How do you reduce noise pollution with a 250 tonne crane?

Select Plant Hire, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based multinational construction company Laing O’Rourke, is making big investments towards its zero-carbon ambitions with the purchase of the world’s first electric crawler crane fleet, which sees 250-tonne battery-powered vehicles reduce air and noise pollution.

Laing O’Rourke has set extensive global sustainability targets, including a pledge to reach net zero emissions from the group’s own operations by 2030. The decarbonisation target will also see the company develop a plan to tackle Scope 3 emissions before 2050, aligning itself with the latest climate science and the most aspirational goal of The Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“I know our people have the passion to make a real difference. We are committed to working with our clients and partners to deliver the progress required,” said Ray O'Rourke, CEO of Laing O’Rourke.

The construction industry has some difficult challenges to solve. Emissions from construction sites contribute climate, air and noise pollution and these all have a great impact on our daily lives. In London, for example, local construction sites have been blamed for contributing an estimated 14.5% of the city’s fine particulate air pollution¹.

As part of its overall emissions reduction strategy, Select has embarked on a plan to build a fleet of battery-powered machines. That plan was set in train in March 2021 when it took delivery of the UK’s first Liebherr electric crawler – the world’s first battery-powered 250-tonne (lifting capacity) crane.

This cutting-edge piece of equipment is a step-change in supporting the construction industry’s efforts to reach carbon neutrality.

Identical in performance to a diesel-powered version when in socket operation, the crane can also operate for a full shift in unplugged mode. It can be plugged into a conventional electric supply or be recharged in 4-1/2 hours.

“We identified crawler cranes as one area where electric machines would make a major impact on construction sites and, at the same time, contribute to our net zero ambitions,” said Alex Warrington, Select’s Business Unit Leader. “We are proud to have partnered with Liebherr in making this vision a reality.”

HSBC’s Equipment Finance team helped realise these electric ambitions. HSBC provided Laing O’Rourke with the sustainable green loan that helped finance the purchase.

“It’s great to see one of the leading construction companies in the UK further its sustainability commitment by adopting innovative new products,” said Mike Nield, Head of Large Corporate at HSBC Equipment Finance UK.

“HSBC is committed to supporting our customers on their emissions-reduction journeys, and we look forward to providing the specialised and targeted finance that helps the likes of Laing O’Rourke invest in new, innovative technologies.”

The relationship between manufacturer, supplier and HSBC is a virtuous circle: Laing O’Rourke’s ambitious emissions targets encourage suppliers to innovate, and HSBC provides the green finance to cover the costs of the new technology and help its customers build their own net zero futures.