Apart from using mobile battery containers to replace generators, we also invest in electric machinery. C-rental purchased five Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loaders, which have the same power as a diesel-powered wheel loader but produce no emissions.

Furthermore, C-rental has integrated 70 electric scissor lifts and telescopic boom lifts into its fleet.

HVO100 is a synthetic biofuel under the EN15940 standard, consisting 100% of waste vegetable oils treated with hydrogen (HVO = ‘Hydrated Vegetable Oil’). It emits 89% less CO₂ over the entire life cycle (‘well-to-wheel’) compared to regular diesel.

Cordeel Nederland uses HVO 100 for every construction site, which makes up for a reduction of CO₂ emissions of 280 tons, based on the difference in CO₂ emissions of HVO 100 compared with conventional diesel.

We consider HVO 100 to be a transition fuel towards full electrification of construction sites.

Where available, we use a grid connection with as much power as possible.

Although we have not reported on our scope 3 emissions in a structural manner yet, we have been actively working on reducing them for a while. The strategic location of Cordeel Group headquarters alongside the Scheldt river provides us with the opportunity to use the river for our transportation requirements. This is not only efficient but also lowers our scope 3 emissions and helps us  avoid the congestion of Belgian highways.

We also rely on water transportation to deliver raw materials for our concrete plant and the soil required to construct our energy hill in Temse.

Most of the prefab elements used to build the Amazon warehouse on the Blue Gate site in Antwerp were transported via water and picked up at our dry dock.

In Rotterdam, we’re currently building “De Boompjes” which is located right on the Maas river with the iconic Erasmus bridge in plain sight. By using water transportation, we were able to reduce 350 instances of traffic along congested roads in Rotterdam.

This approach is the ideal solution for inner-city buildings on the water. Not only did we significantly reduce truck traffic for residents and passers-by, but it also allows for the efficient use of the vessel to expand the limited construction site.

Since construction sites tend to have a limited or even no grid connection, this missing capacity is  supplemented by diesel-powered generators. These have a negative impact on several environmental aspects such as noise, dust, nitrogen, ineffective fuel use, and high CO₂ emissions resulting from the use of fuel.

We noticed that we often use diesel generators with a capacity higher than required. The main reason is that tower cranes have power peaks for a very short period of time for which the capacity is dimensioned.

Our thorough measuring helped resize our mobile battery containers that will be rolled out in 2023. C-battery is producing these battery containers, based on lithium-ion technology and available in two versions, both built in 10ft containers: 100 kWh & 215 kWh.

C-rental already ordered 100 mobile batteries, which will also be available for third parties. In this way, we can not only decarbonize our own operations, but also support other companies in the sector to do so as well.

Eventually, these mobile batteries will make generators obsolete and have a major positive impact on the environment: less noise, less smell, less CO₂ and nitrogen emissions.