Construction firms operating in London will need to meet a new “tightening” of machinery emission rules, a plant equipment firm has warned.
Rules around the emissions from generators and air compressors are changing in the coming months, which Aggreko says requires rapid change by contractors operating in the capital.
From January, all non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) used in Greater London will need to meet Stage IV at a minimum. By 1 January 2030, all NRMM within Greater London will need to meet Stage V requirements.
Previously, site managers in London could provide “reasonable justification” to use generators that do not meet Stage V emission standards.
But exemptions to the requirements have now been tightened, meaning that from 1 January 2025 site operators will need to prove they have requested a suitable generator from a supplier, as well as details of the supplier’s Stage V generator fleet and the orders that show it is moving towards using the equipment.
On top of that, they will need to provide data demonstrating loading issues and proof that they have considered load management technology such as smart distribution boards.
Ultimately, principal contractors are responsible for all of the plant machinery used on site and for making sure it meets the right requirements.
Aggreko building services and construction sector sales manager Tom Adlington said the new rules mean site managers “need to be in a position where they do not need to apply for an exemption in the first place”.
The firm also flagged changes to the rules around air compressors. Currently, stage IV air compressors are required in parts of London known as the central activities zone. In the rest of London, contractors need to use IIIB equipment.
But from the beginning of 2025, contractors will need to use Stage IV air compressors throughout London. Aggreko said that site operators “may need to seek Stage V equipment” despite the new rule, as stage IV equipment is not available below 56 kilowatts, which is the typical size of an air compressor in London.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has aimed for London’s NRMM to be zero emissions by 1 January 2040. It is part of work to improve the city’s air quality, which fell below the World Health Organisation’s recommended level for the first time last year.
The mayor’s guidance says: “NRMM, particularly within construction, is a significant London air pollution contributor. The NRMM Low Emission Zone uses Mayoral and London Borough planning powers to control NRMM emissions on construction sites.”
There are signs that small changes on site are having a substantial impact on the levels of emissions within the construction sector.
Last week, the Construction Leadership Council revealed, for instance, that a 15 per cent reduction in idling by vehicles and plant machinery in 2023 had reduced site emissions.
