A guide to PAS 2080 and its opportunities

Discover everything you need to know about PAS 2080, the world’s first specification for managing whole-life carbon in infrastructure. Aligning your team with standards like PAS 2080 isn’t just about compliance – it could be a key advantage in securing tenders.

What is PAS 2080?

PAS 2080 is a carbon management standard first published in 2016 by the British Standards Institution (BSI), with a revised version launched in 2023.

At a time when the push for Net Zero demands strong leadership, PAS 2080 has always aimed to become a global standard. More than just a framework, it’s a practical tool driving real, on-the-ground change.

Why should you care about PAS 2080?

Across UK critical infrastructure, businesses and governing bodies are responding to Net Zero targets by rethinking how they operate.

Take National Highways, for example – they've pledged to achieve net zero corporate emissions by 2030, maintenance and construction emissions by 2040, and road user emissions by 2050. As part of this commitment, PAS 2080 has been embedded as a standard in the design, construction, and operation of England’s roads.

This isn’t just an internal shift. National Highways now requires its contractors and sub-contractors to have PAS 2080-accredited carbon management systems in place by the end of 2025.

Other major organisations, such as the Environment Agency and TfL, also appear to be moving towards making PAS 2080 a mandatory standard – a trend highlighted in a recent Institution of Civil Engineers webinar and numerous successful case studies.

What this means for you

Adopting PAS 2080, gaining accreditation, and embedding its principles into your workflow will keep your company aligned with industry shifts.

Potentially, as more organisations integrate carbon management requirements, non-compliance could have an impact on bids for future projects.

What is being said about contractors and sub-contractors in relation to carbon and PAS 2080?

Adrian Johnson, Executive Technical Director at Stantec – a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting – shared his perspective on PAS 2080:

‘[From businesses] a common thing I’ve heard over the years is that the client hasn’t asked me to [consider carbon issues], and it’s going to cost me money, so I’m not going to do it.’

‘But this is changing. We’re now moving to the point where carbon management is seen like health and safety. You wouldn’t say about health and safety that I’m not going to do that because I haven’t been asked to do it and it’s not in my budget.’

The comments came during a 2023 webinar supporting the launch of renewed PAS 2080 standards and documentation back in.

Obtaining PAS 2080 case study: WJ Group

WJ Group, ‘the UK’s leading specialist road marking business’ announced they had gained PAS 2080 certification back in March 2024.

To achieve PAS 2080 status, WJ Group satisfied the following criteria:

They demonstrated to the auditors that it had made considerable progress in reducing their carbon emissions.
They demonstrated that they have a systems-based approach to being a greener link in the supply chain.
They promoted industry collaboration as well as reviewed their products and service methodology.
During accreditation, they demonstrated their ability to work within a PAS 2080 community and their ability to deliver lower-carbon infrastructure.

Does carbon management work, and how is it done in practice?

Land use impacts on transport emissions — Source: LSE Cities 2014

Barcelona has a strong commitment to becoming a low-carbon city, aiming for a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, with initiatives like low-emission zones, promoting sustainable transport, and investing in renewable energy. 

This includes:

111,872 km of bicycle lanes
95 km² of low emission zones
Daily bans on diesel-powered cars registered before 2006
90%+ of food served in municipal nursery schools from ecological agriculture
The ‘+ Sustainable City Council Programme’, which integrates sustainability criteria into public contracts and daily practices.

Case study of PAS 2080 in action: Low Crosby

During the PAS 2080 relaunch, David Webborn – senior associate director and head of BIM and digital engineering for water & environment at Jacobs – and Ross McKeown, project manager at the Environment Agency, discussed the application of PAS 2080 during renovation of flood defences at Low Crosby, a village near Carlisle with a long history of flooding. Previous defences failed to stop around 60 properties from being flooded during Storm Desmond in 2015.

Application of the PAS 2080 framework changed the project completely:

Options for a raised linear flood defence to complement existing defences were rejected after the application of the PAS 2080 standard.
The revelation was that options for the project were assessed using extra criteria. Not only was the aim to reduce flood risk, but also to implement a low-carbon solution.
This opened up more strategic thinking. Whole-life carbon reduction considerations made a second option – developing and reconnecting original natural floodplain, landscaping a large area – a standout solution.
Rather than choose an option with a neutral carbon flux, the floodplain solution stands out for multiple reasons, as described here: ‘Zero tonnes of concrete and steel were used in this nature-based solution which reconnects 185Ha of floodplain, restores 3km of river habitat, and has the potential for up to 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide to be sequestered over a 100-year assessment period.’
Crucially, none of this would have been possible without buy-in from a variety of stakeholders: landowners, the Environment Agency, delivery partners, Natural England, and the local community. This is an example of collaborative thinking, and data-based progressive design.

How to get more information and sign up for PAS 2080

PAS accreditation is free. The instructions are as follows:

Go to the ICE website and download the guidance documents.
Visit the BSI website for more information on the framework and follow the links to begin the product testing and certification process.

The documents include case studies and examples for adapting workflows to incorporate carbon management.

How field management software supports PAS 2080 compliance

Managing carbon shouldn’t complicate operations. The right field management software helps improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary travel, optimise workflows, and capture the data you need.

Track carbon and streamline reporting

Capture real-time data on travel, materials, and workforce activity.
Generate automated reports to prove carbon reduction efforts.

Cut unnecessary travel

Provide live updates on team locations and tasks.
Instantly update job packs, forms, and evidence of work, reducing the need for site visits.

Boost efficiency and reduce waste

Smart resource scheduling and automation prevent delays and errors.
AI-powered reporting gives full visibility over operations, allowing for strategic, data-based decision making.