Reducing the environmental impact and improving the efficiency of construction transport

Authors Ruben Vrijhoef
Published in Proceedings Editor and Conference Chair: Professor Charles Egbu
Publication date 23 November 2015
Research groups Building Future Cities
Type Lecture

Summary

Abstract: Last few years the hindrance, accidents, pollution and other negative side effects of construction projects and namely construction transport have become an issue particularly in urban areas across Europe such as in London, and in the Netherlands as well, including the cities of Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Municipalities have issued new legislation and stricter conditions for vehicles to be able to access cities and city centres in particular and accessibility of older and polluting vehicles. Considerate clients, public as well private, have started developing tender policies to encourage contractors to reduce the environmental impact of construction projects. Contractors and third party logistics providers have started applying consolidation centres. These developments have shown considerable reductions of number of vehicles needed to deliver goods and to transport workers to site. In addition these developments have led to increased transport efficiency, labour productivity and cost reductions on site as well as down the supply chain. Besides these developments have led to increased innovations in the field of logistics planning software, use of ICT , and handling hardware and equipment. This paper gives an overview of current developments and applications in the field of construction logistics in the Netherlands, and in a few project cases in particular. Those cases are underway as part of an ongoing applied research project and studied by using an ethnographic participative action research approach. The case findings and project results show initial advantages how the projects, the firms involved and the environment can profit from the advancement of logistics management leading to reduced environmental impact and increased efficiencies of construction transport.

On this publication contributed

Language English
Published in Proceedings Editor and Conference Chair: Professor Charles Egbu
Key words construction transport, environmental impact, logistics management, productivity, transport efficiency

Ruben Vrijhoef

Ruben Vrijhoef | Professor | Research group Building Future Cities

Ruben Vrijhoef

  • Professor
  • Research group: Building Future Cities