How to Build a Railway is a twelve-part podcast series exploring the story behind the construction of the UK’s new high speed rail line.

Climate change presents unprecedented challenges; the actions we take today will fundamentally affect our lives and the lives of future generations. How we travel – and how we build our infrastructure – are critical to our response to this global emergency.

It’s why we’re building HS2: to be both a catalyst for growth and the most sustainable railway of its type in the world. HS2 trains will be powered by zero carbon energy from day one of operation, offering a cleaner, greener future.

This commitment plays a key part in driving our goal to make the project net zero carbon from 2035, with targets of diesel free construction sites and reducing the carbon content of steel and concrete.

In Episode ten we explore the work towards cleaner construction. From our Net Zero Carbon Plan to working closely with the supply chain and research organisations to pilot and implement low carbon materials, alternative fuels, renewable energy and new construction methods.

Featuring

• Emma Head, Technical Services Delivery Director, outlines HS2’s environmental sustainability vision and our commitments around carbon, diesel free construction sites and enhancing biodiversity.
• Andrea Davidson, Air Quality Manager, dives into the decisions taken to reduce carbon on site, adopting lessons learned from across the industry to demonstrate that it isn’t just what, but how we build.
• Daniel Marsh and Carl Desouza from Imperial College London’s Centre for Low Emission Construction talk about the support the university provides to HS2 to find out what works, what doesn’t and some of the projects they’ve collaborated on, including a retrofit project where an older part of machinery is fitted with the latest emissions reduction technology.
• And Steve Bradby, Technical and Engineering Leader at Select Plant Hire, invites us into the world of tower cranes.