by Walther Ploos van Amstel
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, alongside climate change. New World Health Organization (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) provide evidence of air pollution’s damage to human health at even lower concentrations than previously understood. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations by …
A new study pinpoints precise locations for charging infrastructure across the EU. A study conducted by Fraunhofer ISI on behalf of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) indicates key locations for the future deployment of charging points for battery-electric trucks. The study’s unique dataset can be used to help map out an EU-wide network of …
The Dutch mobility system is in transition. Because of the need for low-carbon transportation modes, various new vehicle types are being developed. These new vehicle types are also developed in the form of light and electric-powered vehicles (LEVs). The current regulation system around the admission of these new vehicle types is delegated by the Ministry …
Seven major British companies (BP, BT, Direct Line Group, Royal Mail, ScottishPower, Severn Trent, and Tesco) have joined forces to create the Electric Vehicle Fleet Accelerator (EVFA) and will work together to help accelerate the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the UK. The companies operate some of the largest commercial vehicle fleets in …
Logistics movements in cities are rapidly increasing, in 2020 even further accelerated by the lockdown measures as part of mitigating COVID-19 crisis. The growth of city logistics has its effect on the livability of cities and therefore city administrations impose sustainable urban logistics plans to reduce CO2 emissions, congestion, and noise pollution. It is, however, …
Three months of TfL’s world-first Direct Vision Standard shows lorries in London are safer. TfL, working with the London boroughs, the freight industry, and campaign groups, delivered a radical improvement to road safety in the UK in March with the introduction of the pioneering Direct Vision Standard (DVS). Three months on data shows that the …
Exploding demand for curb space in urban areas has inspired new technologies like ‘digital smart zones’ that help cities manage those narrow but increasingly valuable tracts of real estate. Allowing delivery trucks to automatically reserve the precise chunk of concrete they need (two minutes from now or for the next two hours) helps keep traffic …
City logistics is not only fundamental to the supply of goods within our towns and cities, it is also central to the quality of life of the people who live there. As the rapidly growing scale of urban logistics increasingly brings into conflict the sometimes complex demands of different stakeholders (city authorities, logistics companies, retailers and …
It was a tough week for air quality folks. Suddenly, wood smoke is more important than traffic emissions. Even more harmful than smoking. Painful for policymakers. Until last year, home biomass burners were still getting subsidies for their poisonous smoke. We know better now. It is painful because those air quality people want us to …
The construction and maintenance of housing, offices, roads, and other infrastructure represent the third-largest resource footprint in the Netherlands (at 32 million tonnes). The sector also accounts for the highest level of raw material consumption across all sectors (at nearly 29 million tonnes). Scenarios for creating a more circular construction economy have to date included …