In the United Kingdom, Soletanche Freyssinet has converted its fleet of forklifts from diesel internal combustion to electric. In Singapore, the company has installed independent air-conditioning systems on its cranes. VINCI Construction France is preparing to transition the motors in its cleaning boats to electric or hybrid (VINCI Construction Maritime et Fluvial).
Manufacturer innovations were also tested in 2021:
- – VINCI Autoroutes received a prototype mobile, autonomous electric charging station developed by French manufacturer Chaplain. If the trials are successful, this prototype – consisting of a trailer, a biogas-powered generator and a charging station – will be rolled out;
- – Eurovia received the first electric 7.2-tonne truck in the UK, while VINCI Construction UK acquired the Group’s first electric-powered mini excavator and Soletanche Freyssinet used electric hydrofraise machines in Monaco and Paris.
Other internal initiatives have been developed to reduce emissions. For example, an innovative cage tamp solution, developed by Soletanche Bachy UK, reduces energy consumption when installing continuous flight auger (CFA) cages. The solution was shortlisted for a prize at the 2021 VINCI Environment Awards.
With a fleet of over 80,000 passenger and utility vehicles, fuel consumption relating to the use of vehicles by VINCI employees is a significant source of direct emissions for the Group. Reducing these emissions requires studying relevant, locally available travel solutions, as well as transitioning the vehicle fleet and travel policy. The measures taken range from optimising journeys and kilometres travelled to the rollout of low-emission vehicles, awareness initiatives and training in eco-driving practices.
VINCI Energies France is implementing the Too Electric initiative to assist its companies in making the transition to electric vehicles. A number of other entities are accelerating the replacement of their light and utility vehicle fleets with electric or other alternative energy vehicles. In 2021, 20% of new vehicle orders were for low-emission vehicles. By 2030, the Group plans to have converted more than 40% of its fleet in France and 20% in other countries. VINCI Autoroutes converted nearly half of its light response vehicles to electric in 2021, and 100% of the fleet will be converted by 2030.
In cases where existing technologies do not offer satisfactory solutions for certain mobility needs, several entities are carrying out various trial initiatives:
- – In south-east France, VINCI Autoroutes brought into service a van that pulls an EP Tender to extend the vehicle’s range. If the trials are successful, the system will be rolled out more widely;
- – VINCI Airports has set up a partnership with the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional authorities to install a hydrogen gas distribution station powered by renewable electricity for Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport, which will make it possible to supply fuel for part of the airport’s new hydrogen vehicle fleet from 2022;
- – VINCI entities are also working to optimise their employees’ travel arrangements and promote carpooling by setting up dedicated platforms. In south-west France, VINCI Construction France implemented the Ride mobility plan at several developments that offers alternatives to car use for commuting between home and work for each employee and calculates the carbon and financial savings from non-motorised transport.
- Energy optimisation of buildings
All of the Group’s entities are committed to reducing energy consumption levels for their buildings:
- – VINCI Construction uses several tools to manage the energy efficiency of its buildings. The main one is Eleneo, which connects directly to the integrated management software to monitor electricity and gas meters. For mobile sites (worksite installations and buildings), a growing number of VINCI Construction worksites meet their energy needs using solar panels installed on the roofs of worksite facilities. This is a common practice not only in France but also in Africa and North and South America;
- – VINCI Energies France now requires an energy performance rating of at least C for its buildings, following an assessment conducted in 2020 on all 600 of its buildings.
- – VINCI Autoroutes is installing LED lighting at all of its sites (rest areas, interchanges, standard sections, toll platforms and maintenance centres), and is adopting eco-design practices when renewing its service areas;
- – VINCI Concessions is putting in place a range of initiatives to reduce its energy consumption, including LED relamping, the renewal of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment with the most efficient systems, optimisation of temperature, lighting and ventilation guidelines for tunnels, and the deployment of ISO 50001-certified energy management systems. Heavy investments were made in 2021 in the upgrades and extension works at Belgrade airport in Serbia. For example, a natural gas–fired trigeneration system (combining heat, power and cooling) was installed, which is expected to reduce the airport’s carbon footprint by 25% in the years to come while responding to the growing need for heating. In Greece, where VINCI Highways holds the concession for the Athens–Patras motorway (201 km), the new LED lighting system in the tunnels has reduced CO₂ emissions from operating these structures by 60%.
- Decarbonising the energy used
In addition to reducing their energy consumption, several entities have taken steps to decarbonise the energy they use, by installing renewable energy systems for self-consumption or setting up power purchase agreements (PPA) and purchasing guarantees of origin:
- – VINCI Autoroutes has continued to develop its network of solar facilities, while its subsidiaries ASF, Escota and Cofiroute have put in place contracts for renewable electricity with guarantees of origin for 100% of the electricity that cannot be generated and self-consumed by the solar panels;
- – VINCI Concessions is moving forward with a major plan to install solar panels for self-consumption, which doubled its installed capacity from 8 to 18 MWp between 2018 and 2021. At Faro airport, solar panels installed in 2021 began supplying an additional 3 MWp of power, covering 30% of the facility’s energy needs;
- – In 2021, 20% of the electricity consumed by VINCI Energies entities came from renewables, representing 23,160 MWh, with 204.9 MWp of renewable energy production systems installed;
- – As part of VINCI Construction’s activities, solar panels are installed to meet their own needs or supply power to the grid. In 2021, solar power installation projects were developed at several fixed sites, such as the Peyrolles quarry and the Chammes asphalt plant in south-east and north-west France respectively, and the Lessines quarry in Belgium. At VINCI Construction France, a growing number of worksite facilities are energy-efficient and meet high environmental performance standards (installation of solar panels, mass timber structures, etc.)
