Sustainability

Contributing to the country’s largest sustainable mobility project

The Cadence consortium, of which SYSTRA is a part, has been selected to design, build, and operate the future Alto high-speed line between Quebec City and Toronto. This approximately 1,000 km network will allow speeds of up to 300 km/h and drive significant modal shift to rail. Developed in consultation with Indigenous peoples, the project will generate more than 51,000 jobs and benefit 18 million inhabitants. SYSTRA is contributing to the project’s design and leading the climate strategy, combining vulnerability analyses, sustainable design solutions, and adaptation measures to ensure the infrastructure’s performance and resilience.

Develop bioclimatic design

Envisaged as a sustainable model integrated into its open environment, the Mwanza station project in Tanzania fully embraces the principles of bioclimatic design and effective water management. Throughout the design phase, our experts sought to minimise the station’s environmental impact and reduce the use of drinking water by using – for example – permeable surfaces to promote the replenishing of the water tables and natural management of rainwater. This approach effectively manages run-off and helps mitigate the urban heat island effect. Our experts have also given preference to using indigenous plants for the project’s landscaping. This encourages biodiversity and reduces irrigation and fertilisation requirements.

A data visualisation tool to inform climate risks

SYSTRA won second prize in a collaborative hackathon focused on visualising the effects of climate change. The ClimateViz web application, designed in a record time of three weeks by a team of five experts from SYSTRA SA and SYSTRA France, enables users to identify an infrastructure’s vulnerabilities to climate hazards, anticipate how these vulnerabilities may evolve under future climate conditions based on historical data, and pinpoint vulnerable assets that may require adaptation measures. Today, ClimateViz strengthens our service and solution offering for climate change adaptation and infrastructure resilience.

Teams committed to reducing carbon and environmental impacts

The carbon footprint of a project is mostly determined from the design phase. In India, our teams have set an ambitious goal to reduce the carbon footprint of their projects by an average of 10% through the implementation of sustainable design and construction with our digital solution Carbontracker. This objective was achieved with the proactive deployment of this approach involving around 400 people.

Promoting energy efficiency in desert surroundings

The Etihad Rail project seeks to improve transport and connectivity in the United Arab Emirates between now and 2024. The goal? Design modern trains and suitable maintenance facilities, while reducing energy consumption by 17%. The technical solutions used include CO2 sensors for ensuring optimum air quality and making minimum use of water, as well as passive strategies, such as using shadowing and high-reflective materials for thermal comfort. The project also gives preference to recycled materials, thus reducing waste. A vulnerability assessment was conducted to anticipate specific local conditions and increased climate risks.

Transforming the Anne-de-Bretagne bridge

The Anne-de-Bretagne Bridge project in Nantes includes a significant sustainable design and construction component, with the emphasis on planted areas and biodiversity, making economic use of resources and reducing the impacts of the construction phase. By transforming a road bridge into a multifunctional area, an ecological link is created across green spaces and climate challenges are addressed. The approach used involves reusing materials and procuring them via the river, and logistics that minimise disruption. Reusing the existing bridge avoided having to destroy 4,250 tonnes of concrete and 1,300 tonnes of steel, thus preventing 6,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from being released.

SYSTRA is boosting bus electromibility in Europe

SYSTRA is contributing to the European project eBRT2030 (Bus Rapid Transit), the aim of which is to reduce emissions and congestion and move towards sustainable zero-emission forms of transport. Within the international association of public transport UITP-led cluster, we will help demonstrate the utility of a new generation of high service level electric bus systems and provide cost-effective automation and connectivity solutions. This project, funded by the European Commission and involving more than 45 partners, will shape the future of electromobility across the European public transport sector.

Contributing to the rollout of Brisbane’s electric bus network

Brisbane has inaugurated the M2 line of its Bus Rapid Transit network, operated with electric buses. Following the M1 line commissioned in early 2025, this new line strengthens the Metro Route network. SYSTRA Australia’s teams contributed to rolling stock technical specifications, bid evaluation, driver training, and the deployment of the operations support system. Ultimately, the network will comprise four lines and carry up to 45 million passengers per year.

Producing local energy from waste

SYSTRA Italy is involved in designing two waste-to-energy plants in Sicily, addressing a structural waste management challenge on the island while strengthening local electricity production. SYSTRA’s teams are conducting technical and economic feasibility studies, as well as geological studies, ahead of construction phases planned between 2027 and 2028. Ultimately, the two facilities will process 300,000 tonnes of waste per year, generate up to 50 MW of power, and produce around 200,000 MWh of electricity annually.

Applying the “No net loss” principle on a rail project

The ‘No Net Loss’ principle has become a prerequisite for obtaining building permits: each rail infrastructure project must demonstrate no net loss for biodiversity. To this end, a baseline assessment is carried out before the project starts, with precise observation and quantification of each area within the study perimeter using a codified scoring system, in order to compare the end-state to the baseline. At their client’s request, SYSTRA Sweden applied this methodology to the project to double rail capacity on the Krylbo–Dalslund link, northwest of Stockholm. The lessons learned were presented on International Day for Biological Diversity during a Group webinar to raise team awareness of biodiversity protection issues.

Environmental performance serving regional transformation

SYSTRA is involved in 4 of the 7 project management contracts launched by the European Metropolis of Lille. Developed with a comprehensive sustainable design and construction approach that will lead to High Environmental Quality (HQE) Sustainable Infrastructure certification, the Extramobile programme is structured around 4 new public transport lines (2 trams and 2 Bus Rapid Transit lines), along with 2 maintenance and storage sites (MSS) for the tram lines, and a project management mission for all operating systems common to the tram and bus lines.

Grovehurst Road, net gain in biodiversity, a reality

The improvements to the Grovehurst Road interchange are designed to reduce traffic jams and support Kent’s growth. By adopting a holistic approach to managing the landscape and ecology, the project is breaking new ground in achieving not only zero negative ecological impacts but an impressive 15% net gain in biodiversity. The solutions put forward include the creation of indigenous wooded zones – which serve as habitat for local wildlife, including bats. Rainwater is also innovatively managed.