Carbon-Storing Asphalt and Electric Paver Cut Emissions on Cumbria A689 Road Scheme

Heidelberg Materials used its CarbonLock biogenic asphalt on a 1.5 mile stretch of the A689 in Cumbria, working for Westmorland and Furness Council. The company says the material stores CO2 in the binder during its life and keeps it locked even when recycled. The project used 1,150 tonnes of the asphalt, produced at its Keepershield plant near Hexham. Heidelberg claims a 21% carbon reduction compared with standard hot-mix asphalt. The paving work was done with an Ammann eABG 4820 electric paver, which can lay up to 1,200 tonnes per charge. This is an early example of combining low-carbon asphalt with electric construction equipment on a public highway framework.