As part of the drive to reduce emissions, the Group is re-engineering its construction processes to limit the quantities of materials required or to enable materials with lower emissions or recycled components to be used. At the Major Projects Division, the Environment in Design (EiD) approach takes into account environmental issues right from the initial design phase. For the High Speed 2 (HS2) project (United Kingdom), the consortium pledged to reduce emissions by 50% compared with the initial carbon footprint throughout the life cycle of the structure (design, construction, operation and maintenance), by using the Carbon Life Cycle Assessment method. The City Rail Link project in New Zealand has set very high environmental targets, i.e. to reduce the energy used in construction and operation by 25% and the carbon footprint by 15%. Performance is monitored by comparing operational data every month with Building Information Modelling (BIM) forecasts.
To reduce the impacts relating to the use of structures built and operated by the Group, VINCI is developing new offers and solutions in two main areas: low-carbon mobility and the energy transition for buildings and infrastructure.
Mobility is a core feature of the various activities covered by VINCI, which harnesses its expertise to help create innovative and sustainable transport infrastructure (see paragraph 3.1.3, “Market opportunities from the environmental transition”, page 225).
Decarbonising motorways
At the end of 2021, VINCI Autoroutes and the consultancy Altermind developed a detailed model of realistic solutions for decarbonising motorways, which was the subject of the report “Décarboner l’autoroute : une urgence écologique” (Decarbonising motorways: an ecological emergency). In fact, some measures have already been implemented on the motorway network, including solutions linked to reducing emissions (electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, etc.), transforming practices and coordinating means of transport (development of intermodality and appropriate infrastructure). As part of its environmental strategy, VINCI Autoroutes is committed to equipping all service areas across its network with charging stations for electric vehicles by 2023, with half to be high-power units. To date, 604 charging points have been installed across the network, covering 69% of the service areas. Mobile EV charging stations have been tested under the low-carbon motorway agreements to supplement charging station capacity to handle any high traffic peaks. VINCI Autoroutes is also committed to developing carpooling and public transport on motorways. A programme is under way to develop carpool parking facilities at motorway entrances and exits: 45 of these car parks, providing 3,733 spaces in total, were in service at end-2022. This number will double by 2030 as some 40 additional car parks will be built. Easy Charge, a joint venture formed between VINCI Autoroutes and VINCI Energies, tripled its business in 2022 and now deploys its own charging network with the Ecological Transport Modernisation Fund. In 2022, Citeos (VINCI Energies) managed a network of some 8,000 charging points in France.
VINCI Autoroutes is testing out free-flow technology to develop a toll collection service that eliminates barriers or obstacles at booths (two trials are under way at Tours Nord and Tonnay-Charente). VINCI Highways is also experimenting with these services, which can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 60% per passage.
Actions to reduce air traffic emissions
VINCI Airports adopted a global environmental policy in 2015, aimed in particular at reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of its activities. To reduce the impacts relating to air traffic, which is the primary source of indirect emissions for VINCI Airports, a system to adjust landing fees based on aircraft emissions was introduced at some airports in 2020, with a view to accelerating fleet renewal. The mechanism is already in operation at all regional airports in France and has been extended to Lyon-Saint Exupéry and London Gatwick airports. VINCI Airports encourages airlines to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). These fuels represented 20% of the total amount of fuel supplied at Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne airport in 2022, with a blending ratio of 30%, thus exceeding the 2025 target set under French regulation. Other pathways to action are being implemented to reduce airline emissions. The “Monitoring aircraft carbon footprint” initiative measures carbon emissions during taxiing in real time. VINCI Airports also offers to supply power and air conditioning for aircraft, thereby eliminating the need to use auxiliary power units while on the ground and avoiding the burning of kerosene. Lastly, VINCI Airports is helping to reduce emissions related to user transport to and from its facilities by setting up charging stations for electric vehicles at airport car parks (366 stations available at end-2022).
Developing the use of hydrogen
To prepare for the eventual commercial use of hydrogen-powered aircraft, in 2021 VINCI Airports signed a partnership with Airbus and Air Liquide to develop the use of hydrogen at airports. Starting in 2023, Lyon-Saint Exupéry will act as a test site where the first low-carbon hydrogen refuelling stations will be installed to serve heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, runway equipment and forklifts. Draft agreements have also been signed with Kansai Airports in Japan and Santiago airport in Chile to study the implementation of green hydrogen to be used in airport operations. To develop hydrogen, VINCI Concessions participated in the funding round of H2 Mobility, raising €10 million alongside the Clean H2 Infra Fund, the world’s first low-carbon hydrogen fund. H2 Mobility is the leader in hydrogen refuelling stations for road mobility in Germany, with more than 90 stations in operation and the ambition to expand its network to 300 stations by 2030. France Ingénierie Process (FIP), a VINCI Energies subsidiary, has teamed up with the HysetCo project to accelerate the development of the recharging infrastructure required for hydrogen mobility in the Greater Paris area. The project was initiated by Hype, the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered taxis, with the support of other shareholders.
VINCI is rolling out a growing range of offers and solutions to support the energy transition and improve the energy performance of the buildings that it builds and operates.
