The demands for sustainable road construction are increasingly gaining importance. While some European countries (such as Norway) already consider CO2 shadow prices in their tenders, it's only a matter of time before sustainability and its verification become central across all European countries. In this context, digitalization is becoming a crucial component for environmentally friendly asphalt production and resource-efficient paving. It is advisable to prepare for this development in advance.
Digital solutions not only enhance efficiency throughout the entire value chain but also automatically provide the information necessary for comprehensive sustainability documentation. Incorrect or insufficient information often leads to resource wastage and flawed decisions. For instance, changes in weather conditions might necessitate postponing construction sites without timely communication to the mixing plant, resulting in incorrect deliveries that incur costs and unnecessary resource consumption. In practice, such situations can be as simple as the site manager's inability to reach the mixing supervisor despite efforts to communicate the postponement. Thus, digital solutions in road construction aim to deliver accurate real-time information to all stakeholders.
The digital ordering of asphalt via apps or web applications allows orders to be placed, modified, or canceled anytime and from anywhere. Simultaneously, the mixing plant automatically receives real-time updates on current orders, enabling optimal production scheduling. Collaborative production of identical asphalt recipes contributes to energy savings.
When transportation is integrated into the digital information chain, real-time information about the transport process enables optimal scheduling not only at the construction site but also allows the mixing plant to optimize production based on vehicle arrival times.
The paving process itself benefits from digital solutions as well. Digital temperature monitoring during paving and optimizing passes during compaction help conserve valuable resources. Furthermore, online verification of paving quality serves as a crucial tool in ensuring road longevity, thus making a significant contribution to climate protection.
Digital methods supporting sustainable road construction already exist and have been tested in practice. Their implementation constitutes a key component of the asphalt industry's sustainability strategy. Q Point offers digital solutions for all companies involved in the asphalt paving process throughout the entire value chain.