Features

CHANGER has been developed to enable a detailed environmental analysis of road projects by estimating the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions released in the course of a road construction project.

  1. Sound sources of data in line with internationally recognized standards

    Fully compatible with the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations, the system contains data from 188 countries covering all global regions and income groupings.

  2. Input-output modeling approach

    The calculation model is based on a set of equations that enable accurate assessment of overall emissions (output) generated by each source that has been identified and quantified (input).

    An exhaustive list of construction techniques and materials assists the user in selecting the most appropriate means of quantifying inputs and relative outputs.

  3. Two main modules

    4. CHANGER currently comprises two main modules: 1) Pre-construction 2) Pavement

    The pre-construction module takes into account:

    • Clearing and piling: based on the ground surface area cleared per unit of road surface, an estimation can be generated for both machine use and fuel consumption. Transportation of trees removed is also taken into account (the tool does not account for either the loss of CO2 absorption by the removed trees or for their replacement with new or replanted trees in the areas concerned).
    • Cut exports and fill imports transport to and from the road site: based on a simplified diagram, the user selects the relevant sites and enters the respective distances, tonnages and transport modes (road, rail or inland water).

    The pavement module takes into account:

    • On-site impacts: electricity and fuel consumption on the construction site as identified and evaluated.
    • Pavement construction materials: this section encompasses several menus (unbound materials, hydraulically bound materials, bituminous bound materials, metals, rubber and plastic, etc.), from which the user can easily select the materials required for construction of the different layers of the given pavement.
    • Materials transport: A simplified diagram has been set up to help visualise and assess the emissions generated by transportation of the materials identified:
    • Construction machines: The total consumption of fuel is determined on the basis of the number of working hours per type of machine and type of pavement layer.

    Work is underway on complementing the existing pre-construction and pavement modules with a new module devoted to maintenance activities.

  4. Adaptable to user needs

    5. The calculator has been designed as a flexible tool that can suit the different users’ needs. The system allows users willing to perform a gross estimation for the "pre-project phase" to fill in only the relevant sections on the basis of the data available at that stage. Users who wish to have a comprehensive end-project assessment will have to fill in all the sections.

  5. Easy and comprehensive data management system

    6. CHANGER provides a structured hierarchy for entering and managing data. Dropdown menus listing the options available allow easy selection from a list, entering, editing, deletion and sorting of data records. Data entry wizards are also built in to assist the user in entering all the required data.

  6. Converting emissions into normalised units

    7. Once assessed, the GHG emissions generated throughout the various stages of the road construction process are converted to carbon dioxide equivalent. Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as "million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2Eq)".

  7. Reporting results and exporting files

    8. CHANGER automatically generates comprehensive reports – either aggregated (total) or disaggregated (inherent to only one or more steps of the process) – that can be conveniently exported to Excel, Word, PDF and HTML.

  8. Tested by international experts in the field

    9. Throughout the development of the project, the IRF has benefited from technical support from a wide range of industry and technical partners. This has been particularly invaluable for ongoing review and validation of the modelling approach and databases, as well as for testing and comparison. The LAVOC (Traffic Facilities Laboratory) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL) has analysed and validated both the quality and reliability of the databases and the calculation procedures.