FEATURE
CILITIES MANAGERS – E CRC REGULATIONS
increased alongside a greater understanding of efficiency technology, the role of a facilities manager has moved towards minimising consumption and costs wherever feasibly possible. Building Management Systems (BMS) and Energy Management Systems (EMS) have greatly assisted this process. Now, Carbon Management Systems (CMS) are increasingly necessary to provide the ‘real-time’ measurement and interrogation of carbon emissions. CMS uses the same raw data as BMS and EMS and even data outputs from those systems directly. It also allows the user to analyse other emissions sources that have not previously had a dedicated platform, such as waste, water and air conditioning gases. Such systems can provide a complete overview of all the resources consumed by a company for its activities and the output materials/ emissions which are produced as a result. Additionally, as CMS can be used to set targets and action plans against emissions data. This can be used by top level management to assess the ability of the company, its business units and individual teams to use its assets efficiently and effectively.
Organisations wishing to achieve and maintain significant reductions in carbon emissions will be reliant on facilities managers to realise those ambitions, especially if there is internal competition between departments and sites and transparent reporting. This can lead to pressure for the skills and expertise on facilities teams. The sudden demand for improvements must be supported financially and politically by management, particularly if measurement of other elements, such as business travel and courier transport, is to be incorporated. If such support is available, the investment in new technology and more efficient processes can benefit all.
FACILITIES MANAGERS AND THE UK CRC ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCHEME CRC applies a direct cost to every tonne of carbon emitted by an organisation and requires the amount of allowances to be budgeted for at the beginning of the year. The ability to forecast likely emissions is key to predicting allowance requirements and resultant financial costs. Incorporating the
impact of any reduction project into forecast scenarios, which can be done in CMS systems, is crucial to allowance purchasing and cash flow.
The monetisation of carbon through the CRC scheme can be the financial and legal argument needed for many of the projects facilities management may have wanted to implement for a long time. Projects which are encouraged by the CRC, for example the implementation of Automatic Meter Readings (AMR) which provide accurate and time-relevant meter
Case Study –
readings, could significantly reduce the time spent collecting and verifying data for the facilities manager. However, the publically available CRC league table could provide a new level of visibility of performance which can lead to additional pressure on a facilities manager.
Greenstone Carbon Management Limited is a specialist carbon solutions company – based in London, United Kingdom. For further information please visit
www.greenstonecarbon.com
Henderson Global Investors
Henderson Global Investors is a leading independent global asset management firm. The company provides its institutional, retail and high net-worth clients with access to skilled investment professionals representing a broad range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, property and private capital. With its principal place of business in London, Henderson is one of Europe’s largest investment managers, with £59.2 billion assets under management (as at 30 September 2010) and employs around 930 people world-wide. Lucy Stafford, Process & Development
Manager, Facilities, commented: “Henderson Global Investors takes the measurement and reporting of its carbon emissions seriously, with our first measurement and reporting undertaken in 2005. It was decided from the outset that the ongoing management of carbon emissions should reside with our facilities management department, which has ownership of almost all the data required for the measurement of our emissions. This way we have been able to assure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the measurement of our carbon emissions.” Recognising the oncoming regulatory environment surrounding carbon emissions and expectations for voluntary reporting such as the Carbon Disclosure Project, in 2009 Henderson adopted the use of a carbon management system (CMS). This has enabled the company to further assure the integrity of our measurement, and analysis by any
location and emission source to any specified time period, and demonstrating year on year granular performance with respect to its carbon emissions. Stafford added, “We have now come full circle; management of carbon has provided a new analytical perspective on our original core functions in facilities, including monitoring our performance with respect to waste management and managing other legal reporting obligations including the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Indeed, Henderson’s good practice on environmental management has been recognised by the Corporation of London; we have been presented with a top award year on year by the Lord Mayor of London at the Clean City Awards. We expect to continue to achieve wider benefits with the integration of carbon and environmental management.”
Although, facilities managers may be best placed to measure and manage an organisation’s carbon emissions, they cannot do it alone. They must have the support and funding from high level management but also the cooperation of those throughout the organisation to cover the behavioural aspects of carbon reduction, such as switching off equipment, lights and turning down radiators. CRC, although placing obligations on an organisation can be viewed in a positive light and be the catalyst for real improvements to people’s working environment and the performance of the company as a whole.
SUSTAINABLE FM | FEBRUARY 2011 |23
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