Researchers in Lucerne analyze potential for electrification of building sites
Lucerne - Researchers at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts are investigating how more electric vehicles and machines could be used on urban building sites. Pilot building sites will be established in three cities to explore the extent to which emissions could be lowered in day-to-day construction operations.
A team of researchers at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) is set to explore the options for greater use of electric motors on construction sites in a two-year research project. According to a press release, three pilot electric construction sites will be established in Lucerne, Basel and Zurich. The savings potential measured on these sites will be compared with values on conventional building sites that use diesel machines and vehicles.
The researchers are interested to find out how smoothly an electric machine and vehicle fleet could be integrated into day-to-day construction operations. They have highlighted the strong potential for reducing CO2 emissions and noise on building sites. According to a preliminary study, commissioning cities and construction firms have shown great interest in the project. Estimates indicate that the energy-intensive building sector is responsible for 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, with 2 per cent attributable to construction machinery and transport vehicles over the lifespan of a building.
Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency, is contributing funding of around 435,000 Swiss francs to the research project, and a number of construction industry players will provide additional support. A neutral online platform will provide a hub for stakeholders. Construction firms will be able to use this platform to borrow electric machinery and vehicles; this means that small and medium-sized companies will also have access to climate-neutral building site technology. The platform will also provide access to partnership-based funding models for investments in electric construction machinery and transport vehicles.
