Innovation and Competitiveness for Sustainable Growth

Innovation is a strategic pillar of Webuild’s commitment to sustainable growth. We invest in innovation, research, and development at both project and corporate levels, with a focus on creating a sustainable legacy. This approach addresses the environmental, engineering, and technical challenges we face, as well as the safety of our people and the well-being of local communities where we operate.

Every Webuild site serves as a laboratory of ongoing, advanced research in processes, products, and materials, contributing to technological advancements within our industry and enhancing the Group’s competitiveness by focusing on:

• Core process efficiency (time and cost optimization);
• Energy and socio-environmental performance of our projects, aimed at generating positive impacts, such as fewer work-related incidents, environmental protection, and the growth and development of communities and regions we work with;
• Quality in construction performance, translating to the satisfaction of our clients
   

Innovative Solutions for Unique Projects: How Innovation Drives the Sustainability of Our Works

From 2019 to 2023, we invested an average of €33 million annually in innovation activities. In the period from 2021 to 2023 alone, the company allocated an additional €57 million to initiate high-impact, technology- and digital-focused projects that enhance our business processes.

Every day, we are dedicated to research and development programs that enable us to successfully address the technical challenges of our projects, starting from the bidding phase.

Construction Techniques

We apply Lean Construction principles to re-engineer our processes, aiming to enhance performance quality. In recent years, the Group has focused on developing "best-in-class" innovative processes and products, from tunneling to specialized structures. In addition to advancing TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) excavation techniques worldwide with TBMs capable of operating under high pressure, on steep gradients, and with high connectivity, Webuild continues to drive tunneling innovation. For example, we have introduced pioneering methods such as the "Riser Concept," applied in the Matanza-Riachuelo watershed in Argentina.

In 2023, we inaugurated Roboplant in Sicily, the first safe, green, and fully automated Factory 4.0 facility, designed and developed by Webuild for the production of tunnel lining segments.

In 2024, on the Naples-Bari high-speed railway, we began Italy's first hyperbaric tunneling operation, a European best practice. For part of the Casalnuovo tunnel, on the Naples-Cancello section, excavation is carried out using compressed air to keep groundwater out of the work areas.

The Innovative FACS System

The Force-Activated Coupling System (FACS) is an advanced segment assembly model designed to enhance the structural safety of hydraulic tunnels. This highly innovative technique, developed and patented by Webuild, is being applied in Australia’s Snowy 2.0 project..

Read the factsheet about FACS technology

The W.E.M. Project

Rooted in principles of circular economy and technological innovation, the WEM (Webuild Equipment & Machinery) project was launched by Webuild in 2024 with the establishment of the first TBM regeneration facility in Terni, Italy.

Under a traditional lifecycle, TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines) excavate and construct tunnels, after which they are dismantled and returned to the supplier. At the Terni facility, Webuild has introduced a process for regenerating used TBMs, making it the first general contractor to invest in breathing new life into these machines. This circular economy model enhances project efficiency while reducing waste.

Digitizing Construction Sites

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, we are committed to corporate-level,  innovation, research, and development to identify, develop, and adopt implement cutting-edge methodologies and digital technologies to that support our business processesoperations, both for the Group’s strategic choices of our Group, and for specific projects.

We are developing advanced tools in the field of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data &, and Predictive analysis, and BIM to increase the efficiency of ourAnalytics to process large volumes of information and provide real-time, detailed insights across the organization. These innovations enhance process management activities, acquiringefficiency, build and capitalizingcapitalize on new know-how, while monitoringexpertise, and improving the quality of ourmonitor and improve performance, concomitantly preserving quality, all while protecting the environment and local communities.

Through partnerships with the bestleading industry experts and professionals on the market, with , universities, and research centres, thecenters, Webuild Group has launchedembarked on an innovation process that aims at journey toward creating transparent " “Digital and Transparent Construction Sites": we adopt.” We implement technologies to support the management processes in their execution phases, from  from site startup through project closure. By digitizing our construction sites, we aim to boost production efficiency and elevate safety standards across our global sites.

Initiatives in this area include the Tunnel WeView system, which assists in managing, monitoring production, safety, and environmental aspects of projects, assessing their impact through real-time data collection, processing, and visualization of operational, energy, and environmental data. Initially applied to the Snowy 2.0 project, it has since been implemented at project sites in Paris and on the Apice-Hirpinia segment in Italy. In 2023, we began developing a Corporate Tunnel WeView system to extend the platform as an integrated solution connected to corporate servers for Italian projects.

Our development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) approaches, processes, and tools has also enabled us to implement innovative forecasting and optimization models for our construction processes. These models rely on collaborative, multi-dimensional frameworks shared across all functions involved

Innovative Materials 

The Group has focused on several initiatives related to material recovery, water treatment, and the development of innovative construction materials.

In recent years, research conducted by Webuild has led to the creation of optimized concrete mixes, the development of advanced additives, and the replacement of high-emission cement with low-carbon alternatives. The main environmental benefits of these innovations include: saving over 220,000 tons of cement, reducing transportation costs and related environmental impacts, and preventing over 320,000 tons of CO₂ emissions.

Safety, Quality, and Environment: The Sustainable Footprint of Webuild Sites

Webuild designs its construction sites sustainably, paying attention to the health and safety of its workers and communities, and to safeguarding the environment. Right from the design phase of our construction sites, we adopt a "Sustainable Construction Site" model thanks to new technologies and modern cutting-edge work models, to guarantee safety in the workplace and to protect the territories where we work, coordinating with the Competent Authorities.

In our construction sites, we develop integrated solutions to improve health and safety at work. We study Smart Safety pilot projects with sensor systems for human-machine interaction, human-suspended loads interaction, and the delimitation of areas with greater risks. We constantly work to optimize our work at height procedures, we invest in training our staff to make them more aware on Health & Safety matters, through scheduled and on-the-job training initiatives. We adopt solutions for real-time supervision of work activities carried out in our construction sites.

Webuild protects the territory that hosts its construction sites, establishing a close relationship with it. This takes the form of smart and innovative solutions for efficiency, circular economy, reduction of the environmental footprint, and biodiversity safeguarding activities. All the industrial processes needed to build our projects that see us involved globally are subjected to evaluation, efficiency and optimization, in terms of their environmental components, with particular attention to water, energy and material consumption.

Energy Efficiency 

The Group invests significant resources in this area, including the adoption of “Construction 4.0” electrical systems capable of monitoring the electrical parameters of construction sites and improving their energy performance. Additionally, we focus on replacing energy-intensive processes with more eco-friendly alternatives.