Public Funding for Akerlof Limited

Confronting the urgent environmental challenge of waste management and CO2 sequestration, our project "Inciner8-2-Net0: Maximising value of incineration waste and carbon capture for a Net Zero built environment" is set to revolutionise the way the UK and Singapore handle municipal solid waste incineration by-products. With the nearing capacity of Singapore's only landfill Semakau and the UK's significant and growing production of incinerator bottom ash (IBA), our project offers a timely and innovative solution. At the core of our project is the ground-breaking and synergistic use of accelerated carbonation and bio-mineralisation processes to transform IBA and associated mixed material into a valuable resource for the construction industry. This process not only stabilises harmful substances within IBA but also facilitates permanent CO2 sequestration, significantly reducing their environmental impact. The integration of microorganisms from wastewater treatment plants to enhance bio-mineralisation is a pioneering approach, further boosting the efficiency of CO2 sequestration and solidification of IBA. Our multifaceted team, consisting of experts in environmental science, waste management, and constructional materials, will implement a comprehensive strategy by: 1\. Developing a national database detailing key characteristics of IBA and associated mixed landfill materials. 2\. Addressing technical, economic, and logistical challenges in repurposing IBA for construction applications. 3\. Optimising pre-processing conditions to enhance the properties of IBA and associated mixed landfilled material. 4\. Formulating and testing sustainable, cement-based mixes using treated IBA, and ensuring they meet or exceed industry standards. 5\. Exploring the large-scale application of treated IBA in construction and leveraging its potential to contribute to the circular economy. 6\. Creating clear guidelines for the construction industry and promoting the transition towards sustainable practices and the use of waste as a resource in construction. Our project will not only reduce landfill burden and greenhouse gas emissions, but also enhance the sustainability of the construction sector. By turning harmful waste into a valuable resource, we are taking a significant step towards a more sustainable future and contributing to the global push for a Net Zero environment.The outcomes of this project, which will involve several key players across the entire supply chain, will be instrumental in positioning the UK and Singapore as leaders in sustainable construction and waste management. By efficiently utilising IBA and sequestering CO2, we are setting new benchmarks for environmental responsibility and innovation in the construction industry.

Economic and industry forecasts indicate a prolonged impact from COVID-19 on the UK economy and more specifically the construction sector. The Construction Product Association forecast a 25% fall during 2020, with certain commentators predicting output in 2021 to be 20% lower than 2019\. Manufacturers and suppliers within the industry have been forced to restructure operations to reflect anticipated declines in the short and medium-term; with employee reductions and mothballing of facilities. Business survival strategies are being implemented at the same time the industry is challenged to reinvent to address strategic priorities of innovation and net zero carbon. This is illustrated no more vividly than within the precast concrete market. As Government seeks to expedite the procurement and construction of viable projects, COVID-19 has stimulated a turning point in the private sector's adoption of modern methods of construction. AMA research forecast that the precast concrete sector will grow by 18% to £2.3.bn by 2024, however the sectors ability to accelerate investment in decarbonisation is compromised. As a cement based product, traditional concrete manufacture is a fuel intensive, electro-intensive and CO2 intensive process, said to be responsible for 4-8% of the world's CO2\. An increased demand for products and market growth, stimulated as a result of COVID, could, without corresponding innovation, represent a threat to the clean growth strategy of the UK. Concrete is however a unique material in that the specifier has the ability to directly influence its constituent parts to ensure an optimum carbon footprint that meets performance criteria and addresses the design imperatives of resource and energy efficiency within a whole life context, that also address the precepts of a circular economy. Significant carbon savings can be realised through the design decisions of architects and engineers, in collaboration with precast manufacturers. Material efficient structure can be optimised to minimise carbon, however supply side barriers (e.g. availability and cost of raw materials) and demand side barriers (e.g. restrictions in concrete standards) currently limit their application and diffusion within the marketplace. Engaging key market actors within the value chain, this project plans to overcome these barriers, to deliver decarbonisation without compromising sector competitiveness. Benchmarked against the performance of an existing public sector portfolio, this project will accelerate the pathway towards net zero, through improved design, product selection and manufacturing and construction processes of precast concrete components.

Over the next few years, the construction sector will witness a wave of infrastructure projects (£60 billion of spend each year over the next decade) and ground work will be undertaken to set future financial settlements. The pace of this growth, and the size of this opportunity, demands a construction sector that is the best in the world. To maximise the opportunities to drive efficiency savings across the delivery of the transport infrastructure pipeline, this proposal brings together key UK Transport Client groups, Suppliers and academic experts to establish a Transport Infrastructure Efficiency 'Living Lab' to build capability within delivery, innovation and managing construction risk. The UK has had a modest track record of infrastructure delivery with some programmes completed late; over budget; failing to secure the benefits expected; or cancelled after a significant investment. With the increasing challenge and complexity of the government's pipeline of major projects, the capacity to deliver is being stretched. The estimation of cost and schedule can be improved and major projects and programmes are tending to avoid innovation risk. These attitudes to uncertainty and risk are deeply engrained and cultural, with inconsistencies across Departments and ALBs. Together, they create barriers to the greater uptake of Modern Methods of Construction and driving productivity. This proposal offers a strategic, scalable and sector wide approach with Government, Client Groups, Suppliers and Academia working in partnership. To overcome these challenges, the 'Living lab' will work in collaboration with i3P and the CIH to tackle the systemic issues that still obstruct the use, integration and adoption of innovations that could drive productivity and wider social benefits through major construction schemes. It will be a catalyst for cultural change, shifting focus within infrastructure delivery decision-making from the costs of construction to an understanding of its whole life value. Statement from Professor Lord Robert Mair, Cambridge University, Chair of the DFT Science Advisory Council and Member, Transport Research & Innovation Board: "This demonstrator is a transformative collaboration. It uses data, technology and Modern Methods of Construction within live transport infrastructure projects to showcase the value of data visualisation through real-time data control rooms and demonstrates where we can drive even greater productivity and efficiency through innovation transfer. By implementing advanced construction and engineering techniques on live projects, we will deliver significantly better outcomes for society and provide the evidence needed to scale how we drive productivity across the transport infrastructure sector."