IRF & IRU Sign MoU at the Occasion of Their 75th Anniversary
Geneva, 20 February 2023. The International Road Federation (IRF) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) have signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce their long-standing collaboration.
The two organisations have a 75-year-long history that stretches back to working together on rebuilding war-torn Europe following World War II to driving road transport forward into the 21st century.
In a MoU signed today, IRF and IRU agreed to focus on people, prosperity, and the environment while addressing new challenges and opportunities, including digitalisation and decarbonisation. They will also continue their collaboration in areas such as labour shortages, training, and road safety.
In commenting the signature of the agreement at the IRU’s headquarters in Geneva, IRF President Anouar Benazzouz said: “We are delighted to kick off celebrations for our 75th anniversary with a long-standing and trusted partner like the IRU. The challenges that our sector and society at large experience require coordinated action and joint efforts. The destination remains unchanged: delivering better mobility systems for all, together.
“We have worked with IRF for many decades, addressing a wide range of issues. With new challenges ahead, such as decarbonisation and digitalisation, both organisations agree that we can further focus our efforts and create synergies with this agreement” said IRU Secretary General, Umberto de Pretto.
For more information, please contact the International Road Federation at info@irfnet.ch.
About IRF
The International Road Federation (IRF) is a global, independent, not-for-profit organisation with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Active since 1948, IRF is a membership-based organisation, representing leading corporate and institutional players drawn from the road and mobility sectors worldwide. Its mission is to promote the development of roads and road networks that enable access and sustainable mobility for all. Its approach is centred on key strategic components of knowledge transfer & information sharing, connecting people, businesses, and organisations, and working on policy & advocacy.
About IRU
The International Road Transport Union (IRU), the world road transport organisation, is the voice of more than 3.5 million companies operating mobility and logistics services in over 100 countries. IRU leads solutions to help the world move better. IRU’s work supports trade, economic growth, jobs, safety, the environment and communities.
ORIS Receives Intertek Assurance Statement on its Carbon Footprint Calculation Models for Infrastructure Projects
ORIS Materials Intelligence, the first construction materials platform for a smart use of resources and low impact infrastructure, has developed a Carbon Calculator that enables the evaluation of the whole life carbon footprint of linear infrastructure projects - including roads - and construction materials. Intertek Deutschland GmbH ("Intertek") has issued an independent assurance statement on the methodology used to develop this tool.
While the reduction of carbon emissions is becoming a main driver for the infrastructure construction industry, the calculation of such footprint remains complex with many parameters and aspects to integrate to benefit from a thorough analysis.
The ORIS platform and its Carbon Calculator use the Life Cycle Assessment (“LCA”) standards and consider various aspects for a comprehensive carbon impact assessment. The methodology covers a very complex scope, from the extraction of raw material to the end-of-life stages, including: the product stage, the construction stage, the use stage (considering, for example, the carbonation process, and albedo impacts in the case of roads) the maintenance phase, the operational energy use, the end-of-life stage, and the valorisation of deconstruction-related waste. With the ORIS algorithms and AI, users can simulate multiple scenarios of design, sourcing, construction or maintenance, which allows identifying the main levers of carbon reduction.
Following a thorough analysis of the ORIS algorithms, database and process including multiple use cases, Intertek provides assurance that the methodology is in accordance with the referenced standards.The ORIS carbon calculation models follow international standards as below:
- ISO 14067:2018: Greenhouse Gases - Carbon Footprint of Products – Requirements and Guidelines for Quantification
- DS/EN 15804:2012+A2:2019: Sustainability of Construction Works – Environmental Product Declarations - Core Rules for The Product Category of Construction Products
- ISO 21930:2017: Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works — Core rules for environmental product declarations of construction products and services
ORIS is committed to enabling low impact infrastructure by using advanced digital technologies. Based on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, ORIS computes data on construction materials to provide multidimensional assessment of infrastructure designs along with recommendations to reduce the impact, including on the carbon footprint for up to -50%.
ORIS provides a unique tool on the market and supports the transformation of the infrastructure industry by enabling a complex assessment in a simple methodical flow. To ensure the widest impact, ORIS’s Carbon Calculator will be accessible to every actor in the infrastructure construction ecosystem, from project owners to engineering firms, constructors and material suppliers.
“We are very proud to have received the Intertek independent assurance statement on our Carbon Calculator. It recognises the highest level of international standards that were used to develop our models. We are excited to bring this new capacity, that makes the footprint evaluation of linear projects and construction materials seamless and simple, and to contribute to the necessary transformation of the industry towards low impact infrastructure", explained Nicolas Miravalls, CEO of ORIS.
