Client: HS2
Location: UK
Date: 2018
After an extensive and comprehensive tender selection process eTool software was selected by HS2 to measure, reduce and report on carbon emissions, materials efficiency and wider embedded environmental impacts. This demonstrated eTool’s successful application to the infrastructure sector as well as the maturity of our software, security, commercial stability and quality assurance.
HS2 is Europe’s largest infrastructure project, designed to increase capacity on the UK’s railways and improve connectivity between eight out of 10 of Britain’s biggest cities, creating thousands of jobs and rebalancing our economy. The scale, strategic nature and high profile of the project required a robust selection process during which vendors were rigorously assessed.
“eTool increasingly has more data in it that we can use as baselines. eTool gives us that capability for the designers to optimise their designs linking into Autodesk and other CAD based models. We [also] have some big plans to do that in HS2 in terms of turning the outputs from eTool into our digital twin so that everybody has access to that data and that it’s meaningful to them. [This way it] can spark the right types of conversations about reducing carbon and net zero and make it more inclusive.”
Mark Fenton, Carbon Manager & Technical Services Director, HS2
Carbon Management Plan – As part of the HS2 commitment to reducing carbon from their operations, HS2 implemented their Carbon Management Plan to deliver its carbon minimisation objectives across the design, construction and operational phases.
HS2 has adopted a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to conduct impact analysis across all life cycle stages from the extraction of raw materials through to processing, transport, use and disposal. The tool is used to develop a baseline, against which design options can be assessed. As the design progresses, HS2 subcontractors will take on LCA modelling tasks to develop the models and identify further opportunities for improving the life cycle performance. In order to minimise the carbon footprint of the HS2 project as far as practicable, HS2 has also set ambitious targets for their supply chain to minimise the whole life carbon emissions of their assets including buildings.
PAS 2080 verified – HS2 joint venture Effiage Kier (EK) contracted Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) to undertake a PAS2080 audit on their GHG reporting, processes, systems and tools. The transparency of the systems and procedures in place at both EK and eTool has provided effective documentation to satisfy the LRQA audit.
Enterprise collaboration – Through using eTool’s unique enterprise functionality, multiple users can review and collaborate effectively on large complex LCA models. HS2 staff and contractors can all contribute to LCA modelling and reporting, develop construction components in the software (templates) and share projects within eTool enterprise portal.
HS2 identified the key benefits of using eTool:
- Consistency – assumptions, method of calculation, asset base data input and reporting;
- Efficiency – quantification and reporting process with automated reports and alignment with HS2 information management processes. eTool has bulk upload features and can produce results by assets with the multiple functions;
- Transparency and auditability – more efficient assurance and acceptance of deliverables;
- Greater utility of the data – inform future programme delivery life-cycle stages and whole-life asset management, developing benchmarks/metrics/KPIs of value to HS2 and the wider rail and construction industries;
- Integrated and collaborative design – a single online platform to quantify, reduce and monitor whole project life cycle carbon emissions.
- Compliance – UK Government regulatory requirements, PAS2080 & BREEAM Infrastructure;
- Agile software development – customise features and streamline the LCA modelling and reporting process for all the users and stakeholders.
Stay tuned to learn more about how HS2 and its contractors are using eTool during the MWCCs (Main Works Civils Contracts) to meet their carbon reduction goals.
