Highways Agency

Reducing Energy Consumption

What is Reducing Energy Consumption about?

The consumption of fossil fuels leads to the production of greenhouse gases, mainly Carbon Dioxide. These emissions contribute to climate change, which is predicted to cause an increased number of storms, more droughts and higher sea levels. Fossil fuels are our main source of energy. They are a finite resource, which means that they will run out. We must therefore use them as efficiently as possible, whilst seeking alternative renewable sources of energy.

Why is this an issue for the Highways Agency?

Energy is consumed through the use of lighting for roads and signs, and the use of communications equipment such as flow monitoring cameras, messaging signs and emergency phones. Energy is consumed in the Agency's offices and by its vehicles. The construction and maintenance of highways also consumes energy through:

• The extraction, processing, manufacturing and transport of construction materials and products.
• The transport of product manufacturing wastes.
• Construction and demolition activities.
• The transport of construction and demolition wastes.
• Operations on construction sites such as contractors offices.

Vehicles that travel on the network also consume energy. On average, the fuel consumed annually by vehicles travelling on a stretch of highway is equivalent to all the energy consumed in initial construction.

What is the Highways Agency's goal?

The Agency has an objective, as part of 'Towards a balance with nature: Highways Agency Environmental Plan', that relates to reduction in energy consumption:

• To take practical steps to minimise emissions. This includes appropriate highway designs to influence vehicle operation plus controls on the performance of contractors. In addition we seek to encourage our partners in the vehicle and construction industries to play their part in reducing emissions.

How is the Highways Agency achieving its goal?

The Agency is a large consumer of energy. As a practical step to improve its performance the Agency now purchases 10% of the energy consumed by the lighting and communication infrastructure from renewable sources.

The transport of materials for road construction and maintenance is a major energy issue. Through the amendment of technical specifications the Agency is encouraging the use of local materials in highway construction. This will reduce the number and length of vehicle journeys required in construction and maintenance activities.

Current research has shown that the design and construction of road surfaces and the control of traffic flow can have the additional benefit of reducing vehicle energy consumption. The Agency is continuing to investigate the use of smoother road surfaces and Active Traffic Management and their impact upon energy consumption.

To reduce the energy consumed by its employees, the Agency has a Green Travel Plan, which incorporates objectives and targets relating to travel to work, business travel and investigating potential opportunities to reduce travel through a change in work practices such as home working.

Some key tools for managing the Agency's operations in relation to reducing energy consumption are as follows:

• Air Quality Assessment
• Better Business Practice
• Guidance and Specifications
• Environmental Management Systems

Future Development

• The Agency is looking into the opportunity to increase the amount of energy purchased from renewable sources.
• Active Traffic Management is being piloted by the Agency to make best use of the available space on the busiest sections of our network. Through the use of the latest technology, such as CCTV cameras, variable messaging signs, flexible use of the road space and queue detection, ATM can control the flow of traffic, leading to reduced congestion and improve travel choices. This not only brings benefits to the traveller through uninterrupted and more reliable journey times, it also has the additional benefit of reducing traffic noise, vehicle emissions and fuel consumption.
• The Agency is undertaking investigations into the possible use of solar panels on noise barriers and inter-seasonal heat transfer.