Worked example using the carbon footprint calculator

Transcription

1 1 Worked example using the carbon footprint calculator after Engineers Ireland, 2010 Engineers Ltd. is a medium-sized engineering company with 40 employees. The management team want to promote the company as a low carbon one, which they believe will differentiate them from other competitors. The building is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., has a modern fit out and is heated using a gas boiler. The staff spend a lot of their time visiting clients and sites, so the office is always busy with people coming and going. The office doesn t have a canteen, but does have a tea room. The management team has grown with the company and they have decided to keep all of the operations within the company, including their cleaning, IT and security services. In order to quantify and understand their contribution to climate change, they are going to measure the carbon footprint of their activity. They intend to use the results in order to develop a carbon strategy. Define boundaries Organizational boundaries The company is a relatively small one and is 100% owned by its two founders. There is only one legal entity and the management team has complete operational control of their processes. All company activities will be included in the study, including all leased assets i.e. IT and a delivery van. Operational and greenhouse gas boundaries The boundaries will be as comprehensive as possible. All scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions that are significant for the company will be considered (see figure below).

2 2 Electricity Energy Gas Engineers Ltd. Documentation Business Travel Proposals Commuting Models Paper Computers Purchases Waste Landfill Recycling Toner Chairs Cleaning products Tea & coffee Model making equipment Scope 1 Direct emissions: Gas boiler that heats the building The company van: Mercedes VITO 2.1l diesel Scope 2 Electricity: Electricity used to light the building and run the office equipment and services Scope 3 Indirect emissions: Business travel Employee commuting Waste Collect data Data related to the emissions identified above are collected for one year as follows: Activity Source of data Value Measure unit Scope 1 Gas Gas bills kwh Van Odometer km Scope 2 Electricity Electricity bills kwh

3 3 Scope 3 Business travel Car Expense claims Km Train Expense claims Km Plane Expense claims Km Employee commuting Bus Survey Km Car Survey Km Bicycle Survey Km Motorbike Survey Km Train Survey Km Walk Survey 3000 Km Waste Landfill Invoices from waste company and estimate of weekly waste 7000 Kg Recycling (paper) Invoices from recycling company 1000 Kg

4 4 Calculate carbon footprint SCOPE 1 Emissions kwh 1. Stationary Combustion. These are direct emissions from the different fuels used on your site. m 3 litres kwh Fuel Natural gas kwh Gas/Diesel oil LPG Coal tar Coal briquettes Wood Biomass Total Stationary combustion Sources of conversion factors: World Resources Institute (2008). GHG Protocol tool for stationary combustion. Version Mobile Combustion. These are direct emissions from your own fleet (business travel and employee commuting are not included). Fuel Petrol litres Diesel litres Biodiesel litres Total Mobile combustion SCOPE 2 Emissions These are indirect electricity emissions generated by the electricity purchased from your provider. Ireland UK Italy Poland Activity Country Czech Republic Electricity kwh Ireland Slovakia Total Electricity emissions Sweden Turkey Sources of conversion factors: World Resources Institute (2008). GHG Protocol tool for stationary combustion. Version 4.1.

5 5 SCOPE 3 Emissions 1. Business travel. These are indirect emissions due to employees' business travel. m3 l Type of transport Petrol car (rented) km Diesel car (rented) km Train passenger.km Taxi passenger.km Bus passenger.km Flights domestic (<1.5 hours) passenger.km Flights short haul (1.5 6 hours) passenger.km Flights long haul (>6 hours) passenger.km Sources of conversion factors: World Resources Institute (2008). GHG Protocol tool for mobile combustion. Version Employee commuting. These are indirect emissions due to employees' commuting. Type of transport Petrol car km Diesel car km Train passenger.km Bus passenger.km Motorbike Total Employee commuting km Sources of conversion factors: World Resources Institute (2008). GHG Protocol tool for mobile combustion. Version Waste. These are indirect emissions due to waste produced by the company. Type of waste Recycled kg Composted kg Landfilled Total Waste kg Sources of conversion factors: Change.ie, EPA Ireland

6 1 RESULTS These are your company's carbon emission results. Results are broken down into the relevant scopes and sources of emissions using a pie chart. This provides you with a clear and concise breakdown of everything you need to know about your company carbon footprint. Various purchases (e.g. paper, printer cartridges, mobile phones) were not included in this study. Data can be obtained from your suppliers. Your carbon footprint is: 449,790 Contributions to the company carbon footprint Total Water consumption Total SCOPE 1 Emissions 95,786 Reduction Outsourced 0% Total Employee Total Waste produced opportunities logistics commuting 1% Total Stationary combustion 80,800 0% 6% Total Stationary combustion Total Mobile combustion 14,986 Total Mobile combustion Total Other direct emissions Total Mobile Total Other direct emissions combustion Total Stationary 3% Total Electricity emissions Reduction combustion SCOPE 2 Emissions 192,720 opportunities 18% Total Stationary combustion Total Electricity emissions 192,720 Total Employee commuting Total Mobile combustion Total Outsourced logistics Reduction Total Other direct emissions SCOPE 3 Emissions 161,285 opportunities Total Water consumption Total Electricity emissions 128,865 Total Waste produced 29% Total Employee commuting 26,330 Total Outsourced logistics Total Employee commuting Total Water consumption Total Outsourced logistics Total Waste produced 6,090 Total Water consumption Total Electricity emissions 43% Total Waste produced Total Other direct emissions 0%

7 1 Interpretation The following conclusions can be drawn from the analysis above: 1. The highest impact is produced by the electricity consumption. Measures that the company can take to reduce the carbon footprint produced by electricity are: a. Upgrade lighting to lower electricity consumption bulbs b. Deliver staff training and awareness programmes to reduce electricity consumption c. Install electricity efficient technologies such as low energy motors 2. The next highest carbon footprint is due to business travel, especially by car. Measures that the company can take: a. Increase the use of teleconferencing b. Encourage car pooling c. Purchase hybrid or electrical cars 3. The last high contributor to the carbon footprint of the company is the gas for heating. Measures that can be taken: a. Improve thermal insulation of the building b. Change the source of heating to a lower carbon one (e.g. biomass)