Ambisense announces its work with the Lower Thames Crossing Project to lower the carbon cost of the scheme

Ambisense, an IoT and AI analytics business which helps companies to mitigate environmental risks and improve sustainability is pleased to have been involved in the Lower Thames Crossing Project, working to help them reduce their carbon cost of construction. Ambisense was involved in the preliminary ground surveys in support of Highways England’s Lower Thames Crossing, which is a once in a generation road upgrade that looks to transform links between Kent, Thurrock, and Essex in the UK. The scheme will positively impact the entire South-East of the UK and beyond, providing a key gateway for trade between the midlands and the north.

This is the first major UK infrastructure project to use its procurement to target low carbon construction with incentives that drive further continuous carbon reduction across projects of this type.

“It has been fantastic to be involved in a project such as the Lower Thames Crossing. This ‘pathfinder’ project has made use of carbon neutral construction as part of its efforts and ambitions to make the new crossing the greenest road ever built in the UK. The project will help the UK reach net zero by 2050, which is a very exciting prospect. Additionally, this sets the standard for all other infrastructural projects to be executed in a low carbon way in the future,” commented Stephen McNulty, CEO and founder of Ambisense.

Ambisense contributed to reducing the carbon cost on the Lower Thames Crossing project by supplying high-quality data that was automatically, continuously, and securely transmitted, resulting in a reduced amount of site visits. Data analytics also reduced the risk of over-engineered designs, minimising the use of materials, such as concrete and steel, and reducing use of other resources.

Ambisense’s mission since being founded by CEO Stephen McNulty in 2014 has been to build the world?s leading system of intelligence – to automate, analyse, and accelerate environmental risk assessment for a safer and more sustainable world.

This project is a model example of how technology can be successfully woven into incumbent industry business models and used to support the project team in the management and mitigation of environmental risk. National Highways have employed many tactics, such as the involvement of Ambisense, to ensure this process is done in the most environmentally positive way possible.

Ambisense combines comprehensive geo-environmental industry experience with deep technical expertise to give a solution unique to our industry. It uses environmental intelligence to give actionable insights into both the current and predicted status of a project, allowing faster, better decision-making.

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to share our expertise as part of such a strategically important low carbon infrastructure project in the UK, a project that paves the way for transport infrastructure progress. The ambitions of the Lower Thames Crossing team echo our own, and we are excited to see more projects like this across the UK in the future,” commented Richard Lavery, Development Director – Infrastructure & Construction.

The route, which has been in discussion for more than 10 years, is estimated to open in 2029 or 2030.

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