Using electrified plant to cut carbon emissions at Manchester Town Hall

Electrified machinery is saving 9.12tCO2e – the equivalent of around ten passengers flying from London to New York – at Lendlease’s Manchester Town Hall renovation project. 

Approximately 11,440 tonnes of materials were removed and imported using one-tonne electric excavators. This was part of the work undertaken to replace existing floor slabs and install a new drainage system. The project’s renewable electricity tariff facilitated charging of the machinery. This ensured the operation was zero-carbon. 

The machinery also brought other notable benefits such as cleaner air quality for those working in the vicinity, as they were not exposed to the harmful emissions usually produced by diesel plant. Operators of the machinery shared their experience, with one user stating, “it’s great not dealing with fumes all day long”, and another praising it for having “…instant power compared to a traditional excavator”. 

Alongside the environmental benefits, cost savings of 20% have also been reported. This compares to hiring an equivalent diesel excavator and accompanying equipment (e.g. pollution protection, fuel) for the same number of weeks¹. 

Lendlease Sustainability Manager for Manchester Town Hall, Craig Dick, said “It is important to demonstrate to our supply chain that 1t electric excavators are a viable alternative to similar sized fuel burning plant in terms of environmental impact, cost and operational running. We are keen to apply the learnings and successful outcomes of this trial to expand the use of electrified and hybrid plant on other projects to help eliminate diesel from construction”.

Using electrified plant is a critical step towards reducing and eventually eliminating Lendlease’s Scope 1 emissions. Contributing to the company’s target to be Absolute Zero Carbon by 2040.

¹ Variable cost - dependant on supplier.

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