An average of 700,000 km of new roads are built globally every year. Road infrastructure is key for the development of countries, but its construction is often carbon and material intensive. Paving 1km of four-lane highway requires 40,000 tons of materials and produces 1,300 tons CO2. To reduce this impact, companies must make interventions during the design phase. As roads vary greatly depending on location, climate and traffic volumes, discerning the most sustainable and cost-effective combination of building materials is a complex challenge.
The ORIS Tool is the first material intelligence platform for road optimization, developed by Holcim in partnership with IBM. ORIS allows decision-makers, road infrastructure authorities and project investors to improve road construction and sustainability, and deducing inefficiencies through smart project design. ORIS assesses road pavement designs from different perspectives and recommends efficient construction and maintenance patterns with local materials availability and capabilities. It supports public policies that conserve natural resources, enabling a more local and circular approach to road construction. This innovative digital platform can reduce road project costs by up to 30% and carbon emissions by up to 50%, while prioritizing road durability and resilience.