The document discusses London's Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Low Emission Zone, which aims to reduce emissions from construction machinery. It has led to measured reductions of 48% for PM10 and PM2.5, and 42% for NOx, compared to baseline levels. The zone requires machinery above 37kW to meet certain emission standards, and sites must register their machinery online. Compliance is enforced through on-site inspections. The standards have tightened over time and will require newer Stage V machines by 2023. The program has seen little industry pushback and provides a model that could be applied in other cities.

1. Addressing Emissions from NRMM
Luis Bassett & Andrew Gordon

2. Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM)
• Badly named…
• Broad term to describe industrial machinery that is mobile, but not
classified as a road vehicle
Diggers Forklifts Dumpers
Generators Pumps Mobile Cranes
Piling Rigs MEWPs Compressors
Agitators Rollers Compactors
Crushers Loaders Tractors
Screeners Road Sweepers (!)

3. London Low Emission Zone for Construction
The best kept secret in pollution control
• In air pollution we often speak of ‘soft measures’
• Very rarely do we see projects delivering tangible, local and
measurable reductions in pollution
• To date over 10 000 operating machines inspected
• Low Emission Zone for Construction (... a world first)
PM10 & PM2.5 - a 48% reduction against baseline
NOx - a 42% reduction against baseline

4. What is the Model Planning Condition?
"All Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) of net power of 37kW and up to and
including 560kW used during the course of the demolition, site preparation
and construction phases shall comply with the emission standards set out in
chapter 7 of the GLA’s supplementary planning guidance “Control of Dust and
Emissions During Construction and Demolition” dated July 2014 (SPG), or
subsequent guidance. Unless it complies with the standards set out in the
SPG, no NRMM shall be on site, at any time, whether in use or not, without the
prior written consent of the local planning authority. The developer shall keep
an up-to-date list of all NRMM used during the demolition, site preparation and
construction phases of the development on the online register at
https://nrmm.london/."

5. The NRMM Low Emission Zone
• Aims to reduce emissions from NRMM in Construction & Demolition
• Like road vehicles, NRMM are rated for emissions at point of manufacture
• Emissions ratings for NRMM range from Stage I to Stage V
• Covers the whole of Greater London
• Blue zones are Stage IIIB requirement
• Orange zones are Stage IV requirement

6. The NRMM Low Emission Zone
• Contractors also need to register their site and machinery on the NRMM
Website here: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-and-
strategies/environment-and-climate-change/pollution-and-air-
quality/nrmm
• This website is also where sites can apply
for an exemption, in those cases where
availability of compliant equipment is an
issue.

8. • We go to sites, check these markings,
and require the site to swap out any
non-compliant machinery
• We check sites and machinery are
registered
• There are also retrofit systems that can
bring machinery up to a compliant
emissions level
• We provide guidance to sites and Local
Authorities
• We also provide emissions analysis to
sites and the GLA
What we do

9. Compliance timeline
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Start of South
London NRMM
Project (5 boroughs)
Membership
increases to
14 Boroughs
Pan-London
Project
Generator
Stage V
requirement
Stage IIIB
minimum & OAs
introduced
Generator
exemptions
tightened

11. Emissions savings
• Difference in emissions per week between a Stage IIIA and Stage IV 129kW
excavator is approximately:
0.9kg of PM (92% reduction)
11.6kg of NOx (90% reduction)
1.1 Tonne of CO2 (34% reduction)
• Since 2016, the NRMM Low Emission Zone has delivered modelled reductions in
the region of:
PM 48% reduction
NOx 42% reduction
CO2 20% reduction

12. What do the industry think?
• A wish to be environmentally diligent and ‘doing their bit’
• Want a level playing field and to know what's needed, and what’s up ahead…
• Customer survey
• 1 prosecution in 6 years, with over 3400 audits over 2800 different sites.

13. Scaleable
• This approach can be applied to any industry that uses NRMM in any UK city
• This year we hope to start looking into other uses of NRMM and whether
there are grounds to extend the London NRMM zone to cover those
industries
• Establish what area it should cover, which industries, and applied to what
sizes of machine
• Determine what emission stage should be set as the minimum standard
• Engage the industry
• Deliver audits through on-the-ground staffing

14. Is ‘do nothing’ an option?
• London has the cleanest construction fleet of any city in the UK, and very
likely worldwide.
• The London road-based ULEZ has proven to be politically contentious, but
the construction LEZ has been very much less so.
• This is a London-based scheme – what is the case for not emulating this in
additional metropolitan centres?
• The VfM case is compelling. The anticipated push-back from industry was
simply never forthcoming. The industry and supply chain have demonstrated
a willing keenness to upgrade and update.
• What is on the horizon for construction machinery? What is best practice
right now? The importance of outreach and engagement.

15. Questions
Luis.Bassett@merton.gov.uk
Andrew.Gordon@merton.gov.uk

16. Appendix slides

17. What is a Type Approval Number?

18. How such savings?
Emission Stage NOx/PM Per day (5h) Per year
(x254)
Stage I NOx 6kg 1.5 Tonne
Stage II NOx 3.9kg 1.0 Tonne
Stage IIIA NOx 2.6kg 0.7 Tonne
Stage IIIB NOx 2.1kg 0.5 Tonne
Stage IV & V NOx 258g 65kg
Stage I PM 450g 110kg
Stage II & IIIA PM 190g 50kg
Stage IIIB & IV PM 16g 4kg
Stage V PM 10g 2.5kg
• There are different emission stages of
engine
• Huge potential for emission reductions
from upgrading NRMM fleet
130kW Excavator

19. Which are the dirtiest machines?