SUSTAINABILITY - CARBON MANAGEMENT | INSIGHT, BTS
Station typology on existing Copenhagen metro lines.
mix; renewals, such as replacing escalators and trains, also contribute (approximately 25%). Most of the footprint, therefore, comes from the physical infrastructure which is typical of mass transit. With Metroselskabet’s strategy to cut by half the
carbon footprint of physical infrastructure for new lines, the baseline matters for measurement. Here, it is the as-built design of the latest sections of the metro opened and then to consider building the same but using current emission factors. It is robust, enabling realistic assessments, Alun said. The 50% target cut sits within similar ambitions elsewhere in Europe, he noted. Copenhagen also has a goal to reduce citizens’
total emissions by 50% by 2035 measured against a 2019 baseline. Carbon emissions, when normalised per passenger-kilometre, show a far smaller footprint from metros than even an electric car; the Copenhagen metro is about three times better. In planning, how to build less, and better, are
key questions. Then, during construction, the development of the carbon footprint needs to be monitored, similar to cost. Mechanisms are also needed to inspire delivery of more than the Reference Design, and to reward for doing so, Alun said. He added that big changes are achieved through early major decisions, giving larger impact for less effort.
CARBON TOOLS, DATA, DECISIONS Metroselskabet has developed an approach which can be described as active carbon management. The carbon tool mentioned by Jon helps to set a baseline and compare options (when screening, undertaking the Feasibility Study, and EIA). As the design develops further (such as for the Reference Design and into the construction phase) main source of data leans on the Building Information Modelling (BIM) database, itself being supplemented by more sources of data. Even at EIA stage, the generic elements to help assess broad options can be adjusted to actual sizes in the core BIM model. The elements and data then populate a large
spreadsheet for more detailed tracking, in this ‘Carbon Estimate’. The carbon tool covers construction (Phase A) and operations (Phase B) in life-cycle analysis. Conservatively, the calculations do not include end-of-life, as it is too far away (100-
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year design life) for meaningful carbon offsets, such as when allowing for material reuse. The assessment covers all disciplines: civil works, M&E and architectural finishes, and uses the latest emission factors, generally from generic Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). The quantities are based initially on data pulled from the existing metro system and later from the current design BIM models. The tool provides numbers to interrogate and
support informed decision-making. The EIA can then communicate to the public the different alignment options. Moving further into design, the process also benefits from a dashboard, in a Power Bi format, created by the client’s consultants. The visual presentation helps highlight relative importance and current hotspots, or any anomalies. Data
M5 – Bryggebroen station.
M5 – Lergravsparken station.
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