Pell Frischmann is pleased to be leading the development of the Carbon Hierarchy approach and implementing it in live projects through Liverpool Live Labs. The Carbon Hierarchy Toolkit, which includes a bespoke Carbon Configuration Tool, enables Liverpool City Council (LCC) to integrate whole-life carbon whilst considering costs in its design and maintenance programs.

The Liverpool Live Labs project is part of the UK-wide Live Labs 2 programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and coordinated by ADEPT. Running over three years, the Live Labs 2 programme includes seven projects, one of which is the Liverpool Live Labs, which aims to help Liverpool achieve Net Zero by 2030 by reducing carbon emissions from its road network.

As a key delivery partner, we promote collaboration and innovation through the Carbon Hierarchy Lens (CHL) approach. This tool helps LCC reduce maintenance and operational emissions while enhancing efficiency and transparency. The CHL Toolkit streamlines data analysis for low-carbon designs, facilitates early-stage project assessments, and informs decisions based on carbon, cost, and community benefits.

Learnings from Liverpool’s trials, such as low-carbon road markings and alternative pavement materials, are being piloted in Aberdeen and Newcastle to see their impact on road maintenance emissions.

Developing a CHL approach of this scale involves close collaboration with local authorities, academic institutions, the ADEPT Centre for Excellence, industry specialists, and expert panels to ensure that the framework integrates diverse perspectives, harnesses the latest research, and remains adaptable to the evolving needs of sustainable infrastructure.

We also routinely share our insights at events and Expos with the wider Live Labs 2 programme and broader industry, supporting efforts to decarbonise road networks throughout the UK. Additionally, the tool’s early decision-making capability allows us to identify and prioritise schemes that require funding at an early stage, ensuring resources are allocated where they will have the greatest impact. This forward-looking approach empowers local authorities to make informed choices that align with both sustainability and budgetary goals.

Dr Mansi Desai, our Technical Director & Head of Sustainability, said:

Liverpool City Council (LCC) is aiming to become a net-zero carbon city by 2030, with a broader goal of becoming a zero-carbon city region by 2035. This involves a comprehensive plan to reduce carbon emissions across all sectors, including infrastructure and transportation. We have been instrumental in this decarbonisation journey, working with LCC since August 2023 on the Live Labs 2 programme. During this time, we have been working on the development of our innovative carbon toolkit and associated online platform, which will help to support effective and early decision making, providing a user-friendly and intuitive approach for integrating whole-life carbon and cost considerations into Liverpool City Council’s design and maintenance programmes. We have shared our experience in developing low-carbon, climate-resilient options, and worked with LCC to develop future-proofed, practical solutions which can be delivered at a local level.

By embracing emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, we have developed parts of the code with AI support and utilised it for debugging and ensuring consistency. In the future, we aim to deepen the integration of AI into the Liverpool Live Labs Project, further enhancing the toolkit’s effectiveness and adaptability.

We are continually enhancing and refining our methodology to make a meaningful contribution towards the early identification of sustainability benefits during both the design and maintenance phases for Liverpool.

This approach focuses on facilitating collaboration to keep all stakeholders engaged and aligned with decarbonisation objectives. By providing support to LCC, we are aiding them in achieving their Net Zero targets. Our objective is to integrate our methodology into Liverpool’s business-as-usual practices, thereby reinforcing their pathway to decarbonisation.

We look forward to continuing our work with ADEPT and LCC and expanding the impact of the Carbon Configuration Tool. The tool has been developed with replicability in mind and will assist other local councils in their efforts to decarbonise highways and drive sustainable change within communities.