Energy efficiency and environmental impacts of road infrastructure construction

Road infrastructure construction is an energy- and emission-intensive activity; however, process-level quantification of fuel use and associated pollutants across material production, transportation, and construction machinery operation remains insufficiently systematic to guide targeted optimization measures. This paper analyzes energy consumption and pollutant emissions during the construction phase of road infrastructure, with particular emphasis on asphalt mixture production (MJ), material transportation, and construction machinery operation. The analysis was conducted using a process-oriented approach and standardized calculation models to estimate fuel consumption and emissions of CO2, NOx, and particulate matter. The results indicate that asphalt MJ accounts for approximately 60–70% of total energy consumption, while transportation and construction machinery together contribute about 25–35%. The implementation of energy optimization measures enables a 10–15% reduction in total energy consumption, accompanied by proportional reductions in pollutant emissions. The findings confirm that targeting the most energy-intensive construction processes represents a key step toward improving the sustainability of road construction projects.