THE GREENER WAY
is the epitome of everything that distinguishes us as a company.
It is our approach to challenges, technology-driven, enthusiastic about innovation and as a strong team. Our visions is to make the world of tomorrow livable through solutions in the underground and to constantly set new standards. But above all, it is the toal package that customers and partners can count on at all times - anywhere in the world. So in this issue, discover how we are using our technologies to help mitigate climate impacts such as flooding. You´ll also learn the role hydrogen can play in the energy mix in the future, immerse yourself in projects from India to Norway that are fascinating as they are complex, and experience how we are opening up new adventures for a more circular economy in tunnelling.
Martin Herrenknecht
Chairman of the Board of Management
How cities are preparing for heavy rainfall
Increasing heavy rainfall events worldwide due to climate change are leading to overloading of wastewater systems and flooding. In the USA and Saudi Arabia, comprehensive infrastructure projects are therefore being implemented to overcome these challenges.
The Washington Clean Rivers Project in the USA aims to reduce the annual overflow of 11 billion liters of raw sewage into the Anacostia, Rock Creek and Potomac rivers by 96%. To achieve this, almost 30 kilometers of new tunnels are being built using Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines to transport the wastewater to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Between 2013 and 2021, four EPB shields were already in use in several tunnel construction projects, driving a total of 20 kilometers. For the next project phase, the Potomac River Tunnel, two Herrenknecht Multi-Mode TBMs with a diameter of 6.26 meters will start driving in the immediate vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial from 2025.
In Saudi Arabia, contractors are relying on a total of ten Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines in several phases between 2019 and 2023 for the Storm Water project Buraida. While three TBMs were used on the construction sites to expand the sewage network, seven TBMs cleared the way for the new storm water pipes with an outer diameter of 4.23 meters and a total length of 22 kilometers.
Both projects demonstrate the successful use of modern technology to adapt to climate change and to protect against flooding.
Ways to increase resilience in New York and San Francisco
Dr. Jürgen Hackl from Princeton University in New Jersey spoke with Herrenknecht about the climate adaptations which are necessary to make urban infrastructure systems more resilient.
“In order to protect important underground infrastructures like the subway, we need innovative approaches.”
Daniel Zarrilli, Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer | Columbia University
Daniel Zarrilli on New York's path to increased resilience
What can resistant infrastructure look like that is up to the challenges of the future? One of the leading experts on climate and sustainability, Daniel Zarrilli, explains what strategies and technologies are already being implemented today and what plans exist for the future. He shows how New York City could become a model for resilient and sustainable urban development.
We want to Talk to you about Resilient Infrastructure. So let´s start with the first question: How do you asses the current state of urban resilience to climate change on the east coast, particulary in cities like new york?
“In New York City, for example, hurricanes are a major threat. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 showed what happens when more than 500,000 kilometers of coastline on the East Coast are without any protection. This event not only translated academic discussions about environmental hazards into reality, but also released a lot of resources for reconstruction ond strenghening resilience. Today, the city is investing considerable sums in drainage networks, securing infrastructure and heat mitigation measures. ”
What do you see as the most urgent climate challenges facing cities like new York today?
„Clearly rising sea levels, coastal storms an heatwaves. These are in addition to the usal urban problems. Currently, our infrstructure is often still built for a world that no longer exists. It is important to adapt the infrastructure to climate change and respond with innovative projects such as the Canadian hydropower transmission line. This supplies power underground over a distance of 547 kilometers from Quebec, Canada, to Queens, New York City, thus increasing the resilience of the infrastructure to extreme weather events.“
UNder mayor michael bloomberg you were the first resilience director in the history of new york, under his successor bill de blasio, as chief climate policy advisor, you turned half the city inside out with the aim of making its infrastructure resilient. Can you give us some insights into successful climate projects or initiatives from your time in office?
„After Hurricane Sandy, important coastal protection projects were created, for example to protect 100,000 people living in low-income neighborhoods. One measure was the raising and redesign of parks for flood protection and as a side effect for a better quality of life. In 2019, the New York City Council introduced “Local Law 97” as part of the Climate Mobilization Act. It stipulates that buildings over 25,000 square meters in size must reduce their emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. As a result, life in New York City has become significantly more climate-efficient, with per capita emissions in NYC only a third of the American average. In total, New York has already invested 20 billion dollars to protect its citizens."
You can read more about the interview with Daniel Zarrilli exclusively in our magazine “All Dimensions”.
Decarbonising energy Supply
Reducing annual CO2 emissions by nearly 37 gigatonnes by 2050 - here is now.
Hydrogen could play a key role in the energy transition. While the discussion so far has mainly revolved around renewable energies and battery storage, hydrogen offers a promising alternative. As an emission-free energy carrier, it could be used primarily in sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, such as heavy land vehicles, shipping and aviation. By 2050, the global hydrogen market is expected to grow enormously, raising complex geopolitical issues as the necessary infrastructure and technologies are developed worldwide.
Despite the challenges, the potential of hydrogen is enormous. With international cooperation and strategic investment, it could play a crucial role in reducing global CO2 emissions and thus contribute to achieving the Paris climate targets. In Europe, major pipeline projects and conversions of existing gas networks are already being planned to transport and use hydrogen efficiently.
Would you like to find out more about hydrogen? The complete article by expert Barbara Jinks, Director of the Europe-wide hydrogen initiative Ready4H2, is available in our magazine “All Dimensions”.
Circular economy as a quality feature
The breakthrough of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) marks a milestone for a tunnelling project. It is also the starting signal for a process in which it is checked whether components of the machine can be used for the next drive. The rebuilding of individual parts or entire machines by Herrenknecht makes them fit for their next use at a premium level, offers economic advantages and contributes to a sustainable circular economy. Rebuilding Services include two processes that are used to rebuild machine components. In remanufacturing, the machine is returned to a new life cycle. The systems and components that make up the rebuilt machine are at least as good as new – TÜV-certified and without compromising on quality, safety and reliability. This means extremely high quality standards for a remanufactured machine. All of Herrenknecht's technical expertise comes into play here – holistically across various specialist disciplines.
Remanufacturing is the absolute high level. It´s about know-how and trust.
Olaf Kortz, Head of Herrenknecht Rebuild Services, Kehl
Refurbishment processes focus on repair in the broader sense in order to extend the service life of the machine components. This includes holistic maintenance of the systems and individual components, the replacement of defective functional parts and a final test that checks functionality.
The more often machine components are rebuilt and used again and again, the lower the impact on the environment. With results that speak for themselves: rebuilding has a positive effect on valuable resources such as materials and energy. That means lower greenhouse gas emissions, 99% less material use and a significant reduction in electricity consumption. Specifically, remanufacturing/refurbishment processes at Herrenknecht can save 71.42%* of emissions per tonne of components. Impressive figures with a solid foundation: because they are based on an audited certification by the technical testing organization TÜV.
Rebuilding is also becoming increasingly recognized in the tunnelling industry. The creation of guidelines such as the ITA guidelines plays its part in this. It underlines the need for the necessary standards to establish and firmly anchor rebuilding processes and thus ensure a high level of quality. However, Herrenknecht's commitment is not limited to advocating standards in the form of a set of rules. The aim is to make remanufacturing and refurbishment even more viable in the long term instead of developing short-term ad hoc measures.
“Rebuilt by Herrenknecht” does not only take place on the extensive site in Kehl. On request, field service specialists also provide site support when contractors want to make their own machines fit for the next tunnelling mission at their own site.
up to
71,42%
CO2 Savings
over
150
Herrenknecht Specialists
over
15,000
rebuilt parts per year
more than
100,000
square meters of production and logistics space
The client´s perspective on epoch-making tunnel projects
The Alps, with their rugged and formidable terrain, have always been a source of fascination and inspiration. Yet, historically, these mountains have presented a unique challenge to the efficient movement of people and goods across Europe. Today, thanks to a series of ambitious projects, these mountains are no longer insuremountable. Yet overcoming these natural barriers has required not just advanced engineering but also the unwavering commitment of thousands of skilled professionals:
“These tunnels are more than just feats of engineering; they are lifelines that connect people, cultures, and economies. I have witnessed many projects across the world. But these will always be some of the most challenging and fascinating ones."
Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht
safe tunnelling in scandinavian rock
To avoid being dependent on just one source of drinking water, as has been the case until now. Oslo is investing in the development of a second source: the major project New Water Supply Oslo. Using three Double Shield TBMs from Herrenknecht, the contracted tunnelling specialists are boring a total of almost 30 kilometers of underground water pipeline through hard Scandinavian geology. Tunnelling expertise, cutting-edge technology and reliable cooperation are the reasons for the good progress of the project.
How pioneering spirit and teamwork set new standards
In the majestic Himalayas in India, a new railroad line is being built that will significantly improve access to important pilgrimage sites such as the Char Dham shrines. At the heart of this ambitious project is an almost 20-kilometer-long tunnel with two parallel tubes, built using specially manufactured Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines (TBMs). These machines, which are being used for the first time in the Himalayas, have a shield diameter of 9,050 mm and are equipped with innovative technologies to meet the challenges of the difficult geological conditions.
Always a step ahead of the geology
One of the key innovations is the torque box cylinder system, which allows the drive to be moved continuously horizontally and vertically, extending the drilling diameter by up to 100 mm. This helps to protect the machine from jamming in the pressing rock. The TBM is also equipped with the Herrenknecht ISP system, which transmits surface waves along the tunnel wall to detect potential geological faults at an early stage. Thanks to this advanced technology, the team on site can react immediately to challenges and continue driving safely and efficiently.
The project is of national importance and the colleagues on site are highly motivated. Once completed, the new connection will significantly reduce travel time for pilgrims and commuters alike and contribute to the economic development of the region. Many projects in the Himalayas have failed so far - this time the curse is to be broken. Read more in the construction site report in our “All Dimensions” magazine.
Pioneering work for a tunnel under the seabed
Until now, Huangdao and the southwestern districts have been connected to the old city center to the northeast via a road tunnel (under the seabed), a ferry and a bridge. The existing road tunnel is only suitable for cars. For this reason, too, an additional connection is now to follow in order to secure the city´s development into a genuine, permeable „Bay Area City“ with unrestricted mobility in the long term. The “Bay Area City” vision refers to a connected metropolis that encloses a bay and is no longer divided by it in any way.
The fundamental prerequisite for the new route:
The so-called Qingdao 2nd Sea Crossing Tunnel must be reliable, fast and - unlike the ferry and bridge - independent of the weather. Three TBM giants from Herrenknecht are taking up the challenge of making this vision a reality: they are connecting a metropolis of millions previously divided by the sea with another road tunnel, allowing the city districts to grow together. To this end, two tunnel boring machines with diameters of 15.56 meters and one with a diameter of 8.14 meters are digging through the earth beneath the seabed.
In Qingdao, they are already affectionately known as “The Three Dragons”. They are crossing beneath the seabed in three parallel sections between 3.25 and 3.26 kilometers in length for a in total 14.37 kilometer long road tunnel. A significant portion of the tunnel lies under the seabed. The tunnel is part of a road building project in the city of Qingdao as a part of the 14th Five Year Plan.
Why companies are making the niche a place to be
In his guest article for our magazine “All Dimensions”, Prof. Winfried Weber describes, among other things, why successful family businesses are by definition focused on tomorrow and why the three letters ESG are part of their creed. Focusing on the future also means having an eye on sustainability. This calls for intelligent investments, technological innovation and a market economy as a solution for a post-fossil society. This holds particularly true in view of the threats to the planet in the Anthropocene era. How do we make our products more sustainable, how do we strengthen our socially responsible attitude and company culture, how do we contribute to the social development of the regions in which our sites ar located and how do we promote the common good of an open society as a whole?
SMEs operating on a global scale ask themselves precisely these questions and with their attitude and innovations make an important contribution to a balanced economy. The topics of green innovations and sustainability are always the responsibility of top management. As a reflection of values and authenticity, the issues of green innovations and sustainability are always the responsibility of top management. Durable products, thriftiness, minimization of waste, open innovation and thus the possibility of being surprised in the innovation process and ulitmately building a circular economy. All of this is literally a matter for the boss in these cases.
Winfried Weber is Professor of Management at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, where he headed the Mannheim Institute for Applied Management Research (2011 – 2023). He is a consultant, author and keynote speaker and a member of various boards.
The entire guest article by Prof. Winfried Weber is availabe in our magazine “All Dimensions”. You can order it here for free.
