It is also looking into how to exploit telematics technology that equipment manufacturers offer to monitor the productivity of vehicles and machinery.
The initiative is part of a research project funded by Innovate UK that Costain is undertaking in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon & Fuel Cell Technologies (Cenex) and Edinburgh University.
Costain has found that, due to an increase in plant-intensive highways work, its diesel consumption has doubled in the past year, while all of its other 鈥榚mission indices鈥� are falling.
Costain will be providing several construction projects as a testbed to understand current processes, engage plant suppliers and make recommendations. Options being explored include the use of alternative fuels and of telematics.
鈥淭he initial drive of the project is to develop an understanding of the cost-benefits of using telematics,鈥� explained Costain鈥檚 group carbon manager, Damien Canning. 鈥淲e can then use our findings to embed requirements into contracts with plant 辫谤辞惫颈诲别谤蝉.鈥�
Cenex was invited to join the study because of its work in finding low-carbon mobility solutions, said Chris Walsh, Cenex鈥檚 head of technical support and consultancy. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at the potential for low-emission and zero-emission solutions to be employed on large construction sites.鈥�
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