Hydrogen Hits the Building Site: ULEMCo’s HyConstruct Project Paves the Way for Cleaner Construction

ULEMCo’s HyConstruct Project Paves the Way

Liverpool-based hydrogen innovators ULEMCo have launched HyConstruct, a groundbreaking project aimed at tackling one of the toughest decarbonisation challenges on Earth: heavy-duty construction machinery.

Funded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s ARMD4 programme, HyConstruct brings together a powerhouse consortium of partners: GeoPura, Plantforce, BAM, and the Building Research Establishment (BRE). The goal is to prove that hydrogen isn’t just for trucks and buses; it can clean up construction sites too.

Building a Smarter, Cleaner Site

Construction equipment has long been one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Traditional diesel excavators and dump trucks are indispensable but notoriously carbon-intensive. HyConstruct changes that equation by enhancing ULEMCo’s hydrogen dual-fuel technology, systems that allow existing diesel engines to operate with a large proportion of clean hydrogen instead.

The new project will develop an AI-driven control system that intelligently manages how hydrogen is used during operation, pushing substitution rates higher while maintaining power, performance, and uptime. In short: more hydrogen, less diesel without compromising productivity.

From Proof of Concept to Real-World Deployment

This isn’t ULEMCo’s first foray into hydrogen-powered machinery. The project follows on from Element1, which successfully demonstrated hydrogen-fuelled excavators on active construction sites.

Now, HyConstruct is scaling up with field trials planned on a BAM working site, featuring upgraded Kobelco excavators and, for the first time, a heavy-duty articulated dump truck from Plantforce.

GeoPura will supply low-carbon hydrogen through its off-grid HPU (Hydrogen Power Unit) systems, ensuring reliable refuelling infrastructure even in remote locations. BRE will oversee data collection and knowledge sharing, ensuring that insights from the project ripple across the construction and infrastructure industries.

The Case for Hydrogen in Construction

“Decarbonising construction plant is essential to support the UK’s net-zero goals,” said Amanda Lyne, Managing Director of ULEMCo.
“Converting existing equipment to run on clean hydrogen points the way to saving the carbon from these machines now, as well as the embedded emissions from the construction process itself.”

GeoPura’s Alistair Gemmel added:
“HyConstruct is about showing that zero-carbon fuels can power heavy machinery without disrupting productivity.”

What This Means for the Future of Fleet and Site Operations

From a ZeroMission perspective, HyConstruct represents a major step toward integrated, intelligent, and low-carbon fleet operations, not only for transport but for construction and logistics as well.

The combination of AI-driven control, hydrogen refuelling, and data-led performance tracking mirrors what we call FleetOps360° intelligence, the ability to measure, manage, and modernise operations across all asset types, from excavators to HGVs.

With ULEMCo’s first HyTANKa® mobile hydrogen bowser already on the market, the infrastructure needed for hydrogen construction sites is finally starting to take shape.

Looking Ahead

HyConstruct’s upgraded hydrogen machinery will debut publicly at Cenex Expo 2026, marking a visible milestone in the UK’s journey to zero-emission construction.

At ZeroMission, we see this as a clear signal:
Hydrogen isn’t just powering fleets; it’s powering the future of infrastructure itself.

ZeroMission — powering data-driven decisions for smarter, cleaner fleets and construction operations.