InfraCO₂ Project Launched: Kick-off Meeting Opens Discussion on Decarbonisation Reporting in Transport Infrastructure

The kick-off meeting of the InfraCO₂ project took place at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU). The project aims to develop a practical and scientifically robust system for reporting decarbonisation in transport infrastructure. The meeting confirmed the strong interest of the professional community in this important and methodologically challenging topic.

The meeting room of the Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU in Prague was filled with participants, while a further 39 experts joined online. The programme featured presentations and discussions on approaches to reporting decarbonisation in transport infrastructure and on the conditions necessary for the transparent and credible demonstration of achieved emissions reductions.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport infrastructure sector is a significant challenge for investors, designers, material manufacturers, contractors and public procurers alike. Alongside reducing emissions themselves, reliable measurement and reporting are becoming increasingly important, as is the ability to compare different solutions based on consistent rules.

Common Methodologies and High-Quality Data as the Foundation for Credible Reporting

One of the key objectives of the InfraCO₂ project is to establish the conditions for reliable and comparable emissions assessment in the Czech context. Achieving this goal will require a particular focus on:

• Reliable and representative emission factors reflecting conditions in the Czech Republic.
• Common rules and calculation methodologies enabling meaningful comparison of results.
• High-quality and accessible data from construction material manufacturers and contractors.
• Alignment of the requirements of public procurers, financial institutions and the supply chain.
• Digital product passports and traceable supporting data to facilitate transparent decision-making throughout the preparation and delivery of construction projects.

Bringing together technical, data-related, methodological, financial and regulatory requirements is one of the major challenges in developing an effective system for reporting decarbonisation.

From Emissions Calculations to Practical Applications

The project is not merely about determining a single emissions value. Its broader objective is to create a credible system that will enable the comparison of different construction solutions, support the procurement of low-carbon infrastructure and assess the actual emissions reductions achieved.

Such a system could contribute not only to more effective decision-making during the preparation and delivery of transport infrastructure projects, but also to better integration of environmental requirements into infrastructure project financing.

The InfraCO₂ Project Is Just Beginning

The kick-off meeting demonstrated the strong interest among experts in addressing this issue collaboratively. The open discussions and exchange of experience highlighted the importance of cooperation across the various fields involved in transport infrastructure.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the kick-off meeting, both in person and online, for their interest, valuable input and active discussion.

The InfraCO₂ project is now entering its next phase. The project team faces an important task: to contribute to the development of a practical, transparent and scientifically robust solution for reporting decarbonisation in Czech transport infrastructure.

Supported by TAČR