Construction works are usually a major source of pollution not only in the air, but also in terms of noise pollution, but things are different in Oslo, where conventional machinery is being replaced by silent electric equipment.
Reducing the specific noise of construction sites – and, consequently, having happier neighbors – is a welcome side effect of a broader goal: eliminating toxic emissions from city-managed construction projects, as reported by The Guardian.
"I don't think we will reach 100%, as not all (electric) vehicles are available on the market. But I think we will get pretty close," said Ingrid Kiær Salmi, an engineer at the urban environment agency in Oslo, in an interview with The Guardian.
The capital of Norway has focused on eliminating fossil fuels used to power equipment on municipal construction sites - and has achieved this to a proportion of 98%. According to the most recent data, in 2023, three-quarters were powered by biofuels, and less than a quarter by electricity.
The proportion of projects powered by electricity has doubled in the last two years, as new machinery entered the market. Technology continues to develop, and other cities will be able to benefit from this in the future.
Electric vehicles are not a novelty in Norway, the first country with more electric cars than gasoline ones on the roads, but the market for green excavators and front loaders still has a long way to go.
The construction industry has criticized Oslo's leadership for moving too fast and has requested a more flexible approach that takes into account the total emissions of a construction project.
Demanding that all machinery on construction sites be emission-free is not, "at this time, neither efficient nor cost-effective," said Stine Marie Haugen, from the Norwegian Association of Construction and Civil Engineering.
"Currently, very few countries in Europe strongly focus on emission-free machinery, which means that access to such equipment is somewhat limited. Only a few countries bear the costs of developing these machines to bring them to the market," she added.
On the other hand, manufacturers say that initiatives like those in Oslo have encouraged them to develop new electric machines and improve existing ones.
A battery-powered machine can cost twice as much as one running on diesel, but there are fuel savings in return. And as the volume of vehicles increases, costs will decrease, according to manufacturers.
C.S.