Three of the electric machines in use at Skanska's Meatpacking District project in Stockholm
Can you hear that quiet hum? That’s the sound of tomorrow’s construction sites. With efficient electric motors gradually replacing the roar and smell of diesel engines, constructions sites are ever so slowly becoming not only more sustainable, but more comfortable places for workers and site neighbors alike.
In the latest episode of the Shaping Sustainable Places podcast, we speak with three individuals with deep insights into how the transformation from fossil-fuel to electric construction sites is progressing. Julia Casagrande is Deputy Director of Clean Energy at the New York City Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice. Meanwhile, Carl Slotte is Senior Vice President for Region Europe at Volvo Construction Equipment and Gustav Werner is Vice President for Innovation and Development at Skanska Group.
A coalition for cleaner, quieter cities
New York City’s Julia Casagrande explains how the city has recently banded together with global mayors network, C40 Cities, to form the North American Electric Construction Coalition. With member cities including Los Angeles, Montreal, and Philadelphia, who together have an annual capital spend of more than USD 16 billion, the coalition aims to accelerate the adoption of electric construction equipment in a bid to cut both air and noise pollution.
Julia explains that while Europe has surged ahead with incentives, policy support and customer demand around electric construction equipment, North America has lagged a little. The coalition is trying to change that by signaling demand to manufacturers and creating the market conditions needed for growth. Julia says as well as clear benefits in terms of well-being, quieter construction sites can be also safer, as warnings can be better heard.
New York City is piloting electric equipment through its Smart City Test Bed program, through which manufacturers have been asked to submit machinery for real-world trials. Julia says that adequate charging infrastructure is key for the roll-out of electric equipment, something that is simpler for stationary sites, but more complex for projects in busy road corridors. Despite higher upfront costs, she believes the long-term savings and improved quality of life provided by electrification make it a far smarter choice.
A business case for electrification
Carl Slotte from Volvo Construction Equipment agrees the move to electric machinery isn’t just environmentally advantageous – it also makes financial sense. He says electrified drivetrains offer lower operating and ownership costs compared with diesel, with those benefits expected to grow as the technology matures. Progress to date is uneven, he says, with rapid adoption in regions like China and the Nordics, but slower change elsewhere.
Skanska’s Gustaf Werner says that municipalities can be powerful drivers of change in the field. Stockholm City’s collaboration with Skanska on Stockholm’s fossil-free Meatpacking District work site, for example, has encouraged other cities to follow suit. Gustaf says electric machines help Skanska meet its carbon reduction targets, and the planning required around charging infrastructure also leads to other efficiency gains. Just as importantly, quieter and cleaner equipment transforms the work environment. Operators benefit from reduced noise and vibration, while surrounding communities experience less disruption.
For more details and expert insights, tune in to the full episode of Shaping Sustainable Places on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Gustaf Werner, Julia Casagrande and Carl Slotte in the latest podcast
