A large share of urban freight in cities is related to construction works. Construction is required to create attractive, sustainable and economically viable cities. When activities at and around construction sites are not managed effectively, they can have a negative impact on the cities liveability. Construction companies implementing logistics concepts show a reduction of logistic costs, less congestion around the sites and improved productivity and safety. The client initially sets the ‘ground rules’ for construction in the tendering process. This paper explores how tendering for construction projects can support sustainable urban construction logistics. We explore the potential for tendering construction projects, by both public and private clients, for sustainable urban construction logistics and we present a conceptual framework for specifying ‘logistics quality’ as a quality criterion for EMAT (Economically Most Advantageous Tender). Our exploration results in questions for further research in tendering for sustainable urban construction logistics.
A large share of urban freight in cities is related to construction works. Construction is required to create attractive, sustainable and economically viable cities. When activities at and around construction sites are not managed effectively, they can have a negative impact on the cities liveability. Construction companies implementing logistics concepts show a reduction of logistic costs, less congestion around the sites and improved productivity and safety. The client initially sets the ‘ground rules’ for construction in the tendering process. This paper explores how tendering for construction projects can support sustainable urban construction logistics. We explore the potential for tendering construction projects, by both public and private clients, for sustainable urban construction logistics and we present a conceptual framework for specifying ‘logistics quality’ as a quality criterion for EMAT (Economically Most Advantageous Tender). Our exploration results in questions for further research in tendering for sustainable urban construction logistics.
The field of city logistics can be characterized by its many local demonstrations and trials, that are quite often not lasting longer than the trial period. The number of demonstrations that continued and were implemented in daily practice is limited. Freight partnerships proved to be a good first step to engage stakeholders. This contribution proposes a new way to develop a more action-driven form of these partnerships that follows from a solution approach, which has proved successful worldwide in fostering innovation deployment, but has not yet been applied explicitly in the domain of City Logistics: Living Labs. The living lab approach ensures that the stakeholders are involved much earlier in the in planning and implementation processes, and that the proposed city logistics implementation is revised and continuously improved to meet stakeholder needs and obtain maximum impact for a long time. This contribution summarizes the steps that have to be taken to set-up and work in a city logistics living lab (CLLL). A CLLL can be defined as a dynamic test environment where complex city logistics innovations can be implemented, following a cyclical approach, where several solutions can be experimented and re-adjusted or improved to fit the real-life city challenges. In the Horizon 2020 project CITYLAB, we developed practical guidelines for establishing and running a city logistics living lab based on several living lab- and field test methodologies that enables stakeholders to set-up and run a CLLL. This contribution discusses the most important CLLL phases, roles, and characteristics, as well as the tools that are available. Next, this contribution shows the first results of cities in which CLLLs are actually set up, or already running. © 2016 The Authors.
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To reach the European Green Deal by 2050, the target for the road transport sector is set at 30% less CO2 emissions by 2030. Given the fact that heavy-duty commercial vehicles throughout Europe are driven nowadays almost exclusively on fossil fuels it is obvious that transition towards reduced emission targets needs to happen seamlessly by hybridization of the existing fleet, with a continuously increasing share of Zero Emission vehicle units. At present, trailing units such as semitrailers do not possess any form of powertrain, being a missed opportunity. By introduction of electrically driven axles into these units the fuel consumption as well as amount of emissions may be reduced substantially while part of the propulsion forces is being supplied on emission-free basis. Furthermore, the electrification of trailing units enables partial recuperation of kinetic energy while braking. Nevertheless, a number of challenges still exist preventing swift integration of these vehicles to daily operation. One of the dominating ones is the intelligent control of the e-axle so it delivers right amount of propulsion/braking power at the right time without receiving detailed information from the towing vehicle (such as e.g. driver control, engine speed, engine torque, or brake pressure, …etc.). This is required mainly to ensure interoperability of e-Trailers in the fleets, which is a must in the logistics nowadays. Therefore the main mission of CHANGE is to generate a chain of knowledge in developing and implementing data driven AI-based applications enabling SMEs of the Dutch trailer industry to contribute to seamless energetic transition towards zero emission road freight transport. In specific, CHANGE will employ e-Trailers (trailers with electrically driven axle(s) enabling energy recuperation) connected to conventional hauling units as well as trailers for high volume and extreme payload as focal platforms (demonstrators) for deployment of these applications.
Road freight transport contributes to 75% of the global logistics CO2 emissions. Various European initiatives are calling for a drastic cut-down of CO2 emissions in this sector [1]. This requires advanced and very expensive technological innovations; i.e. re-design of vehicle units, hybridization of powertrains and autonomous vehicle technology. One particular innovation that aims to solve this problem is multi-articulated vehicles (road-trains). They have a smaller footprint and better efficiency of transport than traditional transport vehicles like trucks. In line with the missions for Energy Transition and Sustainability [2], road-trains can have zero-emission powertrains leading to clean and sustainable urban mobility of people and goods. However, multiple articulations in a vehicle pose a problem of reversing the vehicle. Since it is extremely difficult to predict the sideways movement of the vehicle combination while reversing, no driver can master this process. This is also the problem faced by the drivers of TRENS Solar Train’s vehicle, which is a multi-articulated modular electric road vehicle. It can be used for transporting cargo as well as passengers in tight environments, making it suitable for operation in urban areas. This project aims to develop a reverse assist system to help drivers reverse multi-articulated vehicles like the TRENS Solar Train, enabling them to maneuver backward when the need arises in its operations, safely and predictably. This will subsequently provide multi-articulated vehicle users with a sustainable and economically viable option for the transport of cargo and passengers with unrestricted maneuverability resulting in better application and adding to the innovation in sustainable road transport.
Logistics represents around 10-11% of global CO2 emissions, around 75% of which come from road freight transport. ‘The European Green Deal’ is calling for drastic CO2 reduction in this sector. This requires advanced and very expensive technological innovations; i.e. re-design of vehicle units, hybridization of powertrains and automatic vehicle technology. Another promising way to reach these environmental ambitions, without excessive technological investments, is the deployment of SUPER ECO COMBI’s (SEC). SEC is the umbrella name for multiple permutations of 32 meter, 70 tons, road-train combinations that can carry the payload-equivalent of 2 normal tractor-semitrailer combinations and even 3 rigid trucks. To fully deploy a SEC into the transport system the compliance with the existing infrastructure network and safety needs to be guaranteed; i.e. to deploy a specific SEC we should be able to determine which SEC-permutation is most optimal on specific routes with respect to regulations (a.o. damage to the pavement/bridges), the dimensions of specific infrastructures (roundabouts, slopes) and safety. The complexity of a SEC compared to a regular truck (double articulation, length) means that traditional optimisation methods are not applicable. The aim of this project is therefore to develop a first methodology enabling the deployment of the optimal SEC permutation. This will help transport companies (KIEM: Ewals) and trailer manufactures (KIEM: Emons) to invest in the most suitable designs for future SEC use. Additionally the methodology will help governments to be able to admit specific SEC’s to specific routes. The knowledge gained in this project will be combined with the knowledge of the broader project ENVELOPE (NWA-IDG). This will be the start of broader research into an overall methodology of deploying optimal vehicle combinations and a new regulatory framework. The knowledge will be used in master courses on vehicle dynamics.
