We are excited to announce that Youth for Road Safety (YOURS) has been awarded the Inclusion and Diversity Award at the IRF 2024 Awards Ceremony during the IRF World Congress 2024 held in Istanbul this October. This honour celebrates their impactful work on the Belize Youth Empowerment Programme, underscoring the power of youth-led initiatives to create safer, more inclusive, and sustainable communities.

In 2014, Belize faced a road safety crisis, with young people representing 30% of road fatalities. In response, YOURS partnered with the Caribbean Development Bank, the Government of Belize through the Ministry of Education, and with Youth to launch the Belize Youth Empowerment Programme. This initiative empowered 35 young leaders to address road safety in their communities, transforming them into change-makers.

The success of this initiative demonstrates the power of multisectoral collaboration—combining the investment of a multilateral bank, the strategic vision of government ministries, and the leadership of youth.

The National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) recently sent a delegation to the International Road Federation (IRF) World Congress in Istanbul, Türkiye. This gathering of transport professionals was an excellent forum for NTRO to share Australian perspectives on innovative transport solutions and learn from international counterparts.

NTRO experts engaged in various technical and special sessions throughout the week and had the opportunity to connect with like-minded innovators from around the world. 

Their NTRO experts made significant contributions in several gatherings throughout the week: 

• Melissa Lyons shared expertise on next-generation technology and asset management, as well as strategies for incorporating sustainable materials in transport infrastructure. 

• Javad Yaghoubi presented on advances in new material science for road infrastructure, with a focus on recycled materials. He also shared insights on using locally available marginal materials for road pavement applications in rural development contexts. 

• Petar Davcev discussed innovations in sustainable roads and extracting value from end-of-life tires, contributing to the dialogue on climate-resilient and decarbonised road infrastructure. 

The congress’s format of technical and special sessions provided an ideal environment for in-depth discussions and knowledge exchange. NTRO experts not only shared their insights but also gained valuable knowledge from international case studies and emerging technologies presented by researchers and industry experts from around the world. 

The insights gained will inform NTRO’s ongoing research and help shape innovative, sustainable transport solutions for Australia’s future. 

ORIS was bestowed with the IRF award in the “Decarbonisation and Circular Economy” category for its collaboration with Autobahn GmbH des Bundes, the federal government company responsible for the management, planning, construction, and operation of highways in Germany. 

This is another milestone in considering sustainability at the early stages of conception to improve infrastructure.

Autobahn and ORIS are steering the wheel toward carbon neutrality

Managing and operating Germany’s highways, Autobahn GmbH des Bundes is committed to providing users with a more sustainable transportation network. Especially with laws and regulations enforcing the need to consider sustainability and the impacts of climate change.

This means minimising environmental impacts while steering towards carbon neutrality. To do that, Autobahn needed a solution to assess the lifecycle of its infrastructure projects. This is where our all-in-one platform steps in. 

ORIS collaborates with Autobahn on two specific projects: the A92 highway expansion and the A62 rest area enhancement project. ORIS anticipates that both pilot projects will achieve double-digit reductions in carbon footprints, showcasing the effectiveness of the integrated framework they have developed.

Overall, ORIS evaluated 13 projects. They identified a potential optimisation potential of approximately 8.000 tons of CO2 equivalent, which corresponds to an average of 17% of the carbon emissions of the optimised projects – taking into account the currently applicable regulations.

The collaboration between Autobahn and ORIS aims to deliver immediate environmental benefits while setting a precedent for future projects. This initiative fosters a culture of sustainability and innovation in the transportation sector. The systematic approach ensures long-term positive impacts on the environment and the industry.

ORIS innovative and integrated framework to decarbonise Autobahn’s highways

Through its collaboration with Autobahn, an integrated framework emerged that synergises transparency, control, and innovation within the life cycle of infrastructure projects, integrating advanced data analytics and lifecycle assessment tools to reduce carbon emissions and promote a circular economy. 

This integrated framework relies on three elements: transparency, control, and innovation.

Transparency in environmental impact

It represents the cornerstone of the framework, advocating for adopting a standardised methodology across projects to assess the ecological effects comprehensively. Core competencies include visibility and comparability, crucial for establishing a baseline for subsequent years.

Automation is vital in mitigating calculation discrepancies by employing advanced dashboards for real-time tracking and identifying critical emission sources. This granularity facilitates strategic targeting and the establishment of quantifiable carbon reduction benchmarks. 

The framework ensures compliance with statutory reporting, using results and analysis dashboards to provide clear, actionable insights. 

Control in reducing carbon impact

It encompasses a strategic reduction of the carbon footprint through meticulous activity management, focusing on the core competence of optimisation. 

This includes: 

• Adopting low-carbon materials
• Enhancing design and material efficiencies
• Optimising production and construction methodologies
• Refining sourcing frameworks

Multidimensional data supports better decision-making, promoting best practices to ensure that carbon emissions reductions are achievable and allowing informed choices that drive sustainability. 

Innovation toward carbon neutrality

It drives ORIS beyond traditional carbon neutrality thresholds. By integrating new technologies, the framework highlights the opportunity for automation in process optimisation. 

Advanced analytics enable precise forecasting and optimisation. This approach leads to carbon neutrality by continuously adapting to new technologies.

The framework for carbon neutrality can also be applied to areas such as Circular Material Flow, Resilience to Climate Change, Adaptation/Mitigation, Land Use (ground sealing), and Biodiversity. 

As the platform grows, it will incorporate additional parameters, allowing for a comprehensive, holistic assessment of all sustainability factors, including the CO2 price effect for monetisation. 

The crucial role of innovation in the infrastructure industry

ORIS’ collaboration with Autobahn showcases innovation by integrating advanced digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence in the road construction sector. The ORIS platform’s capabilities in data analysis, scenario modelling, and life cycle assessment represent a significant leap forward in infrastructure project management. 

This innovative approach allows for precisely identifying carbon hotspots, optimising materials and processes, and informed decision-making. The concept of the systematic approach across a public organisation project, as it has been tested on a portfolio of pilot projects with Autobahn, further exemplifies how digital tools can transform traditional practices, leading to substantial environmental and operational improvements. 

The infrastructure industry is responsible for leading the way in decarbonising the sector. This can only be achieved through the use of digital and advanced technologies. It represents a new way of working, meaning that change is ongoing, but it is worth it as climate change impacts the entire industry and the communities relying on it to get around daily.

Winning the award for “Decarbonising and Circular Economy”

ORIS is proud to have won the International Road Federation (IRF) award in the “Decarbonising and Circular Economy”. The IRF is an active player in the road sector, committed to the sector’s transformation towards a low-carbon economy.

This category highlights “initiatives or projects that contribute to the decarbonisation of the transportation sector and promote the principles of the circular economy. This category recognises efforts to reduce carbon emissions, minimise waste generation, and maximise resource efficiency throughout the lifecycle of road infrastructure projects”.

This award recognises ORIS work and its mission for sustainable infrastructure.

It is not about winning awards but about acting now for sustainable infrastructure. 

ORIS decarbonises the infrastructure industry by providing a reliable, all-in-one platform for the entire infrastructure ecosystem: material suppliers, contractors, engineers, and public authorities.  

At the International Road Federation (IRF) World Congress in Istanbul held from 15 to 18 October 2024, the IRF Awards were presented at the closing ceremony. Austrian traffic technology corporation SWARCO is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Technology and Innovation Award for the SWARCO GoGreen Initiative project – a proactive approach to climate neutrality.

SWARCO representatives Richard Neumann and Itir Coskun, who have promoted the GoGreen initiative across Europe, accepted the award from IRF President Dimitris Mandalozis.

This is the second recognition of SWARCO’s commitment to the European Green Deal cities to become carbon neutral by 2050, following the ITS Hall of Fame Industry Award in Dubai in September. SWARCO’s virtual reality experience, which underpins its solutions to reduce congestion and air pollution and promote the safety of vulnerable road users, is an innovative approach to engage all stakeholders and convince them of the benefits of ITS in mitigating climate change.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has won the prestigious IRF Awards 2024 – Environmental Stewardship category for the ADB-initiated Asian Transport Outlook (ATO). The IRF Awards recognise outstanding projects and initiatives that foster innovation, safety, and sustainability in the road transport sector.

ATO directly supports the planning and delivery of transport-related assistance by the ADB, as well as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – which has supported and engaged with ATO since 2023 – to help ensure that infrastructure investments are aligned with sustainability goals.

ATO’s open-access platform continues to empower researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to make evidence-based decisions that align with global sustainability goals. Please check out the >700 national and urban indicators for 51 economies and >460 urban centers and over 200 analytical knowledge products.

This recognition from the International Road Federation (IRF) at the World Congress in Istanbul affirms ATO’s commitment to shaping the future of transport in Asia. Check out the attached slides for more information about how ATO supports environmental sustainability in the transport sector in Asia and the Pacific.

The IRF World Congress 2024, a prominent global event focused on road infrastructure and sustainable mobility, took place from 15 to 18 October in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul. The Congress gathered over 2,000 participants from more than 80 countries, including ministers, high-level international organisations, and key public and private stakeholders to discuss how to reimagine transport systems to build a greener, safer, and more inclusive future.

MOBILITIES for EU partners represented the project in various formats and sessions, networking with experts and stakeholders from all over the world, to share insights and best practices. On October 16, 2024, project representatives participated in several key sessions:

Electric Buses in Madrid

Álvaro Rodríguez López de Guereña, a representative from our partner EMT Madrid, held an insightful presentation about the electrification of buses for people transportation. Electric buses will also be tested and implemented in one of our lead cities, Madrid, at the site of Mercamadrid—the largest Spanish market and one of the most active in Europe—also hosting Madrid’s Urban Mobility Lab.  

Building Climate-Resilient Cities through Mobility Innovation

In collaboration with its sister project metaCCAZE, MOBILITIES for EU hosted the session “Towards Greener Horizons: Building Climate-Resilient Cities through Mobility Innovation”. The event provided a platform for insights into climate-neutral and zero-emission urban mobility strategies, bringing together thought leaders and city representatives to share practical experiences and future-forward solutions.

Daria Kuzmina, Senior Manager of Knowledge & Innovation at UITP, opened the session with a keynote address highlighting the pivotal role of public transport in enhancing urban climate resilience and embracing new mobility technologies.

The session then invited a panel of experts including Julia María Vicente Gómez, MOBILITIES FOR EU Project Coordinator from CARTIF; Sergio Fernandez Balaguer from EMT Madrid; Tamara Djukic, metaCCAZE Project Coordinator from ERTICO ITS-Europe; Theodora Betsidou from MaaSLab in Limassol; and Seda Özdemir from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM). They shared real-case scenarios of how their cities are reducing emissions, overcoming challenges in public acceptance, and adapting infrastructure to support cutting-edge mobility solutions.

The session closed with a lively panel discussion moderated by Agostina Massarini from the International Road Federation (IRF), where speakers from MOBILITIES for EU, metaCCAZE, and UITP shared lessons learned and discussed the next steps in building climate-resilient cities.

The IRF World Congress 2024 in Istanbul underscored MOBILITIES FOR EU’s commitment to supporting European cities in their journey towards 2030 climate targets and fostering collaborations that drive sustainable urban transformations.