01
Materials and quantities
Calculate the quantities in each layer and resources required. Low mass per cubic metre does not, on its own, establish a low carbon footprint.
Environment and durability
Assess the footprint
of the whole project.
Environmental potential is assessed through material quantities, transport, construction and maintenance. For BLC, the objective is to compare solutions delivering equivalent service.
Four areas to examine.
02
Transport and proximity
Compare distances, payloads and deliveries. Local production can be valuable where the supply chain supports it.
03
Durability and interventions
Evaluate avoided or deferred maintenance within a justified scenario, then monitor field results.
04
Water and end of life
Plan drainage, environmental characterisation, deconstruction and local recovery routes. Recyclability must be demonstrated for the complete material and available infrastructure.
What the 2020 study contributes.
InnovAct’s life-cycle assessment considers one lane-kilometre in Québec over 30 years. It examines climate impact, fossil resources, acidification, eutrophication, ozone, respiratory effects and smog, informing design choices at pavement-system level.
Road-user traffic and end of life are excluded. Inconsistencies between tables and commentary require clarification by the authors. The site therefore assigns no generic emissions-reduction percentage to the product.
InnovAct · 2020 · Pavement study · French PDFA useful framework for project owners.
- Choose the same study period, width and comparable service level.
- Use quantities from the actual design, local distances and an explicit maintenance scenario.
- Separate measurements, assumptions and sensitivity analyses.
- Document whole-system impacts and trade-offs between impact categories.
Build a credible environmental comparison.
Share the project type, reference scenario and required indicators.