HOW THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CAN ADDRESS SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS

With urban environments accounting for nearly 40% of the world’s gross annual carbon emissions, it’s evident that the construction industry can play a key role in decarbonisation.

But what strategies can be employed to meet those goals?


The construction industry is a crucial player in the worldwide push to meet the target of net-zero emissions by 2050 as set out in the Paris Agreement.

With urban environments accounting for 39% of the world’s gross annual carbon emissions, construction companies are on a journey to decarbonise their operations and the buildings they construct.

To help make this happen, there has been a significant increase in investing in solutions that boost energy efficiency thereby reducing carbon emissions.

In 2021 these investments increased by 16% to $237 billion, underscoring the importance of sustainability in the industry.

As more and more construction happens, the industry will need to make sure they’re keeping up with the demand by finding ways to work more efficiently.

There’s still a way to go however for companies working to become more sustainable – along with plenty of solutions available to help lay the foundations for their transition to net zero.

Viva Energy Australia, the Shell Licensee and Lubricants Macro Distributor in Australia, works closely with Shell’s global teams to keep up to date with global trends in construction and helps businesses explore ways to build a more sustainable work site.

Some solutions that we provide include:

1. IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY USING PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE

Four in ten construction companies say they often experience breakdowns because of ineffective lubrication, and 72% say that issues with equipment reliability have led to unexpected costs.

Essentially, inefficient equipment means that the work will take longer, meaning the site is more likely to generate increased emissions.

Effective maintenance helps maximise equipment availability and up-time.

Using high-performance lubricants can also improve fuel economy, helping to reduce CO2 emissions by 2.4%.

“There are effective ways to find the right lubricant to drive efficiency for each piece of equipment.

We recommend customers use the free online tool like Shell LubeMatch, or contact us at the Viva Energy Technical Helpdesk to find out the best lubricant choices for heavy-duty equipment,” says Silvana Farrugia, Technical Helpdesk Specialist at Viva Energy.

• BIODEGRADABLE LUBRICANTS THAT PROTECT EQUIPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Readily biodegradable lubricants protect a company’s equipment as well as the sensitive ecosystems they operate in.

Shell Naturelle lubricants are classed as readily biodegradable, meaning they are safe for the environment and have low ecotoxicity, so they won’t harm plants or animals should an accidental leak or spill take place.

The use of solar power during the production of these lubricants also helps to reduce emissions, with any remaining unavoidable emissions compensated for to make the fluids carbon neutral.

By using these types of lubricants, construction companies can improve operational sustainability without compromising performance.

• REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS TO FUEL YOUR BUSINESS
  
  The Viva Energy Carbon Solutions team is on a mission to help businesses use more sustainable products to fuel their businesses.
  
  Some of these could include Renewable Diesel also known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) which is made typically from waste and residue feedstock’s such as used cooking oil and animal fats (tallow) and is well accepted by many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) across various industries.

Ben Ramsay, Viva Energy Carbon Solution’s Account Manager, says: “Compared to standard diesel, HVO has the potential to have a lower greenhouse gas emissions over a life cycle assessment and also reduce particulate matter and NOx, depending on equipment type and application.

As part of a business’s decarbonisation strategy, it’s a short to medium-term solution that we can assist the industry with.”

Viva Energy is also marketing a range of opt-in carbon fuels and products, certified under the Australian Government’s Climate Active scheme that can be tailored to provide optimal solutions for emissions reduction today and into the future.

“Because our products require no physical change to be certified carbon neutral, they can be used as you’ve always used them – with the same machinery and storage and handling infrastructure.

This makes them an alternative to other sustainability options that customers may want to use as part of their decarbonisation strategy.

Our Carbon Solutions offer is an end-to-end offsetting service with the purchase and retirement of offsets on your behalf,” explains Ben.

Viva Energy and Shell Lubricants are equipped to help construction businesses deliver their sustainability ambitions, while also keeping equipment running smoothly and projects running on time, and on budget.

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