LIFESURE LIFE12 ENV/ES/000072 - Self-sustaining Urban Roads: A way to improve Environmental performance of urban areas
Overview
Background & policy context:
In 2005, 76% of the total population of Western Europe - or 141 million people - lived in urban areas. By 2030, it is projected that this figure will have increased to 81.7%.
One of the key impacts of greater numbers in our urban spaces is increased demand on urban transport networks. Authorities are confronted with the challenge of reconciling the ever-growing need for transport with the desire for sustainable cities. Increased transport is typically associated with environmental problems such as air and noise pollution, which can also have a significant negative impact on human health and well-being.
The construction of roads produces several specific environmental challenges. The OECD estimates that 10 000 m3 of aggregates are needed for each kilometre of two-lane road and large amounts of fossil fuels are consumed. Road construction is thus associated with the consumption of raw materials and the generation of a number of air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and carbon dioxide (CO2).
Objectives:
The LIFESURE project aims to minimise the consumption of natural resources in road construction by producing and demonstrating the effectiveness of an innovative eco-friendly technology for manufacturing eco-asphalt on site. Through this technology it is hoped to be able to reduce the consumption of raw materials and fossil fuels and make a contribution to the creation of more sustainable cities with an improved quality of life.
The project aims to develop a prototype of an on-site asphalt plant using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as raw material. It targets the manufacture of half-warm - manufacturing temperature <100°C - mix asphalt using either 50% or 100% RAP. As a specific technical target it aims to validate the viability of implementing LIFESURE eco-asphalt with only 0.03 tonnes of binder added per tonne of asphalt mixture and without additional natural aggregates.
The project aims to demonstrate that use of LIFESURE eco-asphalt can feasibly create self-sustaining urban roads. It will test a total of 18 000m2 of low-speed (
The project hopes to demonstrate that LIFESURE eco-asphalt can improve the environmental performance of urban roads, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution, whilst reducing costs for road authorities. To encourage the long-term use of its eco-asphalts, the project will develop a network of contacts interested in the LIFESURE concept and draft recommendations for Green Public Procurement (GPP) in road construction.
Expected results:
- Production of 3 279 tonnes of LIFESURE eco-asphalt;
- Reduction in consumption of natural aggregates at demonstration sites by 2 531 tonnes and consequently the avoidance of 5 062 kg eq. CO2;
- A 62% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions because of the reduction of the manufacturing temperature by 70°C – equating to 72 000 kg eq. CO2;
- A 35% reduction in binder consumption - equating to 65.6 tonnes of binder;
- A 20% reduction in noise in the area around the test sections;
- Valorisation of 3 554 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP);
- Demonstration of the self-sustainability of low-speed (<50km/h) urban roads constructed with eco-asphalt; and
- A 66% reduction in the cost per tonne of asphalt for 100% RAP eco-asphalt and a 51% reduction in the cost of 50% RAP eco-asphalt.
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