National Highways has hired a network of UK universities to provide ‘assurance’ over its carbon claims for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC).
The government-owned company said it had appointed UKCRIC Limited, the commercial arm for higher technology readiness collaborative projects of university consortium UKCRIC, to undertake an ‘independent expert review’ of the project’s carbon forecast.
A spokesperson for UKCRIC Limited told Highways that it was being paid for the work but declined to say how much on the grounds that it was ‘a commercially sensitive arrangement’.
UKCRIC Ltd said it had been appointed ‘to carry out an independent assurance that the carbon calculations are accurately capturing all the substantive emissions resulting from this project’.
‘The review is being conducted to challenge the assertions about the carbon calculator,’ a UKRIC Ltd added.
UKCRIC Ltd said it will assess compliance with PAS2080:2016 processes; whether the assumptions made reflect wider good practice for carbon assessment; the quality of data and accuracy of data processing; and whether the indicative results of the carbon calculator for carbon savings compare with low carbon good practice in the construction industry.
This could prove problematic for National Highways as it means its carbon cutting actions should not be compared to a 'do nothing' minimum standard.
As Highways has reported, the national roads operator has previously struggled to substantiate claims that it has already cut carbon by a third on the project.
It has also emerged that this claim depends on an assumption that it would have used ‘zero’ GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag), a cement replacement widely used in concrete production.
Andrew Kidd, director of solutions and outcomes for the LTC scheme, said: ‘As a Pathfinder project, we are exploring new and innovative ways to achieve carbon neutral construction.
‘We have effective tools that we’re using to understand the potential emissions from the scheme and help us focus on the areas where we can deliver the greatest reductions in emissions. We are committed to transparency and to sharing what we learn and are pleased to have appointed UKRIC Ltd to provide independent review of our calculations.’
The assessment of the carbon calculator will be completed by UKCRIC Ltd via a collaborative project with six UKCRIC partner universities including University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, Cranfield University, University of Edinburgh, Loughborough University, and University College London.
