first published in Building magazine. You can read the full article by clicking here.

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The days when a programme manager’s principal concerns were schedule, quality, and cost are long gone. In many jurisdictions, the value proposition for major infrastructure projects has evolved to embrace complex environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives as well.  The effects of this shift on the discipline of programme management (PgM) have been seismic.

Major infrastructure programmes have long held the power to transform lives, but new stimulus packages – such as the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in the US and European Union long-term budget and Next GenerationEU (worth approximately €2 trillion) – are moving the dial. National governments are demanding greater evidence of transition plans and reporting on climate-related risks and opportunities, particularly in the UK. As a result of these drivers, the value environment around a major infrastructure programme is often determined by government, regulators, funders, and stakeholders outside of the organisation.

In response, infrastructure owners require a clearly defined value proposition to measure success. It follows then that a programme team must include a far greater breadth of skills and much deeper capability from programme partners in response. A modern, complex infrastructure project of scale requires digital, social value, carbon management and environmental experts (amongst others) to closely collaborate with traditional disciplines from the outset. Success depends on how these teams integrate and interact throughout the programme lifecycle. Programme leadership teams are often better informed and benefit from diverse thinking if they include representation from the full range of capability required for successful execution.

Collaboration and integration

A fully integrated and truly collaborative approach is the most effective way to utilise the vast array of skillsets needed to meet the full circle of performance objectives. Managing the ‘white space’ between technical disciplines, programme and delivery functions and projects at various stages of the lifecycle is a critical component of any management approach.

To support decision making at the right time, all specialist teams and supply chain partners need to be fully informed. The integration of all stakeholders into a one team structure is central, and is driven by the programme management team, working closely with the client’s senior responsible officer and programme sponsor.

Armed with this programme knowledge, it is crucial that all specialist teams are given the delegated authority to make the right professional decisions in their span of control. However, they must not work in silos. It is the programme manager’s role to create a collaborative environment where individual teams meet regularly to share challenges, mitigate risks, develop opportunities, and bring their subject matter expertise to the conversation. This is the process through which we can arrive at those creative solutions that solve a programme’s most pressing challenges.

Let’s look at some examples.

1/Social impact

Teams from the AECOM-Arup joint venture working on the Second Avenue Subway program – the first major expansion of the New York City Transit (NYCT) subway system in over 50 years – were faced with significant engineering challenges. Through focussed integration between all project teams opportunities emerged to deliver on our core values of improving social outcomes for the people of New York.

In the tunnelling programme, we accommodated escalator and elevator connections to street level – a huge improvement on the typical New York stairway-only access. To create a less stressful environment, we drew on innovative acoustics to reduce train noise, and modelled passenger foot flow to ‘design out’ unpleasant and unsafe overcrowding.

2/Carbon

It is now commonplace for the value environment on a complex infrastructure programme to include processes and actions to support the net zero carbon transition. This performance objective is leading to increases in capital programme cost forecasts, driving an assessment of how successful the programme is in reducing carbon from the initial baseline that was set at the point where the investment plan was put in place.

To meet the challenge of the net zero transition, carbon needs to be managed at every point of the programme. This requires the right standard of expertise at strategy level to create the environment for identifying, modelling, and implementing carbon reduction through the programme lifecycle, but particularly during design as that presents the greatest opportunity to influence and embed change. This influence does begin and end during design, but must continue through close collaboration between specialist teams, contractors, operators and the supply chain, so that low carbon products, materials, construction and maintenance techniques are specified and implemented. By taking a more systemic and holistic approach from the outset, better practice and wider sustainability benefits can be realised, such as the adoption of circular economy processes and net biodiversity gain.

3/Stakeholder engagement

Finally, given the high level of scrutiny on major programmes, the quality and breadth of your stakeholder engagement and communications materials can often determine whether or not a project achieves the necessary approvals for consents and licenses. When done well, good stakeholder engagement can mitigate schedule delays, with less cost and less risk.
Typically, in-house communications specialists as well as external organisations will be working with different statutory and non-statutory stakeholders from government and local authority levels through to local businesses, interest groups and individual residents, so it is vital that they are all fully aligned and integrated.

To ensure full transparency and for the programme team to evaluate how stakeholder relationships are progressing against the engagement strategy objectives, careful recording of information into a secure GDPR compliant CRM system is paramount.

Everyone has a part to play

Ultimately, every member of the team has a part to play in responding to a programme’s value environment, and it is up to the programme manager to bind these skillsets together for the benefit of the whole. Managing the ‘white space’ is fundamental to the art of programme management, and it is critical to successful delivery of today’s major infrastructure projects.

The post The way society measures the success of major infrastructure programmes is changing. As programme managers we must respond. appeared first on Without Limits.

Changes to government legislation that requires social value to be explicitly evaluated – as set out in PPN 06/20 – have transformed how construction and infrastructure project impacts are measured and how contracts are procured. However, without the right intelligence from the outset, social value activity may still miss the mark, no matter how well-intentioned.

Organisations looking to optimise impact in the communities in which they operate need to harness the power of data. Good data can elevate social value to a more effective, more transparent, and more impactful place because it increases understanding of local needs and enables organisations to move away from delivering outputs and to be more strategic about the interventions they make. For example, a rural project in an area with poor internet connectivity could review digital literacy levels in local school leavers when designing their local school engagement programme.

Here, we look at three recent examples of how data can be used in different ways to inform decision-making, so an organisation’s social value activities have a meaningful impact and greater societal benefits.

1/ Using data to measure impact on behalf of Battersea Power Station

AECOM was commissioned by Battersea Power Station to develop a social value framework for measuring the social impact of key community programmes in the area’s regeneration project. They included jobs and schools’ programmes, a community choir, community forum and road shows, and the Power to Connect initiative.

As the pandemic hit, local pupils found themselves forced to home-school, many without access to a computer or the internet. Battersea Power Station and Wandsworth Council joined forces to launch Power to Connect, an initiative which aims to tackle digital poverty in the borough. Since launching in April 2020, Power to Connect has collected, refurbished and donated over 1,600 devices to local families and organisations.

Data was key in helping Battersea Power Station understand how this action could be modelled and validated to provide a reliable, referenceable measurement of the value delivered. We achieved these insights using per-pupil education cost insights from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and University College London (UCL), which we integrated into the social value dashboard we developed. The data showed an impactful relationship between the spend per pupil per hour; we measured the value of the education not lost thanks to Power to Connect as £1.1million.

2/ How we used data to identify local need for social value activities on The Northumberland Line

The Northumberland Line, due to open in 2023, is a new passenger rail service that will run on an existing freight line, improving connectivity for previously underserved communities in the North-East of England.

During our ground investigations work in the early stages of this project, we wanted to develop and deliver a social value plan that really met community need. With an understanding of the County Council’s social value drivers, we approached our supply chain partners – Sunbelt Rentals and Geotechnical Engineering – knowing that they knew the local area well.

Both partners collaborated with us to share data about which specific schools and charities in the area needed our support the most, which then fed into our own social value planning. For example, our supply chain partners had used the ‘number of pupils on free school meals’ metric to choose which school to target, and we adopted that too.

This collaborative approach was carried through to implementation as we made joint donations towards the school’s breakfast club and delivered Christmas food parcels together to a local rehabilitation charity.

For a schools engagement programme, other potential metrics can include percentage of BAME students, number of pupils with English as a second language or low academic attainment. As social value consultants we help organisations decide which metrics to use to maximise their impact. Alternatively, a national organisation leading a major infrastructure programme may have already made this decision, so we would identify and map activities accordingly. 

3/ We are using data to improve our own social value practices here at AECOM

Data can also be used to improve social value practices within an organisation so that priorities and targets are being met.

Here at AECOM, we track quantitative data on a digital dashboard to evaluate activity and inform our evolving social value strategy. We gather and analyse data on the types of activities that our employees are carrying out during their own work-related volunteer time to see if we are making the best use of our employees’ talents and skill sets. For example, the data shows that a third of our staff time was spent on STEM activities in 2021, a key focus area of our social value activity that uses our technical expertise effectively. We can also analyse our geographic impact, so that our social value activity is distributed equitably across the areas we work so that no regions are left out.

By interrogating this data, we ensure we deliver outcomes that align with our strategic objectives, our technical and project expertise, our clients’ ambitions, and the needs of our communities.

Embedded equals effective

Crucially, the defining characteristic of a social value approach that uses data to best effect is that it is embedded right from the start and throughout the entire project lifecycle, from work winning and project planning through to delivery and completion. The same applies at an organisational level.

When social value is data-driven and measurable, it becomes real and impactful.

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The recent transport debate – cast as roads versus public transport – needs a clearer perspective if we want to create a sustainable and efficient travel system which improves quality of life as the population grows and behaviours shift.

To reach the Irish government’s goal of halving transport carbon emissions by 2030 we need to make the most of the roads we have, organising space on them differently. After all, they have been constructed at significant environmental and economic cost. Renewed investment gives us the opportunity to maximise their value to society by repurposing them for a new, more sustainable, era.

The process of greening Irish transport is already underway. National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)-led initiatives include €360 million annual investment in safe walking, cycling and affordable active travel programmes as set out in the government’s upcoming Sustainable Mobility Policy. They also include multi-billion schemes like BusConnects across cities which, with new infrastructure, design and vehicles, underpin a clean network.

“Transport has a critical role to play in our daily lives, and how we travel has a direct bearing on our carbon emissions,” said Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD in response to the overall allocation of €3.4 billion to the department in the Budget 2022. “By reorienting our investment towards walking and cycling, sustainable public transport in both urban and rural areas, and electric vehicles, we can make it easier for people to make changes that benefit us all.”

However, success depends on finding new ways to create a clean and smooth-running transport system. This article looks at three ways that this can be done: implementing permanently some of the temporary road use principles adopted during the coronavirus pandemic; by reimagining older, underused roads; and considering how essential goods can best be moved around a road network that has been optimised for active travel and public transport, as part of a wider review on freight within Ireland.

Coronavirus as a sustainability catalyst

Public acceptance of a different, greener use of road space in our towns requires a mindset shift. Historically, this was a thorny task because the public associated permanent changes with lengthy roadworks and disruption. During the pandemic however, temporary measures were installed at pace to allow more room for people and cyclists. Footpath areas were widened for shoppers, while side roads were closed to private motorists to improve pedestrian priority. These short-term, low-cost, but high-impact remedies allowed social distancing and al fresco dining around local shops and cafés, keeping businesses open once lockdowns lifted. They also gave the public a chance to experience an urban environment where cyclists and pedestrians are given priority, but minus the roadworks and disruption.

Figures show that the response was positive. Despite many people working from home, bicycle sales in Ireland grew 30 per cent between January 2019 and September 2020, and bicycle usage rose more than 40 per cent year-on-year in 2020. Furthermore, figures from the Canal Corden Report by the NTA show that walking and cycling in Dublin have been rising steadily over the last decade.

By enhancing local street furniture and greenery, as well as installing better lighting and signage, we have a chance to bake in these positive behaviours, and lay the foundations for more permanent design changes that are needed to create a more sustainable transport network.

Anne Graham, NTA’s chief executive, shares this vision. She says, “Quick-fix solutions such as the coronavirus mobility measures have created space on our streets and kept us safe. They are a golden opportunity to show first-hand how wonderful our town centres can be when we make different, sustainable transport choices which allow them to be more open.”

The Bray Seafront Plaza scheme in Dublin, designed by AECOM and funded by the NTA, encompasses the principles of making permanent short-term coronavirus mobility measures. The plaza is a focal point on the seafront, and has been transformed with redesigned on-street parking, widened footpaths, and the addition of landscaping, public lighting, and cycle parking. According to Wicklow County Council, public feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

A before and after video of the Bray Seafront Plaza scheme of improvements

New ideas for old roads

There has long been an understanding that achieving a reduction in carbon emissions would be dependent on an imaginative overhaul of the way we use the national road network. For example, arterial roads are important routes for goods and people, and we can capitalise more fully on the investment already made in them.

One particularly successful, low-cost strategy involves converting hard shoulders to bus lanes. This has been done on the M1 and M2 busways around Belfast and is now being considered by TII for the N11/M11, amongst other national roads. Such adjustments provide clean alternatives for people looking to travel longer distances without a car.

Another option is to include these roads in sustainable corridors. The N2 Rath Roundabout to Kilmoon Cross scheme in County Meath is a good example: the existing road network will be repurposed into a high-quality active travel scheme to enhance sustainable connectivity between local communities and the regional centres in Ashbourne.

We have taken a similar design approach to the Lucan to City Centre BusConnects scheme, which breathes new life into the Old Lucan Road adjacent to the N4 national road. The proposals for a new two-way cycle route along the old road should encourage end-to-end sustainable journeys for local (and longer distance) trips in the Palmerstown area. New bike rack facilities at future bus stops for sustainable transport integration are a feature of this proposal.

The National Cycle Network plan, which we are currently developing with TII, will take this approach one step further by linking retrofitted national roads to cycling infrastructure in towns and cities and to the Greenways network of urban and rural cycle paths. Due to be published this year, the plan aims to encourage greener, safer personal transport choices.

Peter Walsh, TII CEO, comments: “Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s delivery of sustainable mobility solutions will continue in 2022 and beyond, specifically with the development of Greenways and the National Cycle Network plan, in addition to expanding light railway infrastructure and services.”

Managing heavy goods transport

Any clean transport reset needs to factor in freight, not only in terms of how to reduce vehicle emissions, but also how to best segregate heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from cyclists and pedestrians on urban roads that have been optimised for public transport and active travel use.

Our analysis for TII indicates that an HGV creates six times more emissions than a small car in urban conditions. There are still significant barriers to fleet mass electrification, however initiatives such as last mile delivery – where goods are taken to distribution hubs on city outskirts and then taken into the centre using e-bikes, cargo bikes and smaller hybrid vans – is providing a solution, not only to lowering emissions levels but also reducing the number of HGVs on inner city roads. Nevertheless, restrictions on HGV operating hours in urban areas may be necessary to create safer, more pleasant conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers.

In addition, there is an opportunity for rail freight to provide some alternative support and we have worked with Irish Rail to formulate plans to introduce a new scheme to boost rail transport. Still, given that HGVs are likely to remain a key part of intermodal freight transport in the future, their role will be best considered in the context of the Department of Transport’s forthcoming haulage strategy.

Ultimately, roads have a key role to play in the transition to cleaner and greener transport alternatives. By organising space differently and reimagining how we use them, we have an opportunity to maximise a highly valuable resource.

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In the UK, climate change and the levelling up agenda are forcing a rethink on infrastructure investment. That is certainly the case in Scotland, where legislative framework for emissions reduction is underpinned by a legal commitment to deliver a ‘just transition’.

The Scottish government defines a just transition as ‘both the outcome – a fairer, greener future for all – and the process that must be undertaken in partnership with those impacted by the transition to net zero’. To deliver on its policy commitments, the Scottish government has set up a dedicated Commission who will be tasked with undertaking ‘meaningful engagement’ with local communities as well engaging and collaborating with ‘with other sources of expertise’, including relevant Scottish government advisory bodies on climate change and inequality amongst many others.

As Colin Wood, AECOM CEO for Europe and India said recently at the launch of the UK COP26 Presidency’s ‘Visions for a Net Zero Future’: “Efforts to tackle climate change will have limited success without the involvement of local citizens; leveraging that local knowledge will be key to achieving a resilient, net-zero future.” As infrastructure and built environment consultants, we are committed to delivering sustainable legacies. Listening to community voices to achieve a deeper understanding at a local level helps our multidisciplinary teams gather evidence to find the best solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges.

In this article we explore three different approaches that can be used to create equitable infrastructure needed to meet wider levelling up and net zero ambitions. We take Glasgow as our starting point, then draw on strategically-important transport planning, active travel and flood management projects across other major UK cities including Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham.

Enhancing engineering-led schemes through nature-based solutions

Managing flood risk is a priority for Glasgow. Climate Ready Clyde estimates that 21,500 extra homes will be at risk of flooding by 2080.

Several schemes of strategic importance that manage excess surface water have been initiated in the city region under the Glasgow City Region City Deal and through the collaborative Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership (MGSDP).  One of these projects is in Drumchapel, an area of deprivation identified as needing further support to tackle complicated socio-economic issues. As well as protecting areas downstream from flooding, the project needed to deliver additional social value for the people of Drumchapel.

Embedding the landscape team (which included our in-house ecologists and arborists) with the planning and engineering team from the outset enabled us to deliver additional benefits, as having a multidisciplinary capability meant that we were able to use natural restorative processes to cost-effectively enhance traditional engineering solutions.

For example, we knew that local people had difficultly traversing the site, so we installed robust bridges to make accessible crossing points over the Garscadden Burn, ensuring that the footpath gradients were suitable for wheelchair users. In some cases, a light design touch was all that was needed: boulders were retained to provide simple, natural play opportunities.

Any design solution must work for the local community in the longer term. Looking at flood management schemes through an environmental lens builds this resilience. We reshaped some of the retained soil to create naturally contoured berms so that they would act as an emergency reservoir in times of extreme rainfall. In addition, we chose native species to replicate the natural habitat, and planted an understory of native ground cover, a wetland meadow mix and trees that will need minimal intervention over the five-year implementation period. To be successful however, this approach requires hard evidence and a very firm understanding of existing soil, hydrology, weather and climate conditions.

These environmental interventions are communicated in a highly pictorial and visual way by new interpretation panels on The Drumchapel Way, which have been developed in conjunction with Glasgow City Council’s access and biodiversity officers with input from Forestry and Land Scotland.

Placing a higher weighting on socio-demographic factors

During the stakeholder consultation for the recently-conducted Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) for the Glasgow City Region, the climate emergency was cited ‘as an opportunity to make transport investment decisions that encourage people out of private vehicles through better active travel provision and better public transport’. To make this a reality, active travel across Scotland has just received a huge injection of funding. By 2024-5, at least £320 million will be allocated to active travel, taking the proportion of total spend from 3.5 per cent to ten per cent.

Historically, transport investment has been targeted using traditional factors, such as economic growth, congestion and road safety. By placing a higher weighting on socio-demographic objectives, active travel and public transport accessibility indicators however, transport planners have an opportunity to identify schemes in many new locations that meet levelling up and environmental agendas. This offers potential to create a more balanced infrastructure delivery plan.

In England, we used this novel approach during a macro study of the Key Route Network (KRN) in Birmingham and the wider region undertaken on behalf of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM). By linking our evidence-led assessment process with the emerging environmental and socially inclusive agenda, we were able to deliver 44 conceptual scheme plans that clearly indicate sites where investment would enhance local conditions for active travel, improve the immediate environment and improve residents’ health and wellbeing. The approach also ensured areas of low long-term investment were brought to the fore. Early business case style-documents were developed for each scheme to discuss the key connectivity challenges identified and suggest indicative costing and high-level delivery timescales for targeted measures. The study also included the development of five area-wide, thematic propositions on the subjects of 15-minute neighbourhoods and mobility hubs, electric vehicle charging and digital connectivity.

The process was designed to demonstrate alignment with a broader set of strategic objectives, to inform short, medium and long-term delivery plans, and to enable best use of future funding opportunities. We are now assisting TfWM in the development of a KRN delivery plan and monitoring framework.

An evidence-led approach to low traffic neighbourhoods

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) create safer and more comfortable street environments to walk, cycle, wheel and spend time in by reducing the volume and speed of traffic.  They are key elements within wider city net zero transport strategies that encourage and increase the use of sustainable and active modes of transport, and are fundamental to Glasgow’s Liveable Neighbourhoods.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has taught us that LTNs can be challenging to implement successfully. By their nature, an LTN encourages and enables fundamental modal shift away from a reliance on private car use. Despite many of the benefits including encouraging ‘active travel’, air quality and safer community-focussed streets, they have been seen to be contentious and divisive as they can fundamentally change how local residents are able to move around their neighbourhoods.

To give local authorities the confidence to make robust decisions on LTNs and to communicate effectively with communities, planning and designs should be evidence-led. Gathering comprehensive data, such as traffic levels, speed, school travel plans as well as sat-nav origin destination analysis for example, provides a clear documentation trail that can be referenced easily. Furthermore, the presentation of data should be simple and legible to allow communities to understand it to build trust in the process.

Increasing conduits into communities directly affected helps gather better information and understand local issues and aspirations. Digital engagement tools are now so advanced that they can include 3D visualisations and map-based feedback. We have been using these tools on proposed active travel schemes across the UK including in East Lothian and in The Bee Network in Manchester to increase the demographic range involved in the consultation process.

Steering groups are another effective route into the community. Corstorphine Connections is an LTN in Edinburgh that has just been approved by Edinburgh Council. As part of a six-month period of intense community engagement, we founded a Community Reference Group (CRG) during  the early stages to help set the objectives and provide an additional way for the community to express their views. The CRG included members from community groups, parent councils, businesses, housing associations, bus user groups, the Living Streets group and the council’s Access Panel.  Members gave us valuable insight and local knowledge that we fed into the designs.

Initially, the Corstorphine LTN will be delivered under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). During the trial period, the CRG will continue to meet and feedback on the scheme. We are currently developing a detailed monitoring and evaluation programme that involves a variety of metrics including air quality, traffic impacts, noise and how people feel about and use the new community spaces. In this way, data and evidence will continue to inform the decision-making process while the scheme is in its trial period.

Leveraging local knowledge to achieve a just transition

To achieve a just transition to a low carbon urban economy, new infrastructure must have a positive impact on the communities it serves. Within the public and political environment of delivering transformational net-zero strategies, it is essential that decisions regarding new infrastructure must be transparent, robust, and backed by well-researched hard evidence, of which local knowledge and community feedback must be a huge part.

The importance of continuous monitoring and evaluation of schemes, and listening to those affected, will only improve how projects are delivered in future by building confidence and strengthening the case for change.

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At AECOM, we often cite agility as being a key attribute of a successful program management (PgM) model. We define PgM as being a disciplined, systematic approach to orchestrating resources to plan, design, construct, and deliver a collection of projects in a coordinated way to obtain benefits for the owner not attainable if managed separately. When we talk about agility in terms of PgM however, we are thinking about the PgM model itself, and how it should be molded closely to program and client requirements. It is also a mindset that program leaders must possess when applying that model to delivering a defined client outcome.

In this article, we’ll be looking at why agility was and continues to be such a powerful tool and what it looks like on the Purple Line, a complex infrastructure program in Maryland, US. The new stretch of light rail is one of the largest transportation programs in the US, the second-ever such program to be funded through a P3 public-private partnership, and – at a design and construction cost of approximately $9.5 billion – the largest program in Maryland’s history.

Agility defined

Major infrastructure delivery programs of work are usually complex. An off-the-shelf, prescribed PgM model rarely works well. Without fully understanding a client’s needs, expectations and establishing desired outcomes right from the very start, it is hard to build a responsive PgM model that can flex as the program moves through planning, design and construction, through to effective operations and maintenance. Pre-planning is an essential step in this process, however program set-up and implementation must allow for and anticipate change.

The delivery of long-term programs of work rarely goes just as planned, often running into funding issues or other delays, and the program leadership team must be agile enough to manage these uncertainties to minimize impact on program delivery and cost. This involves understanding the critical issues, assessing them quickly and recommending a solid course of action, as well as reading the leading indicators and pivoting the program team (from the client down) to the shifting conditions. A focus on maintaining the vision is essential throughout.

Our evolving role on the Purple Line

As the lead firm in a tri-venture program management team, AECOM has been heavily involved with Maryland’s Purple Line since 2010.

Having drawn up the initial environment assessments and then overseeing the development of the preliminary design for the entire alignment, our role evolved as the program progressed from planning to construction. The design-builder – Purple Line Transit Constructors (PLTC) – was selected in 2016, and since then, the AECOM-led team has served as Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration’s (MDOT MTA) program manager, managing planning, design and construction, along with the integration of all stakeholder requirements.

However, despite the improvements to passenger experience that the Purple Line is expected to bring, local tensions, claims and other challenges have threatened program success. Eventually, PLTC departed the program citing financial challenges, leaving the State of Maryland with the huge legacy program on their hands without a builder to complete construction. While the new design and builder was procured, we stepped forward to keep the work on track supporting the accelerated delivery of the technical and early works elements, as well as overall management of the program. This also involved managing more than 150 subcontractors that were assigned to MTA when the design-build team left.

Agility in practice

Our PgM model on the Purple Line is very agile and enables us to:

1/Call on subject matter experts

Integrating the depth and range of our global technical strength and capabilities to bring programmatic solutions to our clients’ big infrastructure delivery challenges is an integral part of our PgM capability and approach.

Since the Purple Line is only the second transit-oriented program to be delivered under a public-private partnership in the US, the program team reaches out to colleagues in Europe and elsewhere to engage key subject matter experts (SME) whenever needed. For example, our SMEs supported the program team to identify various options that could be evaluated and/or implemented to keep the program moving forward when the original design-builder departed the program.

2/Scale up or scale down

As program managers, we understand that the program will evolve and that resources need to scale up and down, so getting the right level of staffing at the right time is critically important. On the Purple Line, we were cautious and measured in bringing new people onto the program team so that we were never out of balance with requirements.

Crucially, our agile PgM model enabled us to scale at pace to manage the huge number of subcontractors that were suddenly assigned to our client when the original design-builder vacated the program.

The program team had to grow from 50 full-time staff to about 130 overnight. Together with our partners, we quickly assembled a range of specialists from quality control to cost, expanding the commercial team as well as planners, construction managers, field coordinators and systems engineers to name just a few. The ability to implement such a rapid scale-up was due largely to keeping the joint venture leadership team well informed of the needs so that each key partner and our DBE firms could assign staff to support the overall deployment.

3/Retool as needed

Understanding program requirements is critical along with working ‘hand in glove’ with client leadership to slot the right program leaders in at the right time along the program lifecycle. On the Purple Line, our program leadership has changed to match the particular demands of each stage, enabled by strong succession planning to ensure continuity.

Agility is as much about adjusting the team to respond to program and client needs as understanding that the program will be led at different times by different disciplines and being able to transition seamlessly between them. To do this effectively, it’s important to stay focused on delivery and anticipate requirements.

Our agile PgM model has been key in elevating our offer from initial services to program solutions on the Purple Line. All early milestones were met on schedule and delivered within budget. Former Purple Line Program Director William A. Parks, commended the PgM team saying, “Each aspect of your team’s involvement has been conducted with superb professionalism. The leadership and supporting staff have been exceptional.”

Ultimately however, no matter what and where the program is, the first step is always to understand the client’s greatest needs, expectations, political ramifications and define the desired outcomes. Many may tout agility, but that alone is not enough: the program team must understand how to pivot and implement the best PgM model and options available. This only works if the client and program team have mutual trust and are aligned and adhere to the three ‘Cs’ – communication, cooperation and collaboration for the program’s success.

The post Three reasons why agility is a powerful instrument in the program manager’s toolkit appeared first on Without Limits.

The water sector is a highly energy-intensive industry, and has a key role to play in helping the UK meet its legally-binding net-zero emissions targets. The focus to date has been almost entirely on monitoring and reporting operational carbon, and the UK water industry does this extremely well. However, the thorny problem of embodied carbon from capital expenditure still remains.

Ofwat recently published guidance regarding embodied carbon reporting, detailing ambitions for mandatory, standardised capital carbon reporting by 2022-23. But it needs to go further. Whole-life carbon management goes beyond the retrospective reporting of carbon emissions, and should embed carbon reduction into requirements and targets. Standardised monitoring and reporting is certainly important, but water companies still need toact as soon as possible to proactively design out the whole-life carbon resulting from their capital projects. A five-year wait for a sector-wide standardised approach is not on a par with other sectors’ net-zero ambitions.

This article discusses some ways the water sector’s approach to managing embodied carbon could be improved and developed, both at a shorter-term individual company level and a medium- to long-term sector level.

Embodied carbon accounting – current practice

English water companies have committed to achieve net-zero operational carbon emissions by 2030, with the water companies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland working towards their own targets for emissions reduction.

For well over a decade, the UK water sector has used a standardised approach¹ for monitoring and reporting on its operational carbon emissions, using UK Water Industry Research’s Carbon Accounting Workbook (UKWIR CAW). However, there is no such common approach to accounting for or managing the embodied carbon emissions resulting from each company’s capital investment programme, nor are these emissions included in the Water UK net-zero target for 2030. While a number of UK water companies are now developing and using bespoke embodied carbon accounting tools, there is a long way to go to achieve the same level of standardisation across the industry that has been achieved for operational carbon.

Over time, embodied carbon may form an ever-greater share of overall emissions as operational emissions fall due to grid decarbonisation and an increase in self-generated renewables. This contribution is becoming increasingly recognised both by UK water companies and across the wider infrastructure sector, with more companies and organisations now explicitly including embodied carbon in their net-zero targets. The 2040 net-zero ambition that Scottish Water agreed with the Scottish Government in 2019 includes both operational and embodied emissions.

Ofwat guidelines

Despite UKWIR identifying a need to account for embodied carbon emissions almost a decade ago, Ofwat only recently highlighted this issue in their Regulatory Accounting Guidelines 2020-21 published in April 2021². While the embodied carbon accounting ambitions outlined in the guidance are commendable, the timescales suggested (i.e. mandatory, standardised embodied carbon reporting by 2022-23) are ambitious considering the work required to achieve sector-wide standardisation. Furthermore, the Ofwat guidance does not yet provide any detail around how this might be achieved, but Ofwat are planning to engage with key stakeholders later this year following on from the July Annual Performance Report submissions.

Ofwat’s ambition for mandatory, standardised embodied carbon reporting is a welcome step in the right direction. However, Ofwat will need to go further in future by explicitly identifying key projects in the current asset management plan period 2020-2025 that can be used as exemplar schemes,  demonstrating how active carbon management can be integrated into planning, design and delivery to stimulate innovation, encouraging the use of lower-carbon materials, and maximising construction efficiency. At present however, the focus is solely on reporting and not on the tools needed to make sure carbon is factored into the decision-making process so that the infrastructure we build is fit for purpose in a low-carbon world.

Sector-wide steps (medium- and longer-term)

To reduce carbon emissions within the water sector most effectively, a standardised, sector-wide approach that includes both operational and embodied carbon emissions should be developed to improve understanding of embodied carbon impacts. Embodied carbon should also be included in carbon reduction targets. Here are some examples of best practice from other sectors and ways that whole-life carbon accounting and understanding could be improved.

Shorter-term steps for individual water companies to take

Until the above actions are taken, water companies should ideally assess the whole-life carbon impact of projects as early as possible in the planning and design process to allow proactive carbon reduction interventions to be identified and implemented.

To remain aligned with other utilities and infrastructure providers, the sector needs to identify and implement proactive whole-life carbon management interventions on capital investment programmes. Until a standardised approach is agreed however, the onus is on either individual water companies – or groups of companies perhaps along those used for regional water resource resilience planning – to take the initiative. It is already happening elsewhere, and the water sector can use best practice from other sectors to accelerate the journey to net zero across both operations and capital investments.

¹ Operational carbon includes the industry’s scope 1 and 2 emissions, and some scope 3 emissions. Embodied carbon is overwhelmingly in scope 3
² Ofwat (April 2021), Information notice: Regulatory accounting guidelines 2020-21: Further guidance on reporting of greenhouse gas emissions

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Cutting carbon emissions by transitioning from fossil fuels to lower carbon alternatives is a pressing issue. To remain competitive, organisations must respond, but in a way that maintains short-term business continuity while making the best long-term economic sense.  For many, the solution will be multi-faceted and complex – as the technologies around fuel decarbonisation evolve, there will be more options around electrification and alternative liquid fuels. Yet, all have trade-offs to consider.

A good example is hydrogen. Even though it is currently relatively costly, companies are investing in this alternative fuel as part of a wider energy strategy not only because it helps meet carbon reduction targets but because they have identified the long-term value. By taking a strategic approach, transition then becomes a multi-stage process informed by clear outcomes that meet both business and net-zero carbon goals.

In this article, we look briefly at the hydrogen economy and where the value lies, before sharing four areas our strategic advisory teams consider when advising clients on the best way to capture that value.

Hydrogen: where does the value lie?

Hydrogen is not a new fuel, and energy specialists have long talked about its predicted renaissance as an alternative to fossil fuels. In the past, it was hard to leverage hydrogen’s full potential (as it doesn’t store as much energy as a traditional hydrocarbon per litre and it uses more electrical energy to produce than it provides as a fuel). Advances in technology, coupled with significant improvements in renewable energy generation and decarbonisation incentives, mean that this is no longer the case.  We have reached the stage where hydrogen has a key role to play in meeting net-zero carbon targets.

Here are three examples:

1/One of hydrogen’s most appealing qualities is its ability to act as a store for electricity production or as a direct combustion alternative. Green hydrogen is becoming a very attractive part of the energy mix when coupled with the ever-advancing renewables generation market. As the cost of hydrogen generation continues to plummet, gaps in renewable energy supply due to variable weather conditions can be smoothed out by coupling with hydrogen either for off grid production or as an in-situ energy store to fuel power stations during peak demand cycles.

2/Hydrogen can replace most traditional combustion sources and it is becoming an ever more attractive solution for many industrial processes, such as steel production.

3/As an energy store, hydrogen has a key role to play in the decarbonisation of the transport market as the energy density of hydrogen has significant advantages over the weighty mix of semi-precious metals within batteries. There is an emerging consensus that transport decarbonisation will be best achieved through the electrification of smaller passenger vehicles coupled with hydrogen fuelling of larger logistics and mass transit options.

The opportunity to maximise value from the transition to hydrogen is open to all sectors, from oil and gas to transport and beyond. However, ensuring that hydrogen is the right solution and budgeting for a step-by-step integration across the value chain is a critically-important decision that requires an intimate understanding of the choices and delivery solutions available. Transitioning strategically to low carbon energy ensures that decisions made now are sustainable in the long-term.

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The early bird catches the worm. This is certainly the case on major infrastructure projects where ground investigations are concerned. Information collected during ground investigations can add tangible value to a project in several ways – but only if the data collected is managed effectively. A managing contractor will coordinate operations to get this done but whether further benefits are achieved from the ground investigations phase, such as collaborating with stakeholders to limit potential construction issues or improving safety standards to reduce risk onsite, is down to the managing contractor’s approach.

The challenges and benefits of data collection

First, let’s examine the benefits of good data, and why it can be a challenge to capture. The data collected from ground investigations underpins the successful creation of a new built asset, or characterisation of an existing asset, by providing critical information that feeds into the planning, consenting, design, procurement and construction phases.

Additionally, ground investigation data is of enduring value to the asset owner after construction. The data needs to be retained appropriately, readily available in the right form for use in ongoing asset management, enhancement, replacement or decommissioning, though arguably this benefit is not as recognised as it should be.

Frequently, despite these benefits to project delivery, large scale ground investigations are not prioritised or managed efficiently enough to harness, form and retain good datasets. This is especially true for major projects where ground investigations are growing in complexity. From archaeology and ecology to remediation and hydrogeology, there can be a huge range of specialist teams and contractors working on site. Maintaining a high standard of fieldwork delivery and ensuring data product consistency and assurance becomes a huge logistical challenge that clients often don’t have capacity to meet, thereby missing out on a huge opportunity to maximise the data collected to improve delivery certainty and enduring value.

What do we mean by ‘intelligent’ managing contractor?

Clients can appoint a managing contractor to oversee and coordinate the ground investigations and related survey work. A managing contractor will organise the multiple companies into an integrated coherent team working under one roof, with single point accountability. Onsite processes are standardised, and information consolidated so that it is easily and readily accessible to the client, resulting in greater data assurance to harness the benefits mentioned above.

But more can be done: if a managing contractor works intelligently, these good data management practices can be amplified to create a culture of collaboration that brings other benefits, such as encouraging early contractor involvement to give greater cost assurance.

Additional benefits around health and safety can be harnessed as a one-team approach can be leveraged to improve all-round safety standards thereby reducing risk onsite. Not only that, the sharing of best practices contributes to the betterment of the construction industry as a whole so that the project leaves a tangible legacy.

This article explores these added benefits in greater depth. We draw on our experience as principal contractor overseeing the ground investigations on Highways England’s Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project – which, once complete, will be the longest road tunnel in Britain – to highlight the many advantages of taking a smart approach to the role of managing contractor within a real-life complex infrastructure scheme.

Five benefits an ‘intelligent’ managing contractor can bring to major schemes

1/Greater collaboration

A management contractor is able to take a holistic approach to a ground investigation programme, ensuring consistency and generating a collaborative spirit so that subcontractors work as one team.

Under this approach, all parties – including the client, subcontractors and other stakeholders such as landowners and statutory bodies – are on the same page from the outset and expectations are better understood. For example,

we facilitated an overall planning meeting at the start of the LTC ground investigation programme, and – for the first time in a major ground investigation campaign in the UK – used early contractor involvement (ECI) and a two-stage contract. This enabled better planning, organisation and processes to be driven throughout ground investigations from start to finish. For example, through ECI we were able to determine fieldwork duration and costs before we executed very large ground investigation contracts and launched onsite.

Through collaborative working, the LTC ground investigations obtained vital data to limit potential construction problems and gained the consent of over 90 per cent of landowners on the route – an incredible feat, considering year-long delays have hit some major schemes because the land access was not in place. All this increased certainty around design approach and construction costs.

For optimal collaboration, daily dialogue with key parties is imperative. This means any potential issues – such as land access or the need to change route – can be communicated upstream to the client or downstream to other subcontractors, via a project manager.

2/Streamlined and efficient approach to the delivery of multi-disciplinary investigation

Ground investigations on major programmes require a bespoke response best met through the establishment of a lean Programme Management Office (PMO) to steer the array of projects that can then be sized as packages of work to suit individual contractor delivery capabilities, geographic area or technical need.

The most effective way for a managing contractor to conduct ecology, archaeology and ground investigations is to coordinate teams in a single campaign so that disruption and cost are minimised.

3/Integration of ground models under one roof

Integrating the ground models for archaeology and geotechnics can bring significant efficiencies. On LTC for example, we fully integrated types of samples and cores collected for ground investigations with geoarchaeology, which were then logged and sub-sampled geo-technically and geo-archaeologically in a central store located in the main compound. Moving away from geoarchaeological monitoring in the field has other advantages, too – multiple cores were logged per day rather than just one and there was no danger of aborting work and lost archaeologist days in the event of a rig breakdown.

4/Optimised data management

 With an ‘intelligent’ management contractor instilling best practices, co-ordinating the ground investigation processes, enabling knowledge sharing and driving greater collaboration, it follows that the information gathered will be better managed.

Even so, the correct data management tools are still needed to handle the significant volume of data generated. On the LTC ground investigations, we used tailored data management tools that allow multiple users to upload data, deliverables and information, which become available immediately. Information from site was captured and saved in a centralised database, allowing for standardisation of information records including common referencing and structure.

Furthermore, effective data management systems are important for data collection and distribution, providing progress monitoring, and making information easily accessible to all parties as a single trusted source. The use of such tools reduces cost and saves time through streamlined processes developed through lean management.

The tools are also used from a safety and wellbeing perspective, as they provide up-to-date information on access routes and approval of permits. Personnel fatigue is also tracked.

5/Improving safety and reducing risk

Whether contracted to or not, a management contractor is in a strong position to drive significant health and safety improvements. Working collaboratively, it is possible to boost the skills of everyone involved in the supply chain by setting high health and safety standards and best practices, achieving a safer site, thereby reducing risk.

For example, we lead an industry working group that has developed a complete series of operating standards which apply safety first principles[1] and these standards have been offered and adopted by clients, designers, contractors as part of their promotion and intent in levelling the field for contractors to price safety into ground engineering projects without the fear of being undercut. On LTC, we also developed a digital gateway permit system which ensures full compliance at each stage of the planning and works execution process to eliminate human error and the negative outcomes which can result.

A collaborative environment can drive health and safety improvements in other ways too. Our work with contractors and manufacturers on LTC has led to the development of innovative new tooling and equipment, such as the Long-handled LayKey and Release Tongs used within the wireline rotary drilling process, which ensure that the support operative’s hands remain 250mm away from entrapment points, dramatically reducing the risk of hand injury.

All told, constructors and designers are waking up to the importance and benefits of ground investigations, particularly for large-scale projects. The added value that an ‘intelligent’ approach can bring is hard to ignore.

[1] consisting of Rotary Drilling, Cable Percussion Drilling, Trial Pitting and Dynamic Sampling

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