L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage provides nationwide Operated and Self-Drive Plant Hire, Haulage and Transport Services to a variety of sectors within the construction industry. They have an expansive fleet of plant and equipment, with contracts within the civil engineering, rail engineering, public utilities, earth works and highways maintenance.
They are on a journey to net-zero carbon, with their crucial objectives being to educate, collaborate, promote data transparency, and increase on-site productivity for their customers and other stakeholders. They have recently adopted innovative digital technology, leading the way in sustainability and training.
Lynch has set an important goal of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2040, with an interim target of a 30% reduction by 2025. Progress to meet this ambitious target is well underway, with a series of departmental and supply chain focused carbon action plans. A focus on working collaboratively with people, communities, their customers, and the supply chain will help to improve the industry and lead the way with positive change.
One stand-out achievement from the past year was the introduction of award-winning training programmes. The latest Eco Driver training has reduced fuel consumption, equating to cost savings of over £10,000, whilst reducing daily CO2 consumption by 46%. Lynch was delighted to win the “Delivering Net Zero with Digital Innovation” at last year’s Digital Construction Awards.
Lynch had been working with Skanska Costain STRABAG JV on the South section of HS2. One goal was to reduce idling by 20% to improve the air quality for the community surrounding the construction site. As the biggest infrastructure project that the UK has seen in a generation, HS2 is crucial to the UK’s low carbon future and as part of the supply chain, Lynch understood how important it is to align with this goal.
The strategy began with the Eco Driver Training Programme, blending telematic data with advanced operator training. Lynch proposed to do a Carbon Exercise on site to identify the current idling and carbon emissions and to upskill and mentor 10% of drivers on site, in an innovative three-month trial.
The goals were:
- Reduce idling, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions on site and costs to the customer, moving driver idling percentage from red (> 60%), to amber (41% – 59%) and then to green (< 40%).
- Educate drivers on their carbon footprint and environmental impact
- Promote Data transparency by providing data to clients to help them reduce costs and meet their net-zero targets quicker
This began with group presentations on site, to educate operators on the importance of sustainable working and how they can impact fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Telematic data was used to track the results of the training month-on-month, and direct feedback was provided to each driver.
The data showed that individual upskilling was more effective in reducing machine idling than group presentations. Lynch began to explore the real benefits of personalised carbon reduction plans, something which hadn’t previously been considered in the industry. Additionally, it was also noted that data is ‘stuck’ at the top. It never reaches the site or those that can influence the results, i.e.: the drivers. To filter this data down, the team designed a Green Leadership Board based on the idling improvement per driver and machine type. This generated friendly competition and improved the overall results. The data was presented to each driver, allowing them to become aware of their carbon footprint. Historic data was used to forecast by when each driver will become carbon neutral.
The exercise involved looking at telematic data gathered from the machines’ API feeds, and telemetry platforms. The training team attended the site three days per week to engage with and support operators who needed enhanced training on the reduction of unnecessary idling. Additionally, to provide an extra layer of support, an operator WhatsApp group was created, to provide daily encouragement and keep in contact with everyone participating in the scheme.
The blend of telematics data and training has empowered behavioural change among Lynch operators, resulting in tangible commercial benefits, cleaner air, and a more sustainable construction site.
Lynch was able to:
- Reduce idling from 41% to 24%
- Reduce average CO2 consumption per day by 46%
- Reduce fuel consumption from 17,124L in November to just 7,944L in January – equating to a cost-saving of over £10,000
The programme has led to the objective of automating Individual Carbon Reduction plans, with further collaboration with OEMs, clients, and suppliers. This pioneering scheme has the potential to help on the journey to net zero. The blend of telematic data and training has empowered behavioural change among Lynch operators, resulting in tangible commercial benefits, cleaner air, and a more sustainable construction site. This is just one of the ways Lynch embraces the use of digital technology to foster and encourage positive change.
