Highways UK 2026: Hatko presents whole-life carbon case study on noise barrier materials

At Highways UK – Hatko presented their new case study, authored by Carbon Sherpa. This case study presented a whole‑life carbon assessment of a diverse set of highway noise‑barrier materials. The analysis covered all relevant life‑cycle modules (A1–A5, C1–C4 and D) drawing on verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and project‑specific end‑of‑life information.

The first of its kind, the results demonstrated substantial variation in embodied‑carbon performance across the materials evaluated, including timber.

The case study highlighted the complexity associated with timber. Although often regarded as a low‑carbon material, the timber used in the assessed installation was chemically treated, requiring classification as hazardous waste at end of life. This necessitated incineration rather than reuse or recycling, illustrating how end‑of‑life conditions can significantly influence whole‑life carbon outcomes. This finding reinforces PAS 2080’s emphasis on modelling actual project conditions rather than relying on generic assumptions.

A further limitation identified in the study concerns the treatment of C1 (deconstruction) within EPDs. Because C1 is almost universally reported as 0 kgCO₂e, EPDs provide little product‑specific insight into the removal stage. This restricts their usefulness in whole‑life LCA, as they cannot differentiate between products requiring fundamentally different demolition processes or specialised handling. Practitioners must therefore rely on supplementary project‑level data to model end‑of‑life impacts accurately, particularly for materials that may require hazardous‑waste procedures or selective dismantling. This limitation underscores the importance of integrating real‑world information alongside EPD datasets to achieve credible PAS 2080‑aligned assessments.

Overall, the assessment shows that material selection is a critical determinant of whole‑life carbon performance in noise‑barrier infrastructure. Recycled and circular materials—particularly those with low manufacturing impacts and viable recycling pathways—offer substantial opportunities to reduce embodied emissions across typical highway assets. As infrastructure owners and designers work toward increasingly stringent carbon‑reduction commitments, integrating low‑carbon materials at the earliest stages of design aligns directly with PAS 2080 and supports more sustainable long‑term asset delivery.