Carbon-Caring Corporates
What can you do to make your office as environmentally friendly as possible? Dr Shelley Zhou explains how to create a true eco-office.
If your company is looking to move offices, you might ask how you can make your new office a green one. If you are a pioneering architect, you might choose to design interiors with a low-carbon approach. If you are a facility manager at a large organisation, you may execute office renovations so that they comply with LEED for Commercial Interiors, for more energy-efficient operations.
If you are an HR manager, you may encourage staff to implement sustainable and green practices by advocating the use of office resources and equipment more wisely.
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Tackling climate change via your expertise in planning, design, construction, operation or management is possible. But how exactly can you convert your premises into a sustainable one? Current Certification Schemes What do sustainable premises mean? Currently there are internationally and locally recognised rating and labeling systems on the market.
US Green Building Council launched its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for Commercial Interiors (CI) in 2005. LEED-CI is the green benchmark for tenant improvements of new or existing office space. It is an integrated design tool that sets the industry standards for green design and construction of tenant improvement projects to enhance the indoor environment. It is also a widely recognised system for certifying high performance green interiors that are healthy productive places to work; are less costly to operate and maintain and have a reduced environmental footprint.
LEED-CI gives the power to make sustainable choices to tenants and designers who do not always have control over whole building operations. It covers seven areas such as sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regional priority.
Claimed benefits of LEED-CI include:
- Enhancement of occupant well-being and productivity
- Improvement of employee retention and reduction in absenteeism
- Reduced liability associated with poor indoor air quality
- Increased marketability
- Decreased churn costs
- Lower operating and maintenance costs
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| In April 2009, Hong Kong’s Environment Bureau launched a HK$450 mil funding scheme with HK$150 mil for energy-cum-carbon audits and the other HK$300 mil for energy efficiency projects for buildings. |
Reputed to be one of the most prestigious award schemes locally, the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE), started with the “Environmental Labels” and “Sectoral Awards” in 2008. The former recognises those who have achieved specific targets in waste reduction, energy conservation, improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and improving product environmental attributes, while the latter grants awards to organisations with outstanding environmental performance overall. Earlier this year, the HKAEE introduced new “Carbonless” Certificates to reward organisations that have reduced their carbon footprint.
In July 2008, the Environmental Protection Department and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) launched the “Guidelines to Account for and Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Buildings of Commercial, Residential or Institutional Purposes in Hong Kong”. This guideline is to assist companies and organisations that have signed the Carbon Reduction Charter and have become “Carbon Audit Green Partners” by conducting carbon audits on their buildings. The drive to cut Hong Kong’s carbon emissions gained momentum in April 2009 when the Environment Bureau launched a HK$450 mil funding scheme with HK$150 mil for energy-cumcarbon audits and the other HK$300 mil for energy efficiency projects. The “Carbon-less” label was developed to support these government schemes and to encourage buildings and office-based organisations to achieve a verified reduction in carbon emissions. Applicants must demonstrate carbon reductions of at least three percent to obtain the certificate.
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| Waste management and recycling are important steps for reducing your carbon footprint. |
These ratings or certification schemes show us that a green approach to interiors begins at the design stage, while a low-carbon office should be achieved via carbon management. To convert your premises into a carboncaring and climate-friendly one, you should consider green design, construction and operations; measure all project aspects using a carbon language by applying international standards, integrating carbon-conscious concepts, measurements and offsetting.
Green Interior Design
The four categories used to evaluate a premises’ level of sustainability at the design stage are:
Energy Performance
To increase the levels of energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions; and to reduce energy consumption and the economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.
Materials and Waste
To facilitate the reduction of waste generated by occupants and thereby lessen one’s impact on landfills.
Water Usage
To reduce water usage and increase water efficiency within the premises, reducing the burden on municipal waste supply and sewage treatment and reducing the electricity used for water processing and wastewater treatment.
Innovations
To encourage innovative design to achieve optimum carbon reduction.
Best Operation Practices
Low-carbon best practices in the premises need top management’s commitment, staff engagement and most importantly, a change in mindsets to a low-carbon one. Best operations involve the following seven areas:
- Low Carbon Commitment
- Training and Communications
- Energy Use
- Paper Use
- Waste and Recycling
- Green Purchasing
- Green Transport
Carbon Management
This is used to quantify the premises’ design and operational practice in terms of carbon footprint. It includes carbon footprint measurement, carbon footprint reporting and carbon reduction through offsetting. Carbon footprint is a “measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced measured in units of carbon dioxide”. International standards include GHG protocol and ISO 14064.
Why Carbon Offsets?
Carbon offsets help you to balance your own contribution to global warming by funding greenhouse gas reduction projects. With carbon offsets you can balance 100 percent of emissions that you cannot eliminate through conservation. Funding such projects also creates green jobs, reduces health and life hazards created by industries such as coal-mining and re-establishes balance in communities that have been negatively affected by carbon emitting industries or climate change. Converting your premises into a carbon-caring one or turning it into a climate-friendly one is a long journey.
However, any “one small step for a man” could make “a giant leap for mankind”. Why not start with a green design followed by the best operation guides, as well as, a good carbon management strategy? Each movement could show your willingnness to make an effort in tackling climate change. We should all contribute to this cause for the sake of saving the planet.
Dr Shelley Zhou, is Senior Consultant for Carbon Care Asia and the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Sustainability Consultant.
