In today’s volatile economy, sustainability is crucial for business resilience and long-term success. Like a ship’s compass in stormy seas, sustainable practices help companies navigate economic challenges. It is not just a regulatory need, but vital for maintaining trust with stakeholders and the community.
At Hexagon, our commitment to sustainability is reflected in both our internal operations and the innovative solutions we provide to our clients. Our solutions improve productivity, quality, and longevity – presenting a significant lever for decarbonisation. In 2024, we started an initiative to quantify the carbon benefits of our solutions through our Avoided Emissions Framework. While avoided emissions can vary significantly among the industries we serve, Hexagon solutions have enabled our customers to avoid 39 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) in historical emissions.
This article explores some of the tangible outcomes of our Avoided Emissions Framework for the Geosystems division. By collaborating with various customers in a series of studies, we have demonstrated how our solutions can significantly avoid emissions and enhance efficiency across different sectors.
The concept of avoided emissions
"Avoided emissions" refer to greenhouse gas emissions that are prevented or reduced through the implementation of specific technologies, products, or solutions - emissions that would have occurred without such interventions. By quantifying avoided emissions, companies can understand their positive impact and make well-informed decisions that extend beyond their carbon footprint, thereby enhancing business value.
Reducing construction emissions with advanced digital layout solutions
In Switzerland, Christen AG’s construction of a plant building has demonstrated significant emissions reductions using an advanced digital layout solution. By implementing building information modelling (BIM) coupled with the iCON digital layout solution - which includes the Leica iCON iCR70 robotic total station, Leica AP20 AutoPole, and iCON build software — the project achieved notable savings in concrete waste, minimised truck trips, and reduced worker commuting emissions.
The project avoided 20 metric tonnes of CO₂e emissions, equating to 1.8 kilograms of CO₂e avoided per cubic metre of concrete used. This was mainly achieved through a 21.59 % reduction in concrete waste, supported by industry studies on the effectiveness of digital layout and BIM solutions. This case highlights the potential for digital layout solutions to enhance sustainability and efficiency in construction projects.
metric tonnes of CO₂e emissions were avoided
Transforming excavation: machine control systems' impact on fuel economy and emissions reduction
Innovation is leading to more sustainable practices in construction through Machine Control solutions, such as the Leica 2D Semi-Automatic Machine Control System, which is enhancing excavator operations. By optimising fuel economy and precision, this system not only reduces the need for rework but also significantly lowers emissions – marking a substantial achievement in the framework of avoided emissions.
A controlled test study found that this Machine Control system achieves a
fuel savings during grading tasks compared to manual operations.
This translates into substantial emissions reductions, potentially avoiding 30 tonnes of CO₂e emissions over the lifetime of an excavator.
Automated and semi-automated machine control systems are a testament to the power of innovation in driving sustainable practices within the construction industry. By significantly enhancing fuel economy and reducing emissions, these systems set new standards for efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Advancing Sustainability in Railway Engineering with Automated Monitoring
Implementing fully automated monitoring leads to significant reductions in travel requirements and associated CO2 emissions in railway engineering. By transitioning from a semi-automated system to a fully automated setup using the Leica TM60 monitoring Total Station and Leica GeoMoS software suite, SEP Rail has demonstrated the potential to avoid substantial emissions.
Automated monitoring systems dramatically reduce travel requirements that would otherwise necessitate 24/7 personnel on-site. Findings from SEP Rail revealed that each long-term rail monitoring project avoids, on average, 1.4 metric tons of CO2e emissions. This achievement underscores the significant role automated monitoring solutions can play in enhancing sustainability across the railway industry.
"By quantifying avoided emissions, companies can understand their positive impact and make well-informed decisions that extend beyond their carbon footprint, thereby enhancing business value."
Cutting emissions with enhanced airborne system efficiency
The HxGN Content Program has achieved significant emissions reductions through improved efficiency in airborne data collection from 2022 to 2024 in the United States (US). By upgrading from the Leica ADS100 to the Leica ContentMapper and subsequently to the Leica DMC-4X sensors, the programme realised a 30 % average efficiency improvement, reducing the required flight lines.
Key findings include a total reduction of approximately 4,000 metric tonnes of CO₂e over the three-year period, and net emissions reductions of about 1,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ each year from 2022 to 2024.
The transition to ContentMapper reduced emissions from 1.49 kilograms CO₂/km² to 1.04 kilograms CO₂/km². Further advancements with the DMC-4X sensor provided an additional 30 % efficiency gain, reducing emissions to 0.73 kilograms CO₂/km². This progression underscores the potential for technology upgrades to significantly lower environmental impact in aerial data collection.
metric tonnes of CO₂e were reduced
Navigating toward a sustainable and profitable future
In today’s complex business environment, sustainability is an essential compass – guiding enterprises toward resilience and profitability. The findings from our studies underscore this impact. Our advancements in machine control, digital layout, automated monitoring, and airborne systems have set new benchmarks for emissions reduction across industries.
As we conduct additional customer case studies to identify solutions with high decarbonisation potential, we aim to establish a robust reporting framework. This will enable us to strategically shape our future portfolio – scaling solutions with the highest decarbonisation potential across the industries we serve - and demonstrating that sustainability and profitability coexist harmoniously. By accelerating the adoption of solutions that reduce emissions and enhance operational efficiency, we can achieve significant environmental benefits while driving cost savings.
Sustainability is not a single journey, but a continuous voyage – and we invite you to join us in steering toward a sustainable and profitable future.
