Transitioning to ZEMCON in European cities (infrastructure and buildings)

Construction activity is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution and noise in European cities, while at the same time being essential for delivering housing, infrastructure and urban development. The construction sector must therefore reduce emissions without constraining activity levels. The transition towards zero – emission construction (ZEMCON) is essential not only for achieving climate targets, but also for improving air quality and reducing the health impacts of environmental noise in cities. As such , the transition to zero – emission construction is increasingly a question of how and when it can be implemented at scale.

This study, initiated by NetZeroCities in collaboration with the City of Oslo, assesses what a large -scale transition to zero – emission construction could imply across different European city markets, with a specific focus on electrification of construction machinery and site operations. Electrification is selected as the analytical focus as it represents the most technologically mature and readily deployable zero – emission solution for construction sites today and is already being implemented in several Euro pean cities . The assessment examines the implications of electrification for environmental performance, energy systems, costs and broader strategic considerations. In addition, it provides evidence -based guidance to cities, national authorities and EU institutions on how regulatory frameworks and economic instruments can be designed to support and accelerate decarbonisation of the construction sector.