Understanding the Embodied Impacts of Precast Concrete and Other - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Understanding the Embodied Impacts of Precast Concrete and Other Pipeline Materials

www.concretepipes.co.uk

AGENDA

• Environmental Management – who cares?
• CPSA Embodied Carbon Study – background & scope
• Debunking carbon foot printing misperceptions
• What is a carbon footprint?
• Resin sourcing
• Beyond the factory gate ...
• Transport emissions
• Site Safety - Manual lifting or mechanical?
• CPSA results Vs Industry Database
• who do your customers believe?
• how can you convince them to use your results?
• Beyond carbon ...

Environmental Management – who cares?

Product Manufacturer Builder’s Merchant Installer Specifier Licensed Operator

Environmental Management – who cares?

• BS 8903: 2010 Sustainable Procurement

“SP provides value for money on a whole life basis”

• Do procurement models really take a long term view?
• To what extent can purchase decisions be influenced by

sustainability credentials?

• Is a price premium achievable for superior environmental

performance?

• Is it just about carbon?
• How can we ensure that decisions are based on accurate and

comparable data?

CPSA Embodied Carbon Study: background & scope

Increasing enquiries for information on environmental performance of pipeline products Inconsistency of what is asked for Apparent lack of understanding of data collected Concern that comparisons not based on comparable data Conflicting claims and counter-claims by competing suppliers keen to position their offering as preferred solution.

CPSA Sustainability Strategy Identified need to provide data on environmental performance CPSA members sign BPCF Sustainability Charter and “RTB” Charter Scheme membership Detailed internal audit of pipes and manholes through life cycle stages Comparisons with alternative materials and construction techniques.

CPSA Embodied Carbon Study: background & scope

CPSA Embodied Carbon Study: background & scope

Independently reviewed Results validated and accredited by industry experts to recognised methodology (PAS 2050) Use information to:

• Educate
• Differentiate
• Substantiate.

Debunking carbon foot printing misperceptions

What is a carbon footprint?

• CO2 and other GHG emissions associated with a product and

activities along its supply chain contributing to climate change

• Sub-set of LCA which covers other burdens
• Uses indicators such as GWP to reflect relative effect of GHG

compared with CO2

• Main unit of measure is kg of CO2 equivalent (CO2e).

Source: IPCC, 2007

Greenhouse gas Chemical formula GWP Conversion Factors (IPCC 2001 figures) GWP Conversion Factors (IPCC 2007 Figures) Carbon Dioxide CO2 1 1 Methane CH4 21 25 Nitrous Oxide N2O 310 298 Sulphur Hexafluoride SF6 11,700 14,800 HFC-23 CHF3 23,900 22,800

What is a carbon footprint?

• Most industry databases currently CO2 based; not all figures

reported are CO2e

• Example: Bath University ICE Database V1.6a

used for many default values for EA, HA, utility company and many other carbon calculators

• Some products / activities have higher % non-CO2 emissions.

HDPE Pipes PVC Pipes

As reported by ICE database V1.6a(CO2 only) at time of CPSA study

2,000 Kg CO2/t 2,500 Kg CO2/t 2,000 Kg CO2/t + 20 CH4/t + <1 N2O/t

As reported by Plastics Europe study and ICE V2.0 published February 2011

2,500 Kg CO2/t + 29 CH4/t + <1 N2O/t 2,520 Kg CO2e/t 3,200 Kg CO2e/t

1.

ISO 14040/44

2.

PAS 2050

3.

Coming: ISO 14067 EN15804

Measuring carbon footprint - Standards

System Boundaries - concrete pipes

Crude Oil Extraction Natural Gas Basic Refinery Processes Basic Refinery Processes Cracking (Refinery) Ethylene Propylene High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) resin As by-product from cracking associated with gasoline Polymerization Polypropylene resin EDC Production VCM Production/ Cracking of EDC Chlorine Polymerization PVC Pipe Extrusion & Packaging

Plastic pipes – resin sourcing

Raw materials

• High density polyethylene (HDPE)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• U-polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)

www.concretepipes.co.uk

• UN reports reveal that CO2e from shipping underestimated by ~300%.

Debunking carbon foot printing misperceptions

Resin sourcing – Western Europe (Italy)

Oil extracted, processed, cracked and thermoplastics developed at Rosignano, Italy Exported from La Spezia Port, Italy (132 km from cracker/plant) by a 20,000t vessel 4,054 km by ship to the UK 230km by land to the HDPE pipe manufacturer. UK electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.544 kg CO2e/kWh Italy electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.4768 kg CO2e/kWh Production of pipe and resin overall impact + transport: 3,021 kg CO2e/ tonne of pipe (including 90 kg CO2e/t associated with different transport stages)

Resin sourcing – Eastern Europe (Hungary)

Oil extracted, processed, cracked and thermoplastic resin developed near Budapest (at a plant owned by Hungary’s leading polymer producer TVL) Taken by land to Loughborough, UK in a 2,150 km trip UK electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.544 kg CO2e/kWh Hungary electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.4065 kg CO2e/kWh Production of pipe and resin overall impact + transport: around 2,940 kg CO2e/tonne of pipe (including over 180 kg CO2e /t associated with transport)

Resin sourcing – Middle East (Saudi Arabia)

Resin will be transported from the Gulf port of Ras Tanura 11,500 km away to a UK port by a 20,000 tonnes large container vessel 300 km trip by road to the Midlands. UK electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.544 kg CO2e/kWh Saudi Arabia electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.7506 kg CO2e/kWh The overall impact is 3,985 kg CO2e/t and transport alone will cause around 202 kg CO2e/t impact.

Resin sourcing – Asia (India)

Resin produced at a plant near Delhi and transported to a Port at Western coast of India Shipped by a large container vessel 13,843 km to Dover port, UK Transported by land to the Midlands. UK electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.544 kg CO2e/kWh India electricity CO2 conversion factor: 1.2705 kg CO2e/kWh Overall transport impacts exceed 240 kg CO2e/t. Overall impact is 5,176 kg CO2e/t.

Resin sourcing – Houston, Texas

Oil extracted, processed, cracked and developed at Total Bayport HDPE plant, Texas Resin transported to Halifax by sea (4215 km) by large container vessel and onward to KWH Pipes HQ and plant near Montreal (1233 km by road) by 33t truck US electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.5714 kg CO2e/kWh Canada electricity CO2 conversion factor: 0.2055 kg CO2e/kWh Production of pipe and resin overall impact: 2696 kg CO2e/ tonne of pipe + Transport of resin to Canada: 222 kg CO2e/tonne of resin = 230 kg CO2e/tonne of pipe Total carbon footprint of HDPE pipe = 2926 kg CO2e/t

Resin sourcing – Comparing Pipes

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 UK Weholite (India Sourced resin) UK Weholite (Saudi Sourced resin) UK Weholite (Italy Sourced resin) UK Weholite (Hungary sourced resin) Canada Weholite (Gulf of Mexico resin) UK Concrete pipe (Class B) UK Concrete pipe (Class S)

DN 2100 (84 inch)

Beyond the factory gate ...

Transport

• Vehicles can often carry a greater total length of

plastic pipe than equivalent size concrete or clay

• Assuming like-for-like haulage distance, this can

reduce total vehicle movements and lower transport emissions for pipe deliveries direct to site

Bedding design and installation

• Flexible (plastic) pipes require full granular surround
• Rigid (concrete, clay) pipes may use other bedding

designs

• This reduces transport for granular imports
• Also reduces transport for disposal of excavated

material

• Mechanical lifting should be used for all pipes >

DN300 irrespective of material.

Beyond the factory gate ...

Transport

• Vehicles can often carry a greater total length of

plastic pipe than equivalent size concrete or clay

• Assuming like-for-like haulage distance, this can

reduce total vehicle movements and lower transport emissions for pipe deliveries direct to site

Bedding design and installation

• Flexible (plastic) pipes require full granular surround
• Rigid (concrete, clay) pipes may use other bedding

designs

• This reduces transport for granular imports
• Also reduces transport for disposal of excavated

material

• Mechanical lifting should be used for all pipes >

DN300 irrespective of material.

Example of Gate to Site transport emissions (inc fill material)

DN2100 HDPE pipe per m

Excavated material removed from site

Granular for bedding (4.9 m3)

100km 30km 30km

11 kg CO2e/m 23 kg CO2e/m 23 kg CO2e/m

143 kg CO2e/m

86 kg CO2e/m

Gate to Site: Transport & Installation

Transport of pipes Transport of granular

Example of Gate to Site transport emissions (inc fill material)

DN2100 concrete pipe per m DN2100 HDPE pipe per m

Granular for bedding (0.9 to 2.2 m3)

Excavated material removed from site Excavated material removed from site

Granular for bedding (4.9 m3)

100km 100km 30km 30km 30km 30km

24 kg CO2e/m 11 kg CO2e/m 4 to 10 kg CO2e/m 23 kg CO2e/m 4 to 10 kg CO2e/m 23 kg CO2e/m

48 to 84 kg CO2e/m 143 kg CO2e/m

16 to 40 kg CO2e/m 86 kg CO2e/m

Transport of pipes Transport of granular Transport of pipes Transport of granular

Gate to Site: Transport & Installation

End of Life

Concrete pipes

• Many examples of pipes over 50 yrs re-used
• Concrete can be recycled, broken up as rubble

and used as aggregate or fill material

• Carbon negative!
• 15 to 35 kg CO2e can be absorbed by 1m3 of

crushed concrete by carbonation

• taking the entire cycle into consideration a

figure for overall CO2e uptake can be between 25 and 45 kg/m3

• DN450 pipe -3 to -5kg CO2e/m (-10% “C-G”)

Plastic pipes

• Reusable end of design life?
• Potential for recycling?
• Able to quantify aged properties?
• Acceptable consistency as pipe raw material?

Total carbon footprint for concrete pipes

• 138-160kg CO2e/t

Includes steel reinforcement, where applicable

• Examples:
• DN300 27kg CO2e per metre
• DN600 72kg CO2e per metre

CPSA results Vs Industry Database

• who do your customers believe? how can you convince them to

use your results?

CPSA results Vs Industry Database

University of Bath ICE V2.0

• who do your customers believe? how can you convince them to

use your results?

CPSA results Vs Industry Database

Environmental Impact Categories

Beyond carbon

Category Unit Abiotic depletion kg Sb eq. Global Warming (GWP100) kg CO2 eq. (100yr) Ozone layer depletion (ODP) kg CFC-11 eq. Human toxicity kg 1,4-DB eq. Fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity kg 1,4-DB eq. Terrestrial ecotoxicity kg 1,4-DB eq. Photochemical oxidation kg C2H4eq. Acidification kg SO2 eq. Eutrophication kg PO4 eq. Solid Waste tonne solid waste Radioactivity mm3 high level waste Minerals Extraction tonne of minerals extracted Water Extraction m3 water extracted

1 linear metre of concrete pipe has lower embodied energy than equivalent plastic pipe

Source: Professor K Serivener, EPFL Lausanne. Lecture at Concrete Ambassador Event.

Beyond carbon – embodied energy

“Water foot printing is the next carbon” Beyond carbon – water foot print

PVC Pipe HDPE Pipe PP Pipe1 Concrete Pipe DN300 521.6

(Polysewer)

• 495.8

(Ultra Fortis)

78.08 DN600

• 1,102 to 1,508

(Weholite)

1,021.4

(Ridgidrain)

387.2 DN900

• 2,088 to 2,784

(Weholite)

3,185.8

(Ridgidrain)

614.4 DN1200

• 3,886 to 5,220

(Weholite)

• 1,072

Table 2. Cradle-to-Gate Water Footprint (in litres) per 1 metre of plastic and concrete pipes.

Conclusions

• Benchmarking only valid if using consistent methodology,

boundary conditions and data

• Reliable data is key – acknowledged sources can be flawed
• Accurate, up to date data produced to recognised methodology

and backed-up by third party accreditation should be preferred

• ver other data sources
• Alternative installation designs can have significant effect on

environmental impacts

• Avoid “snapshots” which can be misleading (e.g. transport)
• Pipes will have different impacts depending where they are

made and the materials that go into them

• Concrete pipes are about equal to HDPE pipes in CO2e terms

(better >DN1200) up to site. We need to take the case to the

• peration/end of life stages to positively differentiate ...

Challenge

• Is it possible to collect reliable whole life data for different

pipeline materials TODAY?

• How do we encourage procurement on a whole life basis?