Shell Bitumen CarbonSink

Title - Superlow-Carbon | An Aggregate Industries and Shell Bitumen Partnership

Duration - 04:42

Description - Launch film for Aggregate Industries Superlow-Carbon product. This asphalt contains a binder with biogenic components developed in-partnership with Shell Bitumen, this biogenic component takes asphalt to the next level in carbon saving and acts as a carbon sink.

[Background music plays]

Calm string and piano music

{Voice over}

There are over 260,000 miles of roads in the UK keeping us moving and the economy growing.  
 
As the technology of cars has advanced to create sustainable forms of transport, so has the way in which we build and maintain our roads. 
 
Aggregate Industries have collaborated with Shell to create the UK's first super-reduced carbon asphalt using Shell's biogenic bitumen…

[Animated logo sequence]

Aggregate industry's Superlow-Carbon asphalt.

SUPERLOW-CARBON + AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES

{In-car radio - COP President speech}

It made clear, that the lights are flashing red on the climate dashboard, that report agreed by 195- governments makes clear that human activity is unequivocally the cause of global warming.

IDENT:

{Kirstin McCarthy, Sustainability Director, Aggregate Industries} 
I joined Aggregate Industries recently, and it's clear to see that sustainability has been at the heart of this business for many years. We have committed to becoming a net zero company by at least 2050.

IDENT:

{Bob Allen, Head of Research and Development, Aggregate Industries} 
I've been in this industry – the highways industry for 47 years. The last 20 to 21 years has been with Aggregate Industries - largely involved in product development.  
 
If I go back to my start with the company, then a lot of the work back then was the re-use of the materials, particularly RAP and reclaimed asphalt.   
 
Coming forward, probably about 15 years ago, we embarked on looking at developing warm-mix asphalts and introducing those to the UK but to get that product further down the track in terms of reducing carbon we've partnered up with Shell Bitumen and use their biogenic binder to reduce carbon even further, and that's resulted today in a product called Superlow-Carbon.

IDENT:

{Ana Alvernhe, General Manager, Shell Construction and Roads}

We're very pleased to have chosen Aggregate Industries as our partner to collaborate on this low carbon product that we're launching here in the United Kingdom. 

Shell's lower carbon footprint binder contains biogenic components, the asphalt and the bitumen have biogenic components that are trapped within it, so that the carbon equivalent cannot be put back into the atmosphere. It's effectively working as a carbon sink.

IDENT:

{Victoria Smith, Managing Director, Asphalt, Aggregate Industries} 
Having been in the industry for many years now, change seems to have been very slow and gradual. This is a big leap in technology that is giving us a real reduction in carbon.

Superlow-Carbon isn't just for the major road network. This product can be used anywhere from new motorways, new retail parks, sport pitches or your driveway.

{Bob Allen, Head of Research and Development, Aggregate Industries}

From the laboratory work that we've conducted so far, there's an early indication that the fatigue strength of asphalts produced using the biogenic binders are slightly better, and that may be significant. 

Ultimately, roads that can last longer in terms of resistance to cracking would be of major benefit to many of our clients.

{Ana Alvernhe, General Manager, Shell Construction and Roads}

Now, whether vehicles will be powered by hydrogen or whether they are electric, one thing is for sure we will need the roads to drive on.

So, I think it's really important that we start working on technologies that allow us to decarbonize the road construction process, and also think about how we can extend the lifetime of our pavements.

{Kirstin McCarthy, Sustainability Director, Aggregate Industries} 
The construction industry is changing, it's responding to the requirement to transition to a net zero economy.  
 
This is a big challenge, and this really excites me because the bigger the challenge, the bigger impact I can personally have, to help us on our way to decarbonize in the future of the UK.

{Bob Allen, Head of Research and Development, Aggregate Industries}

From a personal point of view, I’m immensely proud to have been part of this team, a team comprised of Shell and A.I.  A lot of work’s gone into this.

{Victoria Smith, Managing Director, Asphalt, Aggregate Industries}

As individuals, we all have a responsibility to reduce carbon and Superlow-Carbon is a key-way of  
achieving that.

{Ana Alvernhe, General Manager, Shell Construction and Roads}

For me, this work is very aligned to my personal purpose, I certainly feel very good when I go home to my 11-year-old and explain what it is that Mommy does during the working hours. It is good to feel that I'm doing my little bit towards enabling a cleaner and brighter future.

[Animated logo sequence]

{SUPERLOW-CARBON + AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES + SHELL – Aggregate Industries and Shell working together}