Balfour Beatty has achieved outstanding environmental performance on the Thames Estuary Asset Management 2100 (TEAM2100) framework — one of the UK's most ambitious flood defence programmes.

As climate change intensifies flood risks, this initiative plays a vital role in protecting London and surrounding communities from tidal flooding.

The project required full compliance with some of the Environment Agency’s most demanding environmental accountability standards. This went well beyond a procedural exercise: every tonne of waste, material delivery, and sourcing decision was meticulously recorded, audited, and verified to meet strict environmental commitments.

To manage this complex data challenge, Balfour Beatty partnered with Qflow, a leading digital construction data specialist. Harnessing Qflow’s advanced data capture and analysis platform, the team automated environmental reporting processes which historically required extensive manual effort.

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This digital innovation enabled real-time tracking of waste, sourcing compliance, and transport emissions, freeing sustainability and site teams to prioritise responsible building practices over paperwork.

Balfour Beatty achieved 99.6% waste diversion from landfill, surpassing the initially ambitious 96% target. Responsible sourcing compliance reached an exceptional 99.1% far beyond the original 20-30% benchmark generally seen across the industry. This data-driven approach translated into sharper, more strategic, client conversations grounded in live insights rather than lagging reports.

Leo Connolly, Sustainability Manager at Balfour Beatty, reflected on the transformation: "The biggest support that Qflow offered was time-saving. Automation of the system provided workable, confident data for us to discuss with the client without needing to spend days going through documents."

The TEAM2100 project's success coincides with urgent warnings from the Met Office and Environment Agency about the increasing frequency and severity of tidal flooding linked to climate change. The UK government's long-term infrastructure strategy continues to emphasise resilience and sustainability, underscoring the relevance of this achievement.