The original approval conditions for a road tunnel reflected community concerns at the time. They required vehicle emissions to go through ventilation outlets rather than traffic portals. This caused a very high electricity demand, and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Losee Consulting led a step-by-step process to evaluate the business case for a tunnel energy efficiency initiative. We oversaw air quality monitoring and modelling, and we negotiated with environmental authorities for a more optimal balance between stack and portal ventilation.

We then developed new operating conditions that would maintain environmental protection, while also being practical for operators to implement.

Our client trialled these new operating conditions for night and ‘inter-peak’ periods over two years. The approach showed how turbulent daytime air would disperse pollutants during low to medium traffic periods, potentially yielding savings of $120,000 per year in electricity and equipment wear-and-tear.