With support from ORIS, Aggregate Industries UK developed an ultra-low carbon pavement design for the A590 J36 at Brettargh Holt, utilising AI and leveraging local material sources to enable a carbon-neutral scheme. The project was awarded the Highways Awards 2021, receiving the Environmental Sustainability in Highways Award and the Special Award of Merit by the judging panel.

ORIS worked closely with all parties throughout the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) phase of the £8 million Zone 13 trunk roads project.

The 6km reconstruction of the existing carriageway began at Junction 36 of the M6 motorway and the Brettargh Holt traffic circle in Cumbria. This is an essential road for the south of the county, and has been identified as the UK's first carbon-neutral scheme.

The contractor's early commitment and National Highways' (NH) steadfastness in delivering a carbon-neutral project led to the pursuit of a very low-carbon pavement solution through ORIS, which Circular Ecology would then offset to achieve carbon neutrality. ORIS was able to generate several design options within the pavement standards and shortlisted three options that showed significant improvement in terms of carbon performance, cost, resources and sustainability over the initial design.

The assessment led to a design choice that provided an optimum balance between cost and carbon footprint. Overall, the design option showed the following advantages over alternative designs:

- 55% reduction in carbon emissions (with the remainder offset to achieve carbon neutrality);

- 85% of old pavement recycled;

- Project savings of £3 million;

- Removal of over 6,000 heavy goods vehicles;

- Reuse of all hazardous waste.