OHL participates in the EQUINOX project to reduce air pollution

OHL is participating in LIFE EQUINOX (surface treatments for pavements that eliminate nitrogen oxides in urban areas), an RDI project set in the framework of the EU’s LIFE+ call for proposals that has enabled the development of a new pavement for the urban environment, capable of reducing the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) generated by traffic, through the photo-catalytic action of titanium dioxide (TiO₂). This treatment is being tested in urban areas of the city of Madrid and could become an alternative solution in the fight against the high levels of pollution existing in cities.

Four Spanish partners are participating in the project, which commenced in 2013: Centro Tecnológico CARTIF, as project coordinator, whose collaborating partners include OHL, through its subsidiary ELSAN, a company specialized in the upkeep and maintenance of municipal services and road, port and airport infrastructures, the City Council of Madrid and Repsol. An important aspect is that the initiative is aligned with the European Union Directive 2008/50/EC, which establishes air quality targets intended to improve the environment and people’s health.

Reference project

OHL has accumulated extensive experience in the field of asphalt mixes for surfacing   –both in their design and the addition of new components, as well as in their preparation and application on site–.  This has led to multiple innovations in the field of asphalt paving surfaces, an outstanding example of which is the SMA mix project (stone mastic asphalts), an initiative funded by Spain’s Centro Tecnológico para el Desarrollo Industrial [Center for Industrial Technology Development], with the participation of the companies Eiffage, Rettenmaier and Euroconsult, in addition to OHL. These mixes respect the local environment and respond to a concept of sustainability, which means that, due to the smaller amount of energy consumed and the lower greenhouse gas emissions produced in their manufacture, the recovered waste used in their composition (milled material and rubber powder from used tires), as well as in view of their longer useful life, they can be classified as environmentally friendly.

In addition, OHL is promoting the Pavisost project, a new permeable and sustainable pavement that stands out for its low maintenance and long useful life, made up by asphalt mixes with the capacity of evacuating the water on the pavement surface quickly and effectively and with a bearing capacity equal to or greater than the current dense-graded mixes. At the same time, the manufacturing process of the new pavement is environmentally friendly.

Location in Madrid where surface treatments for asphalt pavements that eliminate NO_X in urban areas are being tested.