Sustainability has become an overarching theme touching all aspects of what we do. It comes from a realisation that we live in a finite world and that everything that we do as an industry has some effect on the system of the planet and its future. Whilst much of the obvious focus of sustainability is on environmental aspects it is a much broader concept. Sustainability has three interlinking themes: environmental, social and economic. These can be summarised in the following four sustainability objectives.
- Effective protection of the environment
- Prudent use of natural resources
- Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone
- Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment
The Programme Committee would like to see contributions to the congress set in the context of these sustainability objectives. To that end we have set out eight themed sections for which papers should be submitted. Contributions are invited from transport economists, social scientists, infrastructure engineers, contractors, consultants and financial specialists. Contributors should offer appropriate papers for the target audience of road users, road authorities, research institutes, politicians, road financing authorities, bituminous binder producers, asphalt producers and contractors.
A keynote paper will be invited for each session to put context onto the session content,
SESSIONS
I - Energy and Carbon
Energy reduction and carbon footprint have become important considerations in recent years. Protocols for the quantification and declaration of embodied carbon and embodied energy in asphalt and other road materials are essential if these aspects are to be managedin the future. It is also important to understand practical ways of reducing the energy and carbon impact of asphalt in roads and the performance of the new low energy/carbon asphalts.
II-Durability & performance – mixtures and binders and pavements
A sustainable pavement must be durable and its performance should meet the requirements over a long period. The required performance for the present and the future can be achieved by using an adequate design of the pavement and mixtures by using suitable binders and, where needed, additives.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- Advanced testing of properties and performance of mixes and pavements
- Mix design and Pavement Performance
- Ageing, durability and high and low temperature performance
- Self-healing
- Additives
- Perpetual pavements
- Sustainable construction techniques
III - Resource use and recycling
Sustainability is one of the drivers in the road industry today. Efficient use of resources, increased reuse and recycling and the incorporation into the bituminous mix of materials no longer required by other industries are gaining in importance when a new project is considered. At the end of life the construction materials used in our roads have substantial residual value that can be recovered by applying recycling techniques. Tools that assist in making correct and accurate decisions to establish and diminish the environmental impact during the construction and life of the road are being developed. In this session we will focus on the efforts of our industry efficient (re-)use of pavement materials.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- LCA/LCI
- Re-use
- Recycling
- Material
- Pavement
- Use of secondary materials and waste
IV - Adapting to climate change
There is now a general agreement that our climate is changing, with a trend of progressive global warming. As a result of this the conditions under which asphalt will have to perform in the twenty first century will be different from those experienced in the last century. This will vary from region to region and country to country but with a common theme of higher sustained maximum temperatures and more extreme weather with storms and floods. Asphalt and pavement design will need to evolve to match the new challenges.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- Predicting climate and weather change
- Adapting specifications and design protocols
- High temperature performance
- Waterproofing and drainage
- Storm water mitigation
- Moisture sensitivity
- Low temperature performance
V - Societal impact
Roads connect people, goods and services and they are an essential element of economic growth. They can provide sustainable benefits for individuals, communities and business. Well made roads can improve access to markets, healthcare and education throughout the developing world. In urban environments, multi-user roads can provide safe and efficient travel solutions, and motorways can enable mass movement of people and goods.
The challenge for our industry is how we can build roads for a wide variety of users, in different climatic conditions that have minimum environmental impact.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- Technology Transfer
- Education
- Noise reduction
- Congestion
- Maintenance strategies
- Other road users (cycles, motorcycles and pedestrians)
- Rural roads
- Off-road
VI - Responsible sourcing and green procurement
As sustainability becomes more prominent it inevitably becomes more important in the procurement process. In practice this can only be implemented when the key aspects of sustainability can be objectively quantified and measured. Today’s market is bombarded with numerous, often unsubstantiated, claims covering a range of sustainability issues from carbon and the environment, fair employment in the supply chain to overall economic stability. The development of such measures and systems is of interest and importance.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- Development of standards for responsible sourcing
- Development of green procurement
- Environmental product declarations
- Environmental measures in standards
- Development of sustainability certification schemes
VII - Improving Health & Safety
For many years all actors of the road industry have been committed to delivering innovative solutions for safer roads. This section will focus on improving comfort and safety on the road for users, including the reduction of the impact of road works on the workers and the environment. These are among the main challenges that the industry will face in this new decade.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- Work Zone Safety
- Fume reduction (Warm/cold mixtures)
- Skid resistance
- Emissions from manufacturing
- Workers exposure and exposure control
- Visibility
VIII - Financing of road infrastructure and maintenance
Financing road infrastructure and maintenance is one of the major challenges we face at present. Funds must be found to carry out necessary and indispensable maintenance on the road network and to maintain the required properties at the right level for the comfort and the safety of the users. In this session, we will mainly focus on new and innovative approaches.
Papers covering the following topics are called for:
- New contracts
- Design-Build-Finance-Operate
- PPP
- Road concessions
- Asset management