B2B Sharing – sustainable construction sites in cities

AI Quick Summary

Elektrische Baumaschinen könnten dazu beitragen, die Klimaziele der Schweiz zu erreichen. Jedoch sind diese aufgrund der hohen Kosten und geringen Verbreitung noch selten im Einsatz. Eine Sharing-Plattform namens "faroo" könnte das ändern, indem sie Bauunternehmen Zugang zu einem Pool von Elektrogeräten bietet. Dadurch könnten nachhaltigere Baustellen betrieben werden und verschiedene Stakeholder wie Städte, Bauunternehmen und Anwohner:innen würden davon profitieren. In order to achieve Switzerland's climate targets, it is necessary to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. This also affects the construction industry, which contributes to climate change and air pollution through the operation of construction machinery and transport vehicles, among other things. Switching from conventional to electric machinery and vehicles would result in no direct greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. This would allow sustainable or CO2-neutral construction sites to operate. Electric equipment in the construction industry is already in use in Switzerland, but so far very rarely. On the one hand, this is due to the comparatively high acquisition costs of electrical equipment and vehicles. On the other hand, there is a certain skepticism towards the new types of equipment. Due to the low prevalence of electric machines and vehicles, it has so far hardly been possible to demand a purely electric design when awarding construction projects. However, in view of the climate targets of cities and municipalities, e.g. the city of Zurich, this would be desirable. One solution to this problem is to create a pool of electrical equipment that construction companies can access via our sharing platform faroo. Already today, faroo offers construction companies the opportunity to lend machines and vehicles to each other. New for faroo would be the focus on electric equipment/vehicles and thus the promotion of sustainable construction sites. Various stakeholders would benefit from such a platform: (1) Cities that want to implement sustainable construction sites can set specifications for electric machines and vehicles without running the risk that orders are rejected due to a lack of equipment or are only carried out at significantly higher costs. (2) Construction and logistics companies that offer more sustainable services to builders. Through sharing, these can access and gain initial experience with the machines on an as-needed basis, cost-efficiently and without great risk. This could lead to a better attitude towards e-devices, and thus to an increased demand. Both manufacturers and providers of e-equipment on the platform (construction companies or professional rental companies) would benefit from this. (3) Residents in the immediate vicinity of the construction sites as well as employees of the contracted construction companies benefit from lower noise emissions as well as significantly improved air quality.1. Novelty in regard to two aspects: First, sharing between companies is still in its infancy. Studies show, that it takes a regional or resource specific focus to increase sharing activities. Therefore we set up the very first cluster for sharing e-equipment for construction sites in the area of Zürich to increase resource efficiency and utilisation as well as to decrease greenhouse gas emissions significantly.2. Energy efficiency is much higher in electric equipment than it is for regular equipment on construction sites. Moreover, studies have shown, that greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 63% through using e-equipment in this area. This is highly relevant, especially in when looking at the especially if you look at the increasing number of reconstructions and new buildings in connection with densification measures here in Switzerland.3. In general, our platform is open to all companies in the construction industry. However, with the Amt für Hochbau Zürich, we have a strong partner at our side. They are interested in switching all construction sites in the area of Zürich to e-equipment. As most companies do not own e-equipment are are hesitant to buy it themselves, we will profit from this cooperation. As soon as we have finished the pilot project, we will contact other major cities in Switzerland.4. Insights of the pilot project will be published as a best practice by the Amt für Hochbau Zürich and of course by us. Through our existing sharing business, we are well connected within this industry and we already have multiple companies who are interested in the results. Moreover, we will adapt our existing platform towards the specific needs for renting e-equipment to improve the customer experience.5. Our team is diverse as it includes people from different backgrounds and with quite a difference in work experience. We profit from support by representatives of established companies from this field and also by academic support from different departments of HSLU. The impact of our project will not only improve living conditions of urban population from all social backgrounds through cleaner air and less noise, it will particularly improve working conditions for employees on construction sites.

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: B2B Sharing – sustainable construction sites in cities
Date: 4/26/2023 9:32:02 PM
Administrators:
- Fatmir Shoshi

Project Idea Description

In order to achieve Switzerland's climate targets, it is necessary to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. This also affects the construction industry, which contributes to climate change and air pollution through the operation of construction machinery and transport vehicles, among other things. Switching from conventional to electric machinery and vehicles would result in no direct greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. This would allow sustainable or CO2-neutral construction sites to operate.

Electric equipment in the construction industry is already in use in Switzerland, but so far very rarely. On the one hand, this is due to the comparatively high acquisition costs of electrical equipment and vehicles. On the other hand, there is a certain skepticism towards the new types of equipment. Due to the low prevalence of electric machines and vehicles, it has so far hardly been possible to demand a purely electric design when awarding construction projects. However, in view of the climate targets of cities and municipalities, e.g. the city of Zurich, this would be desirable. One solution to this problem is to create a pool of electrical equipment that construction companies can access via our sharing platform faroo. Already today, faroo offers construction companies the opportunity to lend machines and vehicles to each other. New for faroo would be the focus on electric equipment/vehicles and thus the promotion of sustainable construction sites.

Various stakeholders would benefit from such a platform: (1) Cities that want to implement sustainable construction sites can set specifications for electric machines and vehicles without running the risk that orders are rejected due to a lack of equipment or are only carried out at significantly higher costs. (2) Construction and logistics companies that offer more sustainable services to builders. Through sharing, these can access and gain initial experience with the machines on an as-needed basis, cost-efficiently and without great risk. This could lead to a better attitude towards e-devices, and thus to an increased demand. Both manufacturers and providers of e-equipment on the platform (construction companies or professional rental companies) would benefit from this. (3) Residents in the immediate vicinity of the construction sites as well as employees of the contracted construction companies benefit from lower noise emissions as well as significantly improved air quality.

1. Novelty in regard to two aspects: First, sharing between companies is still in its infancy. Studies show, that it takes a regional or resource specific focus to increase sharing activities. Therefore we set up the very first cluster for sharing e-equipment for construction sites in the area of Zürich to increase resource efficiency and utilisation as well as to decrease greenhouse gas emissions significantly.

2. Energy efficiency is much higher in electric equipment than it is for regular equipment on construction sites. Moreover, studies have shown, that greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 63% through using e-equipment in this area. This is highly relevant, especially in when looking at the especially if you look at the increasing number of reconstructions and new buildings in connection with densification measures here in Switzerland.

3. In general, our platform is open to all companies in the construction industry. However, with the Amt für Hochbau Zürich, we have a strong partner at our side. They are interested in switching all construction sites in the area of Zürich to e-equipment. As most companies do not own e-equipment are are hesitant to buy it themselves, we will profit from this cooperation. As soon as we have finished the pilot project, we will contact other major cities in Switzerland.

4. Insights of the pilot project will be published as a best practice by the Amt für Hochbau Zürich and of course by us. Through our existing sharing business, we are well connected within this industry and we already have multiple companies who are interested in the results. Moreover, we will adapt our existing platform towards the specific needs for renting e-equipment to improve the customer experience.

5. Our team is diverse as it includes people from different backgrounds and with quite a difference in work experience. We profit from support by representatives of established companies from this field and also by academic support from different departments of HSLU. The impact of our project will not only improve living conditions of urban population from all social backgrounds through cleaner air and less noise, it will particularly improve working conditions for employees on construction sites.