Keller - Hari Krishna Y

We should always consider carbon reduction as a hierarchy. The first and most effective is to eliminate the emissions, then to reduce, substitute, and finally, compensate.

Keller - Hari Krishna Y, Managing Director

The construction industry accounts for 11% of global emissions (with an indirect impact of 62%), as per the IEA-2019 report. A collaborative effort among all the stakeholders is imperative to achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions. The first step is to raise awareness about the risks of climate change among the stakeholders. There must be a definite motive to change from a high-carbon project to a green project.


Collaborations with organizations and councils
Value chain collaboration can have a positive impact on decarbonizing the industry. Organizations and councils should push for the following reforms from various bodies:

• The state and national governments can decarbonize the electricity grid by adopting renewable/low-carbon energy solutions such as solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear power.
• The steel industry can effectively reuse scrap steel to manufacture rebars and other steel products.
• All organizations can promote the use of electric/hybrid vehicles in materials supply, people transportation, and mobilization/demobilization of equipment.
• Manufacturers can undergo environmental product declaration (EPD) and promote the eco-labelling of their materials.

Waste management
The construction industry can follow the 4R model - reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover to manage waste effectively. The adequate collection and transfer of construction and demolition waste to a recycling plant would generate valuable resources like steel, aggregate, and M-sand. At Keller, we are following lean principles to reduce our waste. We reuse concrete waste for making pavement blocks. We reuse bentonite, typically used in the stabilization of drill holes. Research and development can improve or alleviate waste altogether. For example, ground improvement using dry vibro stone columns can minimize wastage. Keller has also led the sector in developing guidance on reducing waste, extending product lifetimes, using more secondary materials, and helping author the European Federation of Foundation Contractors’ circular economy guide.

Carbon credits a reliable approach
Since the construction industry has an extensive supply chain, having a universally certified carbon credit policy would serve as a reliable approach to trading. A governing body, in association with an auditing body with its own updated carbon calculator, can assess emissions and incentivize organizations.


Construction industry federations can work closely with their related organizations to develop a carbon emission calculator. For example, Keller has actively contributed to European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC) and Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) in developing a carbon calculator related to geotechnical engineering. This standardizes carbon calculations for all geotechnical companies, so the focus can be on carbon reduction rather than competing on what factors are included/excluded from the calculations.

Having a centralized body that can act as a platform to break the barriers of decarbonization is a good idea. The body can also work on innovations, promote technologies, and bring awareness among the stakeholders.

Challenges and long-term benefits
The common challenge is to maintain profitability while investing in low-carbon methods. Organizations should look at the long-term benefits of adopting carbon-neutral policies. The other challenge is to train operators and mechanics for the upgraded infrastructure. This will cost time and money. Retaining such a trained workforce will also become critical.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Keller. Our sustainability framework considers our planet, people, principles, and ultimately our profits. Our lowest carbon product is a form of ground improvement known as dry/wet vibro stone columns. Vibro stone columns are made from natural quarried materials like stone and sand, thus eliminating the need for steel and cement. With our engineering excellence, the number of columns and other specifications are optimized, thereby reducing overall emissions. This technique, pioneered by Keller, reduces carbon emissions in the range of 70% to 80% compared to a typical heavy foundation technique like driven piles.

Diesel-powered rigs are substituted by electric rigs, reducing emissions further. We have also installed a 20KW capacity solar power at our maintenance yard.