SUP&R ITN outreach magazine SUP&R ITN features in FIRM magazine - Jun2014 | Page 13

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT & RESOURCES … wHILE ECOLABEL COLLABORATES wITH US PARTNER FHwA ECOLABEL is a 36-month FP7 project that kicked off in October 2013 for the “Development of a novel ECO-LABELing EU-harmonized methodology for costeffective, safer and greener road products and infrastructures”. The project aims to develop this methodology by integrating a Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) approach - environmental indicators along with the economic, technical and social aspects - for the assessment of future and existing road infrastructures. Further on, construction materials, such as asphalt mixtures and cement-based materials, will be investigated. This methodology, together with a guide for road eco-labelling and multi-criteria software tool developed under this project, will define eco-labels and provide recommendations to improve the label achieved, supporting and motiviting relevant stakeholders and industry to include greener, more cost-effective and safer technologies in their road contruction, maintenance and renewal projects. The DURABROADS project, which includes FEHRL member KTI, aims to develop and demonstrate cost-effective, ecofriendly, durable and resilient pavements based on innovative nanotechnology enhanced asphalts and optimise procedures to build and rehabilitate long-life, safer and greener roads. For more information, go to www.durabroads.eu or contact Daniel Castro Fresno at [email protected]. The EU Ecolabel identifies products and services that contribute to sustainability because they have demonstrated a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle. There are already more than 17,000 EU Eco-labelled products on the market, but there are no references for road products and infrastructures. In order to achieve the expected results, a complete