The city of Nuremberg is carrying out the demolition of a former nursery using electric construction machinery and an electric truck after requiring emissions-free operations as part of its public tender. The project covers a site of around 7,000 square metres at the former Sauerbrey nursery in the city’s Westpark.
According to Nuremberg, the project represents Bavaria’s first public tender for a demolition operation requiring emissions-free machinery, equipment and transport vehicles.
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Tender Requires Emissions-Free Equipment
The procurement requirements prohibit conventional combustion engines, including hybrid systems and engines running on alternative fuels.
All machinery, equipment and transport vehicles used at the site must operate using electric, hydrogen or other CO₂-free drivetrains. Fossil-fuel-powered generators are also prohibited for charging equipment.
The demolition contract was awarded to Metzner Recycling, supported by Robert Aebi Nürnberg.
Electric Excavators and Truck Used on Site
The contractor is using an all-electric fleet for the demolition and associated logistics.
The equipment includes a Volvo EC230 Electric crawler excavator, Volvo ECR18 Electric compact excavator and Volvo L20 Electric wheeled loader, all supplied by Volvo Construction Equipment.
A Volvo FM Electric roll-off skip lorry is being used to transport materials from the site.
The project does not require dedicated charging infrastructure. The electric machinery and truck are powered through the site’s existing construction electricity supply.
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The approach is intended to demonstrate that electric construction equipment can be deployed on a demolition site without installing separate energy infrastructure.
Electric Equipment Reduces Local Emissions
Using electric machinery eliminates direct combustion emissions from the equipment while also reducing noise and local pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides around the construction site.
The effect is particularly relevant for the Nuremberg project because the demolition site is located near residential areas.
Andreas Krieglstein, mayor and First SÖR Works Director of Nuremberg, said the city was using the project to demonstrate that sustainability measures can begin before a new building is constructed.
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The Nuremberg project follows an electric demolition operation conducted in 2025 at the Siemens Technology Campus in nearby Erlangen.
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That project involved Volvo CE, Metzner Recycling, Robert Aebi and Volvo Trucks and used electric equipment across much of the demolition, material processing and logistics operations.
The earlier project provided a practical reference for using electric machinery in demolition. Nuremberg is now applying a similar approach through a municipal procurement process.
Recycled Materials and New Public Green Space
The demolition also incorporates material recycling. Construction materials are being separated so that suitable materials can be returned to the recycling process.
The site will subsequently be repurposed as public green space. Nuremberg acquired the former nursery grounds to extend Westpark eastward by approximately 7,000 square metres.
The project therefore combines emissions-free demolition with material recovery and the redevelopment of the site as additional public space.
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The main distinction from previous electric demolition projects is the procurement requirement itself. By specifying emissions-free operations in the tender, Nuremberg is using public procurement to establish a framework that could potentially be applied to other municipal construction and demolition projects.