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Sustainable Road Construction
Road construction that meets net zero mandates without compromising on durability
Every council and developer now faces the same pressure: demonstrate carbon reduction whilst keeping infrastructure budgets under control.
Traditional road construction locks in 40-50 years of embodied carbon. When you’re trying to hit 55% carbon reduction by 2030, conventional asphalt works directly against you.
Build roads that prove compliance and deliver long-term value
You need infrastructure that satisfies planning sustainability conditions, meets National Highways net zero requirements, provides audit-ready carbon documentation.
We deliver this using warm mix asphalt (20-40°C lower temperatures), recycled asphalt (up to 50% recycled content), biogenic materials (plant-based binders capturing carbon), and permeable surfaces managing drainage whilst reducing material volumes. Across the South West, South Wales, and the Thames Valley.
What we can deliver for your site...
Why conventional road construction destroys your carbon budget
The real-world impact...
Stalled adoptions are more than just an administrative nuisance; they are a drain on your balance sheet. With over £1.1 billion in developer contributions currently sitting unspent in local authority accounts, the system is clogged.
If you are facing 6-12 month delays, you are likely dealing with:
Let's fix it.
Roads engineered to cut carbon and extend service life. Performance matching or exceeding conventional materials
Lower carbon from day one:
Warm mix cuts production emissions 5-20%. Biogenic alternatives capture approximately 6 tonnes CO2 per kilometre. Recycled content (up to 50%) eliminates virgin aggregate emissions.
Proven durability with real performance data:
Nine-year trials showed 50% recycled content delivered superior rutting resistance (1.2mm versus 1.6mm). Not theoretical—actual measured results.
Extended service life reducing whole-life costs:
Sustainable alternatives typically deliver 35-40 year service life versus 20-25 for conventional. Fewer resurfacing cycles, lower lifecycle spend.
Faster construction and traffic opening:
Warm mix reaches opening temperatures 30-40% faster. Less road closure time, reduced economic impact.
Compliance documentation included:
Full PAS 2080 carbon management, embodied carbon calculations, lifecycle assessments, Section 38/278 adoption submissions. Everything for planning discharge and governance reporting.
SuDS-integrated drainage solutions:
Permeable surfaces managing water whilst functioning as road structure. Planning-compliant water management, reduced infrastructure costs.
Why councils, developers, and contractors choose Highways Plus
You’re managing carbon mandates, tight budgets, demanding timelines. You need a partner who understands sustainable construction isn’t optional—it’s the only way to meet regulatory requirements whilst controlling costs.
Highways Plus is different:
We've delivered sustainable schemes whilst others talk about them:
Twenty-five years highways construction, now delivering warm mix, recycled content, biogenic alternatives as standard. Real projects, measured carbon reductions, proven performance.
Technical capability backed by accreditations:
NHSS accreditation, ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environmental systems. Audited for traditional quality standards and environmental performance.
Whole-life cost analysis, not just quotes:
We calculate 40-50 year lifecycle costs showing exactly how sustainable alternatives deliver financial savings through extended service life.
Compliance documentation ready for submission:
PAS 2080 carbon plans, embodied carbon calculations, lifecycle assessments, adoption submissions. Everything for planning discharge, governance reporting, grant applications.
Section 38/278 adoption expertise integrated:
Managing highway adoption? We handle carbon documentation, sustainability verification, adoption paperwork simultaneously.
Material flexibility matching your requirements:
We specify warm mix, RAP, biogenic alternatives, or permeable solutions based on traffic profile, ground conditions, your carbon targets.
A clear, structured process that delivers compliant infrastructure
Sustainable road construction requires careful material specification, lifecycle planning, documented carbon management. Full compliance documentation at every stage.
What you get...
Most projects follow phased delivery—carbon assessment and material specification first, establishing optimal approach before mobilisation.
Typical timelines: 6-10 weeks for resurfacing schemes, 12-18 weeks for new construction with full SuDS, 4-6 weeks for car park or access roads.
Carbon assessment and material specification:
Lifecycle impact assessment, traffic profiling, ground conditions review. You get a sustainability strategy specifying optimal material mix matched to your carbon targets.
Detailed design and carbon management planning:
PAS 2080-aligned carbon plan, material sourcing documentation, construction emissions profiling. Everything for planning discharge and adoption submission.
Material procurement and quality assurance:
Sourcing from certified suppliers with environmental product declarations, recycled content traceability, ISO 14001 management. Quality testing confirming specifications.
Construction execution with emissions monitoring:
Lower-temperature paving, real-time compaction verification, documented emissions tracking. Faster traffic-opening, reduced closure duration.
Performance validation and adoption handover:
Specifications for Highway Works compliance, performance testing, whole-life cost calculations, adoption sign-off with sustainability credentials confirmed.
Sustainable road construction CASE STUDY
Local authority urban road resurfacing, Somerset
The Challenge:
- 2.3km urban road requiring full resurfacing. Extensive surface cracking, inadequate drainage causing water ponding, resident complaints.
- Council had declared climate emergency. Traditional hot mix would've generated approximately 180 tonnes CO2, directly conflicting with sustainability commitments.
- Conventional approach quoted £285,000, with 22-year service life requiring replacement by 2046. No carbon documentation, no whole-life cost analysis.
Our Solution:
- Warm mix asphalt with 40% recycled content, produced at 140°C versus conventional 175°C. Cut production emissions 18% and eliminated virgin aggregate emissions for recycled proportion.
- Integrated permeable edge drainage reducing concrete kerbing, managing surface water through pavement structure. SuDS-compliant, satisfying planning conditions.
- Full PAS 2080 carbon plan quantifying 68-tonne CO2 reduction (38% versus conventional), lifecycle assessment projecting 35-year service life based on proven recycled content data.
- Delivered at £298,000—modest 4.6% premium offset by extended service life and reduced maintenance.
The Outcome:
- Carbon emissions reduced 68 tonnes CO2 (38% reduction versus conventional)
- Projected service life 35 years versus 22 years conventional (59% longer)
- Whole-life cost analysis showed £47,000 lifecycle saving through avoided early replacement
- Full compliance documentation enabling governance reporting, demonstrating climate commitment
- Completed in 7 weeks with faster traffic opening reducing disruption by 12 days
Proven delivery of sustainable road construction across diverse sectors
Whether you’re managing council networks, developing residential schemes, or delivering commercial infrastructure, you need roads meeting carbon reduction requirements whilst delivering long-term performance.
Sectors that rely on us:
Local councils and highway authorities:
- Urban and rural networks requiring carbon-compliant resurfacing, maintenance demonstrating net zero progress. Governance-ready carbon documentation.
Private developers and housing schemes:
New road construction meeting Section 38 with sustainability credentials, access roads satisfying planning carbon conditions. Adoption management with sustainability verification.
Commercial and industrial developments:
Business park access, logistics surfacing, industrial estates requiring heavy-duty performance with carbon reduction. Sustainable alternatives proven for high-traffic.
Education and public sector:
School access, healthcare roads, council sites demonstrating public sector climate leadership. Compliance-focused delivery meeting procurement sustainability.
Infrastructure and utilities:
Major scheme enabling works, utility access, infrastructure corridors requiring National Highways net zero compliance. Carbon management integrated with specifications.
Retail and leisure developments:
Shopping centre access, leisure parks, hospitality where sustainability credentials enhance planning applications. Performance and aesthetics with carbon reduction.
Your Sustainable road construction questions, answered...
How much carbon can sustainable road construction actually save?
Warm mix cuts production emissions 5-20%. Recycled content (40-50%) eliminates virgin aggregate emissions for that proportion. Biogenic alternatives capture approximately 6 tonnes CO2 per kilometre. Combined approaches achieve 38-75% carbon reduction versus conventional.
Does sustainable road construction cost significantly more?
Initial material costs run 4-15% higher. However, whole-life cost analysis over 40-50 years typically shows net savings through extended service life (35-40 years versus 20-25) and reduced maintenance. Roads costing 10% more that last 60% longer deliver substantial lifecycle savings.
Will recycled content affect performance or durability?
No, when properly specified. Nine-year trials of 50% recycled content showed superior rutting resistance (1.2mm versus 1.6mm) and maintained stiffness. National Highways approves 10% recycled content for strategic network surface courses, with higher percentages proven in trials.
How does warm mix asphalt differ from conventional hot mix?
Produced at 20-40°C lower temperatures (typically 140°C versus 175°C). Cuts production energy and emissions whilst maintaining performance. Reaches traffic-opening temperature faster, reducing closure duration. Over 4 million tonnes laid on UK roads since 2014.
What's biogenic asphalt and how does it capture carbon?
Uses plant-based bitumen binders instead of petroleum-derived alternatives. These contain carbon absorbed during plant growth, locking it in the road structure. Creates carbon sink properties, with accumulation potential reaching 19 tonnes CO2 per kilometre through repeated recycling.
Will sustainable roads meet Section 38 or Section 278 adoption requirements?
Yes. Adoption authorities assess performance against Specifications for Highway Works, not material origin. Sustainable alternatives meeting SHW standards satisfy adoption requirements. We provide full compliance documentation confirming specifications alongside carbon credentials.
How do permeable surfaces work for road construction?
Permeable asphalt or concrete block paving allows water infiltration into underlying storage layers. Manages surface water whilst functioning as road structure. Systems retain up to 93% of suspended pollutants, satisfy SuDS planning conditions, reduce separate drainage costs.
Can you retrofit sustainable solutions on existing roads?
Yes. Most sustainable technologies apply to resurfacing and reconstruction. Warm mix, recycled content, biogenic alternatives work for overlay schemes. Permeable edge drainage can be integrated during resurfacing without full reconstruction.
What carbon documentation do you provide?
PAS 2080-aligned carbon plans, embodied carbon calculations across all lifecycle stages, environmental product declarations, whole-life cost analysis, sustainability verification for adoption submissions. Everything for planning discharge, governance reporting, grant applications.
Need to understand how sustainable construction applies to your scheme?
Book a Free, No-Obligation Sustainable road construction Assessment
We’ll review your requirements, assess sustainable material options, calculate carbon reduction potential versus conventional, provide whole-life cost analysis showing lifecycle financial implications.
No obligation, no sales pressure—just expert technical advice from specialists who’ve delivered sustainable road schemes across councils, developers, major infrastructure projects.
Call or fill out our form and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.
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