Auckland is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, yet it has also increased its construction budget for 2021-31 by 21%, compared to 2011-21. The construction splurge is in preparation for a predicted 43% population increase by 2048, to replace aged infrastructure, and to stimulate recovery from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. Yet construction is responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions.

Using Moata Carbon Portal, Auckland Council wanted not just to decouple construction from carbon emissions, but to keep residents informed about decarbonisation efforts. Our team engaged businesses and residents through surveys and targeted workshops. These confirmed residents’ strong interest in how the council reduces its carbon emissions, with more than three-quarters of people surveyed requesting ‘a meaningful tool’ to show information presented in a ‘localised, personal’ way.

In response, we formed a collaborative partnership with Auckland Council to create a digital toolkit using Moata Carbon Portal to measure, manage and mitigate carbon emitted by Auckland’s stormwater infrastructure through three functions:
• Calculator – identifying low-carbon options in infrastructure
• Dashboard – empowering decisionmakers to understand carbon
• Platform – empowering residents to explore the city’s carbon emissions

Powered by Moata, the toolkit is refreshed whenever carbon data is updated. It is interactive, allowing users to examine the city’s infrastructure carbon footprint and compare the capital and operational emissions of different projects. “We need greater innovation if we are to meet our carbon reduction goals,” says Auckland Mayor Phil Goff. Enabling people to understand the sources and scale of carbon emissions is essential, showing citizens, businesses, developers and the construction value chain where to focus innovation for greatest impact. Mayor Goff hopes that “this tool will help us achieve our infrastructure goals as well as our emissions reduction targets.”