How we helped build a digital platform that’s transforming UK road decarbonisation

We love a good challenge at Transparity. But when Amey approached us to help build the Knowledge Bank, a digital platform that could genuinely help local authorities across the UK decarbonise their roads, we knew this was something special.

The project is part of ADEPT Live Labs 2, a massive £30 million programme funded by the Department for Transport. Think of it as the UK’s biggest experiment in making our roads greener, and we got to build the platform that helps bring it all together.

What exactly is the Knowledge Bank?

Picture this: you’re a local authority trying to figure out how to make your roads more sustainable. Where do you start? What materials actually work? How much will it cost? And crucially, what’s the carbon impact?

Until now, that information was scattered across local authorities. Different councils were running their own trials, suppliers were making claims without consistent data, and everyone was stuck in silos.

The Knowledge Bank changes all that. It’s a centralised hub where local authorities can find evidence-based information about low-carbon road materials and methods. Think of it as the go-to resource for anyone serious about decarbonising UK roads.

The challenge we tackled

Building a platform like this isn’t just about putting data in a database. We needed to create something that would genuinely transform how the sector works together.

The key challenges? Making sure the platform was:

• Scalable: This needed to work for councils across the entire UK
• Secure: We’re talking about valuable commercial and technical data
• User-friendly: Local authority teams needed to find information quickly and easily
• Future-proof: This platform needs to evolve as new materials and methods emerge

Our approach

We partnered closely with Amey’s innovation and delivery teams from day one. This wasn’t a case of building something in isolation and hoping it worked, we were embedded in the process, understanding exactly what local authorities needed.

From initial architecture design right through to deployment support, we made sure every decision aligned with the broader goals of ADEPT Live Labs 2 and the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads.

The result? A platform built on Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure that’s designed to grow with the sector’s needs while keeping everything secure and accessible.

Leveraging the power of Microsoft Azure and Azure AI

Knowledge Bank needed a platform as innovative as the solution itself, which is where Microsoft’s unbeatable tech stack comes in. By leveraging the Azure platform, we created a solution that’s not just scalable and secure but also packed with cutting-edge capabilities.

By integrating Azure AI, we added a layer of intelligence that takes the platform to the next level. From advanced data analysis to predictive insights these capabilities will make the tool invaluable for councils across the country.

What makes this exciting

Here’s what gets us genuinely excited about this project: it’s not just another digital platform. It’s actively helping to solve one of the UK’s biggest infrastructure challenges.

Local authorities can now:

• Access consistent data about low-carbon materials
• Learn from each other’s trials and experiences
• Make informed decisions based on real evidence
• Collaborate instead of working in silos

And the early signs are promising. The platform launched with nationwide roadshows, and the feedback from local authorities has been fantastic.

The bigger picture

This project perfectly demonstrates what happens when you combine the right technology with genuine sector expertise. We didn’t just build a platform, we helped create a tool that could genuinely accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero roads.

The Knowledge Bank is a brilliant example of how digital platforms can empower local authorities to adopt low-carbon practices and deliver better outcomes for communities.

And that’s exactly why we do what we do. Technology should solve real problems and create genuine impact. The Knowledge Bank does both.

What’s next?

The platform is live and being used by local authorities across the UK. But this is just the beginning. We’re entering the iterative development phase and the roadmap includes features like AI chatbots, enhanced collaboration tools, and even more sophisticated carbon analysis capabilities.

If you’re working on complex technology challenges that could benefit from Microsoft cloud expertise, we’d love to hear about them. Because the best projects (like this one) are the ones where technology genuinely transforms how entire sectors work.