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For a country as vast as Canada the road network is its circulatory system, connecting communities large and small. This is critical infrastructure with over 1 million kilometres of public roads linking people and places across the country and governments in Canada invested $24 billion on building and maintaining it in 2023 alone. With this investment comes a huge opportunity to innovate and reduce costs and cut the environmental impact of the sector by cutting emissions and reducing waste. According to GRESB, globally construction and associated materials production is responsible for 11 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector will account for a growing proportion as other sectors decarbonize. As energy grids and transportation electrify more emphasis will switch to construction and the embodied emissions—those generated through making materials, logistics and transportation, and the construction of infrastructure. As governments try to balance environmental goals and economic impacts, the road sector represents an opportunity to have a positive environmental impact and cut costs. Cutting costs, cutting emissions There are many ways to reduce emissions in road construction: using less materials through smart design; selecting materials with more efficient manufacturing process and using cleaner energy sources for production by switching to cold mix or warm mix asphalt, using bio-based binders, or electrifying equipment; reducing transportation of materials for example by using in-place recycling; using materials and processes that last longer such as providing additional protective coatings for roads; choosing materials that can be reused or recycled. Many of these approaches are commonly used in Canada and beyond. The lowest hanging fruit is recycling materials. Asphalt is 100 per cent recyclable, as are most of the materials used in road construction. Recycling asphalt or reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has three main benefits: reduced cost; lower emissions; and less waste. The numbers are quite compelling. Reaching 40 per cent of recycled asphalt in mixes would reduce cost by over 23 per cent reduce emissions by almost 60 per cent and redirect waste to serve a useful purpose rather than having to build or expand quarries. Within Canada, Alberta leads the way. They are trialing in 40 per cent recycled aggregates on Highway 750 just outside Edmonton. They currently use around 19 per cent recycled content in asphalt mixes. Other provinces are playing catch-up with Ontario down at 16 per cent, Quebec 14 per cent, and British Columbia nine per cent. There are legitimate reasons for this, but primary among them is the concern that there is a greater risk of surfaces failing earlier. Research has shown there is no notable difference in lifespan compared to using virgin materials. South of the border Nebraska allows up to 50 per cent RAP and their study has shown no significant difference in performance. This is where industry needs to step up to help build trust and confidence by providing transparency around asphalt mixes, and perhaps looking at tools like extended warranties to overcome any concerns around recycled materials. The public sector too can help by looking at outcome-based specifications stating the length of time a road should last, or at least work across boundaries to land on a set number of standard specifications for asphalt mixes rather than demand their own special mix. Using cold in place recycling can also be very impactful. It involves scraping the top layer off the road, processing it, and reapplying it in one long train. Using lower temperatures and reducing the amount of truck traffic shipping waste materials out and brining new materials in can cut emissions by 44 per cent, according to Colas research. Studies in the U.S. have shown typical cost savings of around 20-30 per cent, with the added benefit of seeing construction times that are 20-40 per cent faster meaning less traffic jams. It is used sporadically in Canada, and a signal from provinces that they would accept its use would provide the certainty to invest in the equipment needed. Driving change We see proven approaches that have both cost and environmental benefits struggle to get momentum. A big challenge is Canada’s fragmented approach. With 10 provinces, three territories and over 3,500 municipalities the lack of common standards and approaches makes it hard for companies to invest, and hard for the public sector to pool resources to monitor asphalt plants. This fragmentation could provide a fertile ground for innovation if harnessed. In the U.S., the Federal Highways Administration has a program called Every Day Counts, a state-based model to accelerate the adoption of proven innovations across the country by enabling the fast track of newly proven approaches more widely across the country. Common data could also help build bridges between municipal and provincial roads and highways departments. This starts with adoption of Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for asphalt mixtures. This measures the “cradle to grave” CO2 emissions generated in asphalt production by evaluating the “ingredients” that have gone into the mix, the mix design method, the performance grade of the binder, and the temperatures used to produce it. It provides an apples-to-apples comparison of emissions that can be used as part of the procurement process to reward investments, or as part of wider departmental plans to drive improvements and set targets. Many U.S. departments of transport use them, and Colorado, Oregon, and California all require them by law either just for transparency or as part of their procurement process. Providing flexibility to propose more efficient approaches can be highly impactful and unlock innovation. Alberta’s Contract Design Change Proposal allows just that if contractors come forward with ideas that produce the equivalent or improved final product and provide other benefits such as cost reductions or environmental impact. This process is also common in the U.S. with their Alternative Technical Concept framework which is used in many states. Clear direction The final missing piece is a clear direction. National Highways in the U.K. set a goal of reaching net-zero for road maintenance and construction by 2040 and has a very robust plan laying out how they will get there. The Netherlands has set a requirement that all public tenders be circular by 2030 and had also set clear goals around innovation in procurement to give officials the confidence and direction to incorporate new approaches that have clear environmental and often cost benefits. There are two parts to a journey, knowing where you are currently and knowing where you want to go. Many journeys happen by road, but for the sector in Canada we need to better understand where we are by measuring the emissions of what we do, and also have a clear signpost for where we ultimately want to go collectively. There are lots of leading and innovative approaches, as well as many proven, road-tested initiatives that if adopted nationwide could have a huge impact on cost and emissions. |
