Miles Macadam’s most recent carbon neutral surfacing scheme was delivered in collaboration with Calderdale Council. Calderdale Council aims for carbon neutrality by 2038 and has been making continuous efforts to reduce their carbon emissions across the Borough. The Council’s Green and Healthy Streets policy aims to ensure that all environmental impacts are considered across transport infrastructure and maintenance. Miles Macadam’s ability to deliver a carbon neutral surfacing scheme ensured no Indirect Emissions were attributable to the Authority, supporting this objective.
The Council has a history of utilising Milepave™ for resurfacing their concrete roads and were mindful of the success of previous schemes. The Milepave™ Grouted Macadam system for concrete carriageways is unique, specifically designed to address the issues of current and future concrete joint failure and water ingress, eradicate these problems, and ensure long term successful contract performance. In addition, Milepave™ is a reduced carbon surfacing process using less resources, lower mixing temperatures, lower energy resources and a lower bitumen content than conventional asphalt surfacing materials.
Delivered Programme of Work:
• 16,650m² of carriageway resurfacing
• 1,522 tonnes of Milepave and 317 tonnes of binder course
• 97 tCO₂e surface course material emissions offset, including Scope 3 sub-contractor transport emissions.
Environmental Saving:
• Savings of 217 tonnes of aggregate and 28 tonnes of wearing course bitumen
• 48 tCO₂e saving over a conventional hot mix material and a non-carbon neutral surfacing contractor (the equivalent of 144,000 car miles)
• Increased performance and subsequent lower whole life carbon costs
Financial Saving:
• Designed system to last longer, address specific issues and ensure lower whole life cost
Client Testimony “We have used Milepave™ as a solution for renewing failing overlays on concrete roads for a number of years, and it has proved to be very effective and durable. Most of our sites have been residential and the Miles Macadam staff have always been very accommodating to the needs of the residents. Milepave™ is a low carbon footprint product anyway, but with additional carbon offsetting by tree planting, this most recent programme of work has been certified as carbon neutral, emphasising Calderdale’s commitment to the environment.”
– Graham Dendle, Calderdale Highways
Toby Fitzsimmons, of LCRIG associate member, Miles Macadam, recently spoke to the RSTA about the organisation’s latest carbon neutral project in Kirklees and the hurdles that had to be overcome to solve the challenges.
Toby said: “Calderdale Council have numerous concrete carriageways on their highways network. These sites had been overlaid with conventional materials and were demonstrating typical failure characteristics such as reflective cracking leading to water ingress and deterioration of the surface course and the sub base. Milepave provides a durable fully sealed surface as the liquid asphalt element
of Milepave prevents water ingress, reinforces surface strength, slows the oxidation process and increases flexibility In tandem with our pre and post jointing system Milepave is specifically designed to address the issues of current and future concrete joint failure and water ingress, eradicate these problems and ensure long term successful performance.”
Read Toby’s full interview, featured in the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA)’s Renew 2022 publication here.