A construction site in Germany is making history — and not because of what's being built but because of how it's being torn down. Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Trucks have launched the world's first fully electric deconstruction project, showing that even demolition can go green.
Interesting Engineering reported that in Erlangen, a 25,000-cubic-meter demolition project is being carried out without relying on dirty energy sources such as oil or gas. Volvo partnered with Siemens and demolition specialists Metzner Recycling to deploy an all-electric fleet of machines, from compact diggers to heavy-duty crushers. Even the transport trucks hauling away the rubble are battery-powered, enabling the entire process — from gutting the site to processing 12,800 tons of waste — to run without emitting heat-trapping pollution.
The results are groundbreaking: 96% of the construction waste is being recycled into raw materials, keeping concrete, steel, and other materials in circulation instead of wasting them.
Construction and demolition account for an enormous share of global waste and carbon pollution. By electrifying the process, Volvo and its partners are proving that deconstruction doesn't have to mean wasted resources and dirty air. Residents also benefit from less noise and no harmful tailpipe pollution — a huge step for urban projects often stalled by community concerns.
"Our transformation is no longer a vision, but a reality," Therese Schmitz-Hillebrecht, head of Central Europe at Volvo CE, said. Christian Franz, head of sustainability at Siemens Real Estate, added that the 96% recycling rate is "a testament to our commitment to achieving excellence in sustainability."
This project sets a precedent for cities worldwide, showing that electrification and circularity can go hand in hand. "The fact that we have now taken the first major step toward an all-electric, low-emission dismantling site as a technical standard is a huge success," Michael Metzner of Metzner Recycling added. "... Electric equipment could unlock urban projects currently held back by noise and pollution concerns."
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