10 Ideas for a Green Transportation Infrastructure

By: Chris Warren

There are ways to green our transportation infrastructure and simultaneously improve our health
and quality of life. Learn more. Check out these green science pictures!

There are ways to green our transportation infrastructure and simultaneously improve our health
and quality of life. Learn more. Check out these green science pictures!

DCL

Sometimes, the best definition of a concept can be found by describing what it is not. When it comes
to the idea of a green transportation infrastructure, that’s pretty easy. All one has to do to get across
the idea is to highlight the experience virtually all of us have shared at some point in our life (and for
millions of Americans it can be literally an everyday experience): sitting in our motionless cars on a
jam-packed highway as the vehicles spew emissions and pollution into the air.

As has been demonstrated repeatedly, a transportation infrastructure based around individuals in

automobiles contributes to global warming, pollution, health problems and energy insecurity.
Conversely, the idea behind a green transportation infrastructure is one that provides opportunities
for people to get around their communities using their own power -- such as walking or biking -- or
by other more environmentally sensitive means, like trains or buses. “A truly green infrastructure is
one that residents enjoy, provides durable and inexpensive mobility and addresses the underlying
conditions from which our energy crises arise,” says Ozzie Zehner, a visiting scholar at the University
of California, Berkeley and author of the upcoming book "Green Illusions".

Even in cases when it’s difficult or impossible to remove the car from the picture entirely, there are
ways to green our transportation infrastructure and simultaneously improve our health and quality
of life. Click ahead to find out one way to improve what’s already in place.

Contents

A Boost for Electric Vehicles

Green Highways Partnership

Pedestrian Bridges

Construction Materials Matter

Making the Old New Again

Greenways

Bike-friendly Communities

Bus Lanes

Subways Are Clean

Smart Growth

10. A Boost for Electric Vehicles

Granted, this won’t address what some see as the inherently environmentally unfriendly aspects of a
transportation infrastructure geared towards automobiles. But the truth is that replacing gas-
powered autos with those that run on electricity will make a big difference in reducing emissions of
carbon dioxide. “Our modeling shows a significant benefit in CO2 reduction for every mile our
customers drive on electricity,” says Mike Tinskey, Ford Motor Company’s associate director of global
electrification infrastructure. “For example, a driver of a Focus Electric [car] will save about 1 ton
(.907 metric tons) of CO2 over a one year period compared to the gasoline equivalent.”

A big problem, however, in the growth of electric vehicles is the lack of chargers available -- the
equivalent today of having just a handful of gas stations. Tinskey estimates that there are currently
around 3,000 chargers nationwide but that number will quadruple over the next year alone, thanks
in large part to funding from 2009’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the
stimulus. Also important in making electric vehicles more viable is that six automakers recently
agreed on a charging connector that will make it possible for most electric cars to be charged much
more rapidly than was previously possible -- an 80 percent charge in just 10 minutes.

Click to the next page to learn what a green highway is.

9. Green Highways Partnership

The idea of a so-called green highway is controversial enough that the very first of the frequently
asked questions on the official Web site of the Green Highways Partnership asks: "Is the phrase
'Green Highways' an oxymoron?" For some people, like author Ozzie Zehner, the answer would likely
be, yes. "America's extensive automotive transportation system, alongside impressive benefits, yields
a host of negative side effects such as smog, CO2 and deadly accidents," he says.

But the Green Highways Partnership, an effort begun by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the Federal Highway Administration, seeks to enlist public and private entities in an effort to
make highways function better for those who drive on them (i.e. less congested) and also more
sustainable. More specifically, green highways are those that use permeable materials in their
construction in order to prevent metals and toxins from seeping into watersheds; utilize recycled
materials to reduce landfill use; and control invasive species and promote the health of a natural,
native habitat. Another element of the partnership is that it aims to achieve all of these, and many
more, goals through market-driven, voluntary approaches and not via regulation.

Click forward to get out of the car and go up, way up.

8. Pedestrian Bridges
When it was originally built in 1889, the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge in Poughkeepsie,
N.Y., was all about commerce and transportation, allowing people and goods to flow easily over the
Hudson River 212 feet (64.62 meters) below. For years, the bridge sat unused after a fire nearly
destroyed it in 1974 until a group called Walkway over the Hudson began its efforts to transform the
1.25-mile-long (2.012 kilometer) bridge into a place for the public to enjoy. The group was finally
successful in its efforts when the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park opened in 2009 -- making it
the longest pedestrian bridge in the world, which has since attracted more than 1 million visitors.

According to Vincent Press, a spokesperson for Bergman Associate, the design firm that spearheaded
the renovation of the bridge, the environmental benefits of the project -- and this sort of pedestrian
bridge generally -- are multiple. "Pedestrian bridges provide opportunities for alternative,
environmentally friendly transportation modes such as biking and walking," he says. "In this case, the
Walkway over the Hudson connects miles of trails on either side of the Hudson, encouraging exercise
and clean modes of transportation." The fact that the bridge utilized an existing structure -- rather
than starting from scratch with all new materials -- also provided green benefits, especially since lead
and asbestos from the original structure were replaced with more sustainable materials.

Read on to discover how prevalent green building material is.

7. Construction Materials Matter

There are plenty of aspects of the Brooklyn Bridge Park that make it green. First, the 85-acre project,
which is partially open, is a park, and the first one built in Brooklyn since Prospect Park more than a
century ago. It will replace an industrial area full of piers and warehouses with public space for
recreation and restored wetlands and other habitat, it also relies on recycled, local materials. For
instance, granite slabs from the nearby Roosevelt Avenue Bridge have been used to create steps in
the park; stone from the Willis Avenue Bridge in the Bronx have been incorporated to create a
variety of seating and walkway features; and steel from some warehouses have been left in place and
reused. All of this is to say that recycled building materials can provide a green boost to any project.

Even in cases when building materials can't be recycled and reused, there are options that are far
more sustainable than what was used in the past. For instance, so-called permeable pavers are a big
benefit when it comes to managing rain and storm water runoff in such a way that it returns
underground or collects in pools where it can be reused instead of running off and being lost or
polluting watersheds.

For example, as part of a multi-pronged effort to reduce storm water runoff by 1.5 million gallons
each year, a community in Minneapolis, Minn., installed around 1,100 square feet (102.2 square
meters) of permeable pavers made by a company called Belgard. Implementing these permeable
projects across the watershed is shifting the practices that reduce runoff from residential properties.

Keep reading to see why it's not just recycled materials that contribute to a green infrastructure.
6. Making the Old New Again

Giving people the opportunity and encouragement to get out and walk sometimes takes a little
creativity, especially in hyper-urban areas like New York City. In the city's old Meatpacking District, a
group of committed citizens have transformed what was once a piece of what would now be called
green infrastructure -- an elevated railway line -- and transformed it into a nearly 1.5-mile (2.14
kilometer) walkway and park on the west side of Manhattan called the High Line. What was a
transportation route for meat and other agricultural goods heading into factories and warehouses
from 1934 to 1980 is now a popular park with areas for public art and urban gardens.

A groundbreaking and unique project, the High Line could be the beginning of a larger trend. Already,
Chicago is considering a very similar concept, called the Hydrogenerator, and a floating park has been
proposed on the River Thames in London.

Click ahead and see why greenways are aptly named.

5. Greenways

The East Coast Greenway is nothing if not ambitious. An ongoing effort, the East Coast Greenway is
an attempt to create a continuous network of trails for use by bicyclists and pedestrians from Maine
to Florida; think of it as a sort of Appalachian Trail outside of the woods. Although only about one
quarter of it exists right now in the form of trails dedicated for non-motorized transportation, efforts
like the East Coast Greenway are quintessential green transportation infrastructure initiatives:
providing opportunities for those not in cars to get around and in between towns and, in this case,
even states. Obviously, not all greenways -- which are literally corridors of undeveloped land, often in
the form of pedestrian-oriented paths around cities or towns -- all are as encompassing as one that
snakes up the entire Atlantic seaboard.

In Atlanta, for instance, a quasi-greenway approach is being used to push for what is called the
BeltLine, a 22-mile (35.41 kilometer) corridor that incorporates parks, trails and public transportation
along with commercial and residential development. It is part of an effort to better manage the city's
planning in such a way to avoid more car-oriented sprawl. Robby Bryant worked with HDR
Engineering, the company that designed the first 5 acres of the BeltLine, and says that this holistic
approach also provides important opportunities beyond just transportation.

The company worked with the city and residents in order to take a storm water retention pond into
the focal point of a park, which is part of the BeltLine. Instead of a system to sewers and tunnels,
Bryant and his colleagues simultaneously prevented storm runoff while creating such features as a
40-foot (12.19 meter) waterfall. "The overriding goal of the project was to provide flood protection
that went beyond the utilitarian," says Bryant. "The park and pond have actually become a
destination, which is not something you would typically equate with a retention pond."
Go the next page to discover what happens when bikes get a place of their own.

4. Bike-friendly Communities

Here's something you don't hear often in the U.S.: someone pining fondly for their commute. But
that's just how Ozzie Zehner feels when he thinks about the time he spent doing research at the
University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. While there, Zehner, the author of the upcoming book,
Green Illusions, and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley zipped around the
compact city on his bike, taking advantage of the network of lanes and streets dedicated exclusively
to bikes and lightweight motorized vehicles. "Who would have ever thought that commuting could
be so fun?" Zehner recalls about his time in Amsterdam.

Fun is just one of the many benefits to cities and towns that commit to making biking easy and safe.
"Cleaner, healthier, quieter and safer neighborhoods," are the result of making bikeways and lanes a
priority, says Zehner, who argues that even though American cities are more spread out than those in
Europe, they are still great candidates for bikes. "Over a quarter of the trips Americans make are
shorter than a mile (1.6 kilometers) and over 40 percent are less than 2 miles (3.21 kilometers).
These distances would be well-suited for bike travel," he says. If Americans can embrace the concept
it will make us more like the rest of the world; indeed, Zehner says the bike is the predominant mode
of transport globally, with around 2 billion people using them.

Keep reading to see how fast buses can really be.

3. Bus Lanes

A lot of city dwellers profess an interest in taking the bus to work, but when pressed about why they
don’t, there are plenty of reasons keeping them in the cars. Convenience is obviously one, but having
to wait at a bus stop and then sit or stand on a crowded bus while cars go by is definitely another big
impediment. But cities around the world are doing their best to harness the environmental benefits
of bus ridership by making them more attractive to ride. How? One major way is by creating lanes
dedicated to buses so that they can zoom past cars and trucks on roadways. Part of a concept called
bus rapid transit, dedicated bus lanes have been around for decades and are used in South America,
Europe and increasingly in North America and Asia.

A study of the 14-mile (22.5 kilometer) Bus Rapid Transit Corridor in Guangzhou, China, that nation’s
third largest city, found that the system will reduce carbon dioxide by 86,000 tons (78,018 metric
tons) per year in its first decade of operation. In addition, the study by the Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy, found that Guangzhou’s dedicated bus system reduced
particulate emissions that cause respiratory illness by 4 tons (3.62 metric tons) per year.
Read on to see how bus systems paired with subways provide a big green boost.

2. Subways Are Clean

Sure, anyone who rides the New York City subway -- or those in a lot of other cities, for that matter --
everyday will probably snicker (or worse) at the categorical statement that subways are clean. But
while some individual subway cars and buses could use a good cleaning, the reality is that these
modes of public transport take a heck of a lot of cars off the road and contribute mightily towards a
greener planet.

Indeed, according to the Sierra Club, seven of the 12 cities with the best grades for smog-creating car
and truck emissions -- places like San Francisco and, yes, New York -- are in states that spend the
most on public transportation. Furthermore, the Center for Transportation Excellence reports that
subways and buses are a major factor in fighting respiratory illnesses caused by pollution. Indeed,
the center says that the bus and subway ridership results in 156 million pounds (70,760 metric tons)
of the nitrogen oxides that cause respiratory disease from being emitted, which is to say nothing of
the benefits in preventing the output of hydrocarbons that create smog and carbon dioxide that
contributes to global warming.

Click on to discover why being “smart” underpins most of our choices about green transportation
infrastructure.

1. Smart Growth

To some people, thinking about green transportation infrastructure in isolation is misguided. Instead,
they insist that a better approach is to figure out how to configure entire communities in such a way
that greener modes of transportation are simply the most obvious and easiest choices. Smart
growth, which emphasizes putting homes near shops, jobs and public transportation, does just that
by making zoning choices that promote density.

Author Ozzie Zehner says these choices are possible even in places that were originally designed to
cater to the automobile. “Communities throughout the United States have successfully converted
their big-box stores and parking lots into new community assets such as churches, schools, housing
and mixed-use buildings featuring interconnected street grids and lushly planted pedestrian access,”
he says. “Take, for instance, a densely built Atlanta neighborhood named Atlantic Station, where
residents drive an average of just 8 miles (12.87 kilometers) per day in a region where the average
employed individual drives 68 (109.4 kilometers).”
Built to last: Making sustainability a priority in transport
infrastructure
October 1, 2021 | Article

By Luca Milani,

Detlev Mohr

, and

Nicola Sandri

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Every year, trillions of dollars are invested in the infrastructure that helps us—and our goods—get
around. What will it take to move the transport infrastructure industry toward carbon zero?

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By now, it’s been widely documented that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated numerous forces
already in play before it began, including digitalization and flexible working models. One area that
deserves more attention because of its long-term implications on sustainability is transport
infrastructure.

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Worldwide, according to the Global Infrastructure Outlook, more than $2 trillion of transport
infrastructure investments will be needed each year until 2040 to fuel economic development. Rapid
urbanization, surging demand for freight services, and not to mention the COVID-19 response
stimulus plans in many countries are putting pressure on stakeholders to step up the pace of
infrastructure development. Also, although the pandemic temporarily pushed people out of cities in
Europe and the United States into more rural areas, signs point to people going back to urban areas,
where many students and professionals are returning to schools and offices in person.

Before contractors start improving current infrastructure, or break ground and build airports and
ports, lay fresh railway tracks, and pave new roads, it’s critical that stakeholders work together to
devise ways to transform infrastructure building to become more sustainable. The transport sector is
the largest contributor of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG) within the European Union, accounting
for around 28 percent of total emissions. Unlike many other industries that are gradually taking steps
to meaningfully reduce their emissions, the transport sector continues to report around 0.8 percent
growth in metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) every year, with passenger cars
accounting for the highest portion.

If significant steps are not undertaken to reverse this trend, achieving the climate goals set by global
institutions such as the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and
the EU’s aspirations to reach climate neutrality by 2050 would be nearly impossible. Furthermore,
regulators and consumers alike are demanding greater sustainability across all industries, including
infrastructure.

How can we transform infrastructure to be more sustainable, ultimately improving the level of
service and infrastructure durability without compromising on speed of design and construction?

This article presents a holistic road map toward sustainable transport infrastructure, accounting for
sustainability’s four dimensions: environmental, social, institutional, and economic. In simple terms,
this means that sustainable infrastructure should be resilient to climate change, socially inclusive,
technologically advanced, productive, and flexible. Proper organizational design, digital tools,
performance indicators and a joint approach among all stakeholders are essential to effectively
transform infrastructures and ensure long-lasting development. Stakeholders need to collaborate to
apply sustainability concepts and metrics across all stages: planning, design, tender, procurement,
construction, and operational excellence.

From now until 2040, approximately $2 trillion in transport infrastructure investments would be
needed every year.

Opportunities and costs in a golden age of transport infrastructure

Many forces are converging to usher in an age of significant transport infrastructure spending
(Exhibit 1). From now until 2040, approximately $2 trillion in transport infrastructure investments
would be needed every year.

Exhibit 1

More than $2 trillion in transport infrastructure investments will be needed globally each year until
2040.

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The global pandemic may have resulted in a pause for much of global travel last year. Compared with
2019, global air traffic fell by 65 percent in 2020 with regard to passenger volume, while rail traffic
dropped by between 40 and 60 percent among European countries. However, the effect is only
temporary.

First, by the middle of 2021, many signs point toward recovery. The size of China’s domestic-travel
market has surpassed 2019 levels since March of this year. Domestic-trucking demand swelled by 15
percent in May 2021 compared with the same time in the previous year, while demand for express
cargo continues to surge. Second, passenger and freight transport demand is expected to grow
briskly in the coming decades, according to the OECD International Transport Forum 2021. The total
passenger demand is projected to increase from roughly 53 trillion kilometers in 2015 to between 65
trillion and 75 trillion in 2030 and 105 trillion and 125 trillion in 2050.

Despite some structural changes triggered by the pandemic, like shifts in the passenger mix,
passenger growth is expected to be driven mostly by Asia, which is forecasted to grow by around 3
percent annually between 2015 and 2050. In comparison, in Europe and the United States, growth is
expected to be more moderate, at less than 1 percent per year. The rising global population and
ongoing economic growth are expected to increase the customer base, demanding transport of
people and goods steadily and hence increase the total demand for transport significantly.

A main driver of transport infrastructure spending is the dizzying pace of ongoing and continuing
urbanization. According to World Bank data, the global population reached 7.8 billion in 2020, with
urban areas accommodating the majority of this boom. According to the World Population Prospects
data by the United Nations, between 1950 and 2018, the world’s population grew from around 2.5
billion people to 7.6 billion, an annual growth rate of 1.6 percent. Urban population grew faster at a
yearly rate of 2.6 percent. In 1950, 30 percent of people globally lived in urban areas. By 2018, the
figure had reached 55 percent. Experts predict that the figure will reach 70 percent by the middle of
the century.

As urban areas burgeon and sprawl across the world, so too will the transport infrastructure
necessary to connect them. In developing and high-growth countries, new transport infrastructures
are needed to support population shifts from the countryside to cities. In mature countries, existing
infrastructures need to be upgraded to bolster resilience, lower carbon emissions, and decrease
maintenance costs.

Furthermore, to mitigate the economic wreckage left by the pandemic, governments around the
world have introduced stimulus programs that have sizable infrastructure components. In the United
States, President Joe Biden introduced a $2 trillion plan to upgrade the nation’s infrastructure over
the next decade. Europe’s Recovery and Resilience Facility plan provisions around $850 billion, while
China launched a $500 billion fiscal stimulus plan targeted at boosting infrastructure investments.

This constellation of market and interventionist forces is generating invaluable opportunities for the
transport infrastructure sector; however, it comes at a growing cost to the environment. Not only is
the transport sector the biggest contributor of GHG emissions (around 28 percent) but it is also
bucking the general decarbonization trend. While other sectors such as industry and power are
decreasing emissions annually by 1.5 percent and 1 percent, respectively, the transportation sector is
reporting a 0.8 percent annual growth in MtCO2e, with passenger cars accounting for the highest
portion. It’s incumbent on the transport sector to shoulder its part of the global responsibility toward
shared environmental goals.

A 360° framework to transport-infrastructure sustainability

How can the transport sector reduce its emissions in line with global climate goals while keeping up
with demand for transport infrastructure?

The answer is neither straightforward nor simple, and what’s needed is a conceptual framework
providing a comprehensive way for stakeholders to approach sustainable transport infrastructure.
Sustainable transport infrastructure needs to fulfill the four common sustainability criteria
(environmental, social, institutional, and economic), which can be accomplished by prioritizing five
strategic elements. On top of this, and to do better than what is common practice today, transport
infrastructure operators should have clear performance indicators and targets—not only for
economic performance but also for environmental, social, and institutional performance (Exhibit 2).

Exhibit 2

Sustainability infrastructure has four dimensions, which can be approached from five angles.

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Environmentally, transport infrastructures could be planned, designed, constructed, and operated

with the aim of increasing their level of climate resilience—which includes mitigating climate impact,
protecting biodiversity, and minimizing pollution. Sustainable transport infrastructure should catalyze
a virtuous circle, in which finite materials are gradually replaced with renewable materials. Where
possible, materials should be reusable, reparable, recyclable, and recoverable.

Socially, sustainable infrastructures should consider the external effects on vulnerable populations,
preserve cultural heritage, protect human rights, improve quality of life, increase the level of
inclusiveness, and make transport services accessible.

The institutional aspect focuses on transport infrastructure’s alignment with its country’s overall
objectives, such as specific paths toward decarbonization. Finally, the economic facet covers the
infrastructure’s long-term financial viability and its contribution to job creation and economic
growth.

With a clear understanding of what sustainable transport infrastructure is, stakeholders could
approach each project from these five angles.

Climate resilience. Builders of transport infrastructure could prepare for the rising frequency of
extreme weather events due to climate change. Over the next three decades, the McKinsey Global
Institute predicts that the global average temperature is expected to climb between 1.5°C and 5°C,
and there’s more than a 15 percent probability of an increase in extreme temperatures during the
summer months. As long-lived assets, transport infrastructure stands to be particularly impacted by
the effects of climate change. For instance, many airports are located near water, with a quarter of
the world’s 100 busiest airports situated less than ten meters above sea level. A handful of them are
at less than five meters. As they are more vulnerable to precipitation flooding during hurricane storm
surges, more has to be done to help them adapt to rising sea levels.

Inclusion. Transport infrastructure is a public good and should promote inclusion in surrounding
communities. According to the Global Infrastructure Hub, inclusive infrastructure can be defined as
“any infrastructure development that enhances positive outcomes in social inclusivity and ensures no
individual, community, or social group is left behind or prevented from benefiting from improved
infrastructure.” Examples of inclusive actions are stakeholder engagement, stakeholder
empowerment, inclusive policy development and implementation, inclusive project life cycles, and
inclusive opportunities such as job generation for business and communities.

Technology. Digital technologies are critical in the transitioning of transport infrastructure across its
myriad forms toward greater sustainability. In rail, the deployment of advanced train-control and
signaling systems—such as the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) level 2
technologies that use wireless communications to supervise train movement—will eventually enable
the rail sector to meet the European goal to make freight transport more sustainable, reaching 30
percent of modal share, from current levels of 18 percent, while reducing capital expenditures and
maintenance expenses. Digital applications including optimized movement sequencing, smart
metering, and energy solutions can reduce airports’ carbon footprint, while the all-around
digitization of the shipping supply chain (including cloud and IoT technology, advanced analytics tools
to optimize freight scheduling and routing, and adoption of biofuels) could reduce the sector’s
emissions globally. For roads, the installation of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is among
the most effective smart solutions for roads and highways to improve their sustainability footprint.
Other initiatives like smart maintenance (that is, optimization of road maintenance through data
analytics) reduces traffic jams, which leads to other environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Productivity and value creation. To be more appealing to private capital, transport infrastructure
assets need to be highly productive and delivered in a timely manner. This is a particularly
challenging issue for the sector due to a high level of fragmentation. Stakeholders could move
toward a more circular economy, where the entire supply chain could be incentivized to care about
an asset’s full life cycle. Instead of being a financial liability, sustainable transport infrastructure
should be value creating through sustainable business-model innovation. Global institutions play a
critical role in setting up carbon-neutrality targets. Along with the penalties, carbon taxes or carbon
price premiums might cause nonsustainable infrastructures to become financial liabilities for owners.
Identifying the total cost of ownership and initiatives that can increase revenues or reduce
maintenance overheads is also a critical component. Actors across the value chain could leverage
digital platforms to improve visibility, streamline processes, and collaborate to boost efficiency.
Similarly, sustainable brownfield interventions could focus on creating value by reducing
redundancies and leveraging smart infrastructure capabilities, data analytics, and connectivity across
the value chain. For instance, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance paired with road-
user data could reduce lane closures and optimize traffic to reduce blockades, congestion, and
emissions from vehicles idling.

Flexibility. If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything about transport infrastructure, it’s the
importance of flexibility. Transport infrastructure should be able to accommodate abrupt and
significant shifts in demand—both predictable and unpredictable—and thus needs to become more
flexible. For instance, sustainable transport infrastructure will need to be able to absorb abrupt shifts
in types of traffic, such as the air-traffic shift from passenger flights to freight transport experienced
during the pandemic.

These four sustainability dimensions and five strategic elements provide a robust definition of what
sustainable transport infrastructure could accomplish financially, environmentally, and socially.
Tracking performance with clear indicators and metrics, including the number of safety-related
incidents or the cost of public transport, has societal benefits. Similarly, the institutional performance
of a transport infrastructure asset could be measured by tracking the contribution of the asset
toward a country’s overarching objectives, such as complying with a specific decarbonization target
or regional development plan. Long-term sustainable performance is a competitive advantage that
could appeal to many investors.

Applying the framework: From planning to operations

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Enablers: Organizational structure, digital tools, and multistakeholder collaboration

Sustainability should be embedded into all five stages of the life cycle of transport infrastructure:
planning, design, tender, procurement and construction, and operations (Exhibit 3). Key stakeholders
—government ministries, technical advisers, local communities and their representatives, developers
and contracts, and investors—could apply the holistic framework in a methodical way (see sidebar,
“Enablers: Organizational structure, digital tools, and multistakeholder collaboration”).

Exhibit 3

Sustainable actions can occur across all phases of the transport infrastructure life cycle.

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Planning and design

Whether it’s a brand-new project or intervening on existing infrastructure, sustainable concepts can
be applied from the planning and design phase. For new projects, all externalities—from
environmental to social to economic impact—should be carefully studied and planned for. Care
should also be given to the asset’s resilience to climate risks.

When it comes to brownfield interventions or making improvements to existing infrastructure, an

integrated planning process can optimize resource allocation (both human and financial capital) on
critical areas. Planners could identify the major environmental regulations and objectives of the
respective area and align interventions with national and sector plans. For instance, the authorities
of a specific place may be focused on increasing the uptake of more environmentally friendly modes
of transportation. A priority infrastructure project might be blanketing the city with enough electric
charging points.

To be in lockstep, key stakeholders should fully understand the needs and interests of all parties and
agree on key performance indicators and key metrics to track performance during construction as
well as during the life span of the asset. For instance, stakeholders could agree to implement risk-
mitigation actions to enhance climate-change resilience, which may cost more initially but will lower
operating expenses in the long term. Plans could also be drawn up to tap into the local workforce,
providing equal employment opportunities to both gender and minority groups.

Stakeholders could agree on how to optimize and streamline the speed of execution while
maximizing positive socioeconomic outcomes such as ensuring accessibility to all vulnerable groups.
A holistic approach to value creation reduces capital expenditures across categories such as
superstructures, electrical, or main equipment, with the potential to generate 10 to 15 percent in
savings. Simultaneously, targeted interventions can exceed business objectives with a relentless
focus on the full life-cycle cost and benefit of the project, unlocking positive socioeconomic effects.

Tender
The main objective during the tender phase is setting up optimal sustainable processes and
strategies to shorten the overall duration of this phase.

The technical sustainability criteria used for the evaluation of offers should be clearly defined;
providing a tool kit for tender management and using a standard template to evaluate offers can
speed up this process. A proper score allocation of technical and economic criteria could provide an
objective way to select suppliers based on the optimal combination of works’ and services’ quality,
environmental performance, utility requirements, and price.

Terms could require bidders to have a proven track record of positive sustainability impact, optimize
operations in line with energy efficiency and environmental standards, prioritize natural and
renewable capital, and employ local workers. Setting economic parameters can help limit excessive
valorization of price differences among competing offers. Avoiding excessive discounts may mean
foregoing some cost savings, but discounting too much could lead to compromised quality.

Procurement and construction

A timely implementation between the tender offer and project execution is important. It’s also an
opportunity to safeguard the environment and the communities involved in the project execution.

Decision makers may consider optimizing capital expenditure during the procurement phase, which
includes volume bundling and unbundling. When selecting suppliers, contractors could encourage
effective competition and equal opportunities. Care should be taken to ensure a fair process,
complying with internal governance procedures. Suppliers could be required to foster respect for
human rights and environmental protection. For instance, they could provide evidence for leveraging
energy-efficient equipment and materials and using energy produced through renewable sources to
reduce the Scope 3, or indirect value-chain, carbon emissions of the infrastructure owner or
operator.

Materials employed during construction require special attention. Where possible, sustainable
construction materials—such as net-zero CO2 concrete elements, CO2-free steel with improved
corrosion resistance, or fit-out materials with reduced volatile organic compound emissions—are
preferred. For instance, paving roads with asphalt containing ground rubber from recycled tires could
lower the life cycle CO2 emissions by around 30 percent when compared with conventional asphalt.
The recycling of asphalt could also save a significant amount of transport and processing associated
carbon emissions. Plus, all raw-material-embodied CO2 emissions could be potentially saved when
asphalt raw materials are recycled. This alone roughly accounts for 40 percent of the cradle-to-gate
carbon of new asphalt, according to the European Asphalt Pavement Association.

Industry players could experiment with ways to reuse construction waste. For example, a player in
the energy sector stores every used or broken wind turbine blade trying to find a solution to reuse or
recycle. Even though the technology does not yet exist, the embodied value for future business could
potentially be significant.

During construction, construction processes and logistics have to adhere to the highest
environmental standards to minimize carbon emissions. Digital tools, such as digital twins and five-
dimensional building-information modeling (5D BIM), could be leveraged to optimize construction
processes and reduce unnecessary carbon emissions from rework, inefficient equipment usage, or
resource wastage and scrap material. Additionally, stakeholders could adopt a lean construction
approach incorporating schedule-compression initiatives and parallelization of activities to increase
execution speed and make the infrastructure available to their users sooner. For example, the
acceleration of protracted construction activities such as interior fit-out, the detailed analysis of
construction interdependencies, and respective phasing of activities can lead to an acceleration and
time savings of around 20 to 25 percent.

Operations

Finally, after the construction of the project, operational excellence involves continuously tracking
and enhancing the infrastructure’s sustainability impact. All four dimensions—environment, social,
institutional, and economic—should be considered. Stakeholders may monitor the infrastructure’s
actual contribution to institutional commitments regarding GHG emissions reduction, increased
national competitiveness, and improved safety.

To track ongoing performance, key metrics are critical. Digital tools could be employed to monitor
business dynamics. Environmental data (such as GHG emissions, energy consumption, ratio of
renewable energy to nonrenewable energy, and waste management) could feed into impact
assessments and evaluations. Similarly, instruments such as end-user satisfaction surveys could be
deployed to track inclusion levels and identify potential areas of improvement.

Leveraging advanced data analytics and digital tools, infrastructure operators may be able to
maximize savings and increase efficiency by acting on indirect costs, maintenance, inventory, risk
management, and workforce management. For example, railway operators are reducing Scope 1
carbon emissions (GHG emissions produced directly from the operation of trains) by leveraging
automated speed control. Automated speed control systems, such as the ERTMS, reduce power
consumption by optimizing the speed of the train, which also increases the capacity of the
infrastructure. As a consequence, the carbon footprint for the transport of people and goods
decreases.

Another example can be found in the transport infrastructure supporting the logistics sector.
Automating truck and crane equipment to minimize container movements in terminal yards
improves efficiencies and reduces waiting times for shipping lines and trucks. A logistics player found
that digitizing port infrastructure using RFID technologies led to an 80 percent drop of air pollution.
Optimizing the container movement within the yard lessened energy consumption by 6.5 percent
when the top speed was reduced from 28 km per hour to 25 km per hour.
Our experience indicates that maintenance optimization can unlock 15 percent in cost reductions by
adopting state-of-the-art technologies and improving quality and service levels. Advanced inventory
techniques could eliminate up to 50 percent of unnecessary steps and costs. Financial flows and
operations should be transparent and traceable. Sustainability concepts should be included in the
Regulatory Asset Base tariffs and capital-expenditure programs.

Growing awareness for sustainability topics, carbon-neutrality targets, and frequent delays in project
execution have led to increased scrutiny of the transport infrastructure sector. As reducing
environmental impact while keeping pace with demand becomes more urgent, it is time for
stakeholders to work collaboratively with one another to embed sustainability practices, concepts,
and metrics into every stage of the transport infrastructure life cycle. With the help of the latest
digital tools at our disposal, the promise of truly sustainable transport infrastructure is well within
reach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Luca Milani is an associate partner in the Milan office, where Nicola Sandri is a partner; and Detlev
Mohr is a senior partner in the Tokyo office.

The authors wish to thank Fabrizio Bacchini, Andrea Bertelè, Riccardo Boin, Tom Brinded, Emma
Loxton, Vadim Pokotilo, Andrea Ricotti, Stuart Shilson, and Ulrich Tuerckheim for their contributions
to this article.

HOW GREEN TRANSPORT CAN BE CATALYST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND

GROWTH
The global shift towards a greener economy continues to be a priority to mitigate the risks of climate
change and other environmentally threatening conditions. However, developing countries remain
challenged with the lack of basic public infrastructure such as transportation infrastructure. In
particular, green transportation infrastructure, which can ensure a sustainable future for all.
What is green transport?

Green transport, also known as sustainable transport, refers to modes of transportation that do not
negatively impact the environment such as fossil fuels. Green transport modes rely on renewable
energy sources such as wind and solar energy, hydroelectric, and biomass, among others.

The role of green transport in the economy

The transport sector plays a critical role in the development and growth of the economy. This is
because adequate transport infrastructure, systems and networks offer access to basic services and
goods. It increases connectivity and integration between rural, urban and international markets,
which, in turn, improves economic activity. And, subsequently stimulates job creation, which opens
up employment opportunities in South Africa.

The transition to green transport will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also increase the
efficiency of transport systems and road safety. It can also significantly transform public transport in
South Africa and other African countries; however, the greatest challenge is acquiring sufficient
funding to make infrastructure for development possible.

SA’s green transport strategy

The Department of Transport has found that emissions from the transport sector in South Africa
account for 10.8 percent of the country’s total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). Additionally, there
are indirect emissions from the production, refining and transportation of fuels.

The findings also indicate that transport is a major contributor to air pollution and emissions, which
contribute to the brown haze in urban centres across the country. These pollutants have a significant
impact on human health. To ensure a positive impact on human health, land resources, water
quality, air quality and biodiversity, the development of green infrastructure needs to be prioritised.

Due to this demand, the department created a strategy to facilitate the development of green
transport in South Africa and encourage sustainable post-development public infrastructure
management and maintenance. The Green Transport Strategy has identified mitigation measures to
address the effects of climate change.

These measures are also designed to help SA meet the requirements stipulated in the Paris
Agreement, as follows;

Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,
recognising that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.
Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience
and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food
production.

Making financial support consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and
climate-resilient development.

SA plans to achieve sustainable development by developing regulatory instruments (particularly for

vehicle emissions), restructure taxes and provide incentives to reduce costs where possible and
prioritise infrastructure development as well as educate and stimulate awareness to accelerate
behavioural change in relation to green transport infrastructure.

The role of DBSA in green transport infrastructure

The DBSA follows a holistic approach of infrastructure development by addressing the entire
infrastructure value chain and focusing on key long-term strategic interventions. Our offering spans
planning, project preparation, financing, and implementation support for socio-economic
infrastructure.

Our function within the transport sector is to pursue infrastructure investment for projects aimed at
the development of bridges, roads, bus stations, railways, terminals, airports, seaports, border ports
and more. We prioritise the development of sustainable public transport networks to ensure safe,
efficient and green transport systems for all communities across the country and Africa.

We’re also committed to supporting the South African government in its quest to meet the goals
stipulated in the National Transport Master Plan 2050, the Public Transport Strategy and the Green
Transport Strategy.

Final thoughts

The transport sector is a crucial driver for economic growth and social development, as well as a
fundamental component of the country’s competitiveness in global markets. Channelling
investments towards the development of green transport infrastructure ensures that Africa is
addressing the challenges of climate change and improving the lives of the people living in the
continent.
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Artinya:

Pembangunan berkelanjutan adalah pembangunan yang memenuhi kebutuhan saat ini tanpa
mengorbankan kemampuan generasi mendatang untuk memenuhi kebutuhan mereka sendiri.”

Sustainability is the foundation for today’s leading global framework for international cooperation—
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In
June 2022, environmental leaders from around the world met to take stock of where we've been and
where we are heading, with the goal of galvanizing momentum for the UN Decade of Action for
achieving the SDGs.

Keberlanjutan adalah landasan kerangka kerja global terkemuka saat ini untuk kerja sama
internasional—Agenda Pembangunan Berkelanjutan 2030 dan Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan
(SDGs). Pada bulan Juni 2022, para pemimpin lingkungan dari seluruh dunia bertemu untuk
mengetahui di mana kita telah berada dan ke mana kita menuju, dengan tujuan menggembleng
momentum Dekade Aksi PBB untuk mencapai SDG.