Transportation and Infrastructure

Climate optimisation of infrastructure and transport solutions

At Sweco, we integrate sustainable solutions when designing and performing infrastructure projects, and we have in-depth knowledge of how to create infrastructure and transport solutions with a lower carbon footprint through the right solutions and choices.

We work with a sustainable mindset, and an action-based and measurable focus, to the benefit of our clients and their projects. We have developed an evaluation tool for sustainable infrastructure – EBI – which allows typical solutions to be evaluated on selected sustainability parameters, and choices to be made in the project on an informed basis.

We incorporate sustainability as a natural part of our design process right from the outset, involving specialists from the entire business across, for example, infrastructure, environment and architecture.

Copenhagen – Ringsted Zealand

E20 Amagermotorvejen Zealand

Climate and environmental assessments and environmental product declarations

We have strong life cycle assessment (LCA) competences and extensive experience with LCA as a standardised method for examining, assessing and documenting the climate and environment footprint of plants, buildings and infrastructure. When we work with LCAs, we look at the lifetime of the structure – from raw material extraction, to production, transport, installation, use and demolition or recycling, and we make recommendations on how to achieve a lower climate and environmental footprint by investing in the right sustainable materials. Representative data is essential for an accurate LCA. We work with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to ensure a standardised mapping of the climate and environmental footprint for the given product or material.

LCC – Life Cycle Costs

We also help calculate Life Cycle Costs (LCCs). From an economic sustainability perspective, it is important to look at the economics of the total life of a structure. Here, a more expensive (on acquisition), but more robust, solution may prove to be the most financially sustainable choice in the long term.

CO2e reporting and Carbon Cost Management

We help calculate and report CO2e footprints for both individual materials and specific projects. Our experience is that if you really want to make a difference in relation to the footprint you leave, you need to operate with Carbon Cost Management, where you actively work with CO2e and related costs. We know that the best results are achieved through early involvement in a project.

Resource management, optimisation and implementation of new materials

Global resource scarcity has heightened the need to re-use, recycle and optimise resources, and to invent and implement new climate-friendly materials and solutions. We advise on how best to re-use and recycle materials in construction and infrastructure projects, without compromising on quality. We always trim and optimise our designs to achieve all possible material and resource savings, for example using 3D models.

Noise and air pollution from roads, railways and aircraft

The vast majority of noise problems in Denmark and the rest of Europe are caused by infrastructure. Noise and air pollution from, for example, roads, railways, aircraft, etc. can affect our health and well-being, and are therefore important factors when seeking to improve the social sustainability of any infrastructure project. According to the WHO, road noise and air pollution are among the biggest environmental problems in the EU.

At Sweco, we have extensive experience in measuring and calculating noise from roads, railways and air traffic. Our consulting services range from local planning and EIA reports, through noise mapping of entire municipalities and urban areas to noise action plans and noise attenuation strategies.

Together with our clients, we also work to develop low noise technologies, including in the railway sector.