Reducing carbon emissions

Reducing carbon emissions

 

Cutting the carbon

In our estate

NG Bailey owns most of the offices we occupy.  We measured our estate carbon footprint in 2008 which provides the benchmark for our target to cut our emissions by 20 per cent by 2012. We continue to embed sustainable change into our business through improvements to physical assets, and the skills and behaviour of our staff.  Regular staff engagement on sustainability and raising awareness of its importance through energy champions; energy-efficiency ‘league tables’, and targeted internal communications. 

Throughout our own estate we have integrated energy efficiency measures through the implementation of recommendations arising from energy audits.  We have also identified and implemented opportunities to integrate renewable energy into our business.

For example we have integrated solar thermal heating into our locations in Bradford, Denton, Strathclyde, and Reading, and biomass heating at our grade one listed office, Denton Hall. 

We have also initiated a roll out of smart metering across our estate enabling the consolidation of our estate wide energy use.  In 2011 we also consolidated our London based locations by taking a lease at Derwent London’s Angel Building, which is a BREEAM ‘Excellent’, with highly enhanced energy efficiency measures and biomass heating.

Transport

Throughout 2010/11 we have made various improvements to our vehicle fleet, including the trial of electric-powered vans which eliminate tail-pipe emissions that cause bad air quality.

In addition, developments to our IT infrastructure, such as an expansion in video conferencing have contributed to a five per cent reduction in the company’s total mileage.

Our Facilities Services division made significant progress in 2010/11 through starting to implement a vehicle tracking solution which optimises fuel efficiency and route planning for our fleet vehicles.

We continue to reduce the carbon profile of our fleet.  The average profile of our fleet now stands at 130.6g/CO2/km, a 4.7 per cent reduction compared to the previous year, and represents a 13 per cent improvement since we set our CO₂ reduction targets.

Construction site activity

NG Bailey aims to reduce the emissions that it contributes on site. Cutting the emissions of our site activity helps reduce both costs and environmental impacts for both ourselves and our customers. In 2010/11 we implemented our eco-friendly on-site accommodation cabins which are 40 per cent more efficient than standard alternatives and the winner of two industry awards. Judges praised the cabins for their outstanding eco specifications and for the innovative and strategic thinking that was put into their design. The cabins boast higher insulation values, intelligent lighting and energy metering.

During the year we also introduced a range of tools and equipment which supports our ‘Target 2012’ goals.  This equipment has been highlighted on our internal plant catalogue and enables these tools to be easily identifiable.  For example, we introduced a low energy tasklight in 2010/11 which cuts energy demand for lighting by 85 per cent.

Our carbon footprint

Our total carbon footprint, including identified scope 3 emissions relating to the delivery of our services totals 15,497 tCO₂e.

In 2008/9 we established a baseline footprint comprising of scope one and two emissions against which we aimed to target reductions.

In 2011 as part of our internal audit and review a thorough review of our carbon footprint took place.  This identified that our initial baseline was understated by approximately 400 tCO₂e and was re-stated accordingly as 9,923 tCO₂e.  The below chart shows our carbon footprint relative to the scope defined in our baseline year (including all scope 1 and 2 emissions and scope 3 business travel emissions).  Our corporate target is to reduce emissions by 20 per cent from this baseline.  At the end of 2010/11 reductions represent a 13 per cent decrease in emissions.

The pie chart below illustrates CO₂ emissions according to the three scopes of emissions as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Protocol.

 

 

The diagram below illustrates the boundary for NG Bailey’s carbon footprint, and represents what elements are included and which are not.

 

 

Internal Audit

We have performed a high level audit of the figures relating to carbon emissions in this report.  In our opinion, these figures have been calculated in accordance with the relevant guidelines published by Defra and The Environment Agency, using appropriate source data and assumptions.

Nick Carney, Head of Internal Audit