Cambridge, UK — Dr. Mashael Kamran, Research Associate at the University of Cambridge’s DARe Hub, has presented a detailed case study examining the carbon footprint of maintaining the A120, a strategic road first constructed during the 1970s and 1980s.

With the road now nearing the end of its lifespan, Dr. Kamran explained that reconstruction and maintenance will be essential, but these processes also carry significant environmental consequences. Her research focuses on identifying and measuring the carbon impacts of past, present, and future maintenance activities on the A120.

“We’re conducting a material flow analysis to quantify what materials are going into the road, what can be reused for maintenance, and what kind of waste is being generated,” Dr. Kamran said. “This inventory then allows us to perform a life cycle assessment.”

In addition to mapping historical and current practices, her team is compiling a list of low-carbon asphalt and concrete alternatives. The aim is to explore strategies that can help decarbonize future roadworks while supporting more sustainable infrastructure development.

“This research will hopefully guide future maintenance schemes on the A120 to significantly reduce their carbon impacts,” she noted.

Sharing the video of her daughter’s presentation on social media, Pakistan Peoples Party leader and Member of the National Assembly Sehar Kamran expressed pride in Dr. Mashael Kamran’s work. She added that there may be lessons in this study for Pakistan as the country faces its own challenges with infrastructure sustainability and climate resilience.