The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) is a professional organisation with more than 150,000 members working across engineering, technology, and science. IDA plays an active role in shaping how technology is used to tackle some of society’s most urgent challenges, including the transition to a more sustainable transport system.

In line with that mission, IDA joined the EIT Urban Mobility and Drive Sweden co-funded Travalytics project as a partner. Anna Stankovski Clark talked to Lasse Schelde, IDA’s expert in green mobility to talk about why it is interesting for an engineering union to be involved in the project, and what they got out of it.

Lasse Schelde, Expert Green Mobility at IDA, The Danish Society of Engineers.

Technology that supports solutions

Commuting is not just a personal or corporate issue, but is a substantial part of the bigger picture of national transport emissions. In Denmark, transport emissions account for approximately 29% of Denmark’s total CO₂ emissions, and their share of emissions continues to rise. IDA represents engineers who are essential in solving this societal issue.

“Engineers are uniquely positioned to understand and address traffic and transport challenges. Supporting the development and implementation of solutions like Travalytics is part of how we contribute to building more sustainable systems,” says Lasse.

“Working with new technical solutions helps us to understand and support the development of solutions that can help support more sustainable transport systems, ” he continues.

A timely tool for a changing landscape

The topic of CSRD (EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) has ridden high on the agenda of IDA members. So it is also timely to be working on a project on this topic, and increase the understanding for IDA and its members. Many of IDA’s members work in companies that fall under these new regulations.

Travalytics offers a way forward: an app-based tool that uses anonymised data to show how employees travel, when, and how travel patterns can be changed. For IDA, the potential lies in combining technological precision with practical relevance for businesses, cities, and individual commuters alike.

Strengthening cross-border collaboration

IDA’s involvement in the project has also strengthened partnerships in the Øresund region, particularly with Trivector Traffic - the Swedish consultancy behind Travalytics and a longstanding advocate for sustainable mobility in the Nordics.

“Working with Trivector has allowed us to engage with some of the most active players in sustainable transport in the region,” says Lasse. “This kind of cross-border collaboration is essential to accelerate innovation and ensure our members have access to the best tools and ideas.”

Looking ahead

IDA continues to explore how Travalytics could be implemented internally or recommended to member organisations. The future of commuting - from both a climate and employee wellbeing perspective - depends not just on policies and infrastructure, but on actionable data and smart tools.

Travalytics represents one such tool: a way to bridge engineering, sustainability, and technology in a field that urgently needs it.