Carbon Reduction Plan
Our Commitment to Achieving Net-Zero
Ensigna Construction Ltd. is committed to achieving Net-Zero by 2040.
In line with the UK Governments Procurement Policy Note 06/21, Ensigna is taking active steps to report, reduce and offset our operational and whole life carbon emissions. Our carbon reduction plan is at the forefront is of our new 5-phase sustainability action plan with the aim to adapt Ensigna to the needs of tomorrow’s construction industry.
Our carbon reduction plan is reviewed by senior management every 12 months to determine the appropriate strategic direction needed to further reduce our scope 1, 2 and those scope 3 emission sources applicable to our business.
Our Baseline Emissions Footprint
Ensigna’s carbon emissions baseline has been set at 2022. This was the first year where our scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions and carbon reduction plans were reported publicly.
Our baseline emissions are a record of greenhouse gases that were produced from previous projects and business activities prior to the introduction of Ensigna’s carbon reduction framework. Data for this baseline emissions record was extrapolated in the 2022 reporting year. Our baseline emissions acts as the reference point against which reduction in our current emissions reporting can be measured.
Our Current Emissions Reporting
| Baseline Year: 2022 | |
| Additional Details relating to our Baseline Emissions calculations.
There has been no prior reporting or disclosure of scope 1, 2 or 3 emissions or other environmental impacts. As a result, the baseline year was set to 2022, under two considerations; Firstly, there was sufficient data that could be extracted from various business records (i.e. invoices, bills and work plans) to give a more accurate carbon footprint estimate than previous years. Secondly, 2022 was determined as an appropriate baseline year as supply chain and workforce were not as influenced by the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown restrictions and supply chain disruptions. Our Scope 3 baseline emissions was calculated using guidance from the GHG protocol’s Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions. Our scope three emissions include staff commuting, waste generated in operations, water use. Our scope 3 baseline emissions record excludes upstream and downstream transportation and distribution. Ensigna operates as a principal construction contractor, meaning downstream transportation and distribution is not applicable to our business operations. Going forward carbon emissions from upstream transportation and distribution shall be reported when measuring embodied carbon. Staff commuting in private vehicles were calculated using the distance-based method as described in GHG protocols’ Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions category 7: Employee Commuting. Data from Distance travelled per day from residence to office and modes of transport used were extrapolated via staff travel surveys. The number of working days where staff commuted to work was extrapolated using HR records of holiday leave, given consent by staff member. |
|
| Baseline year emissions: 2022 | |
| EMISSIONS | TOTAL (tCO2e) |
| Scope 1 | 219.86 |
| Scope 2 | 6.8 |
| Scope 3
(Sources exclude up and downstream transportation and distribution) |
507.8 |
| Total Emissions | 734.46 |
Emissions Reduction Targets
Ensigna is committed to its aim of becoming net-zero in carbon emissions by 2040. This principal aim is supported by a series of ambitious targets set in our Emissions Management & Net-zero environmental program. All targets are developed from findings of our current Emissions Reporting year and approved by our senior management.
Our Scope 1 & 2 Emissions Targets
- 70% of our business activities to be conducted on electric equipment by 2025, including our vehicle fleet, plant and other equipment on our sites and facilities.
- 80% of electricity we use on our projects and purchased is from low carbon economy sources, by 2026.
- 30% of our business activities to become circular by 2026.
- Reduce overall emissions by 12% by 2024.
Our Scope 3 Carbon Emissions Targets
- Ensure our project delivery takes a whole life carbon view, following UKGBC Net Zero and RICS Embodied Carbon guidance methodologies, measuring carbon reduction against BREEAM methodologies by 2024.
Carbon Reduction Initiatives
In an effort to reduce our overall scope carbon emissions, Ensigna have produced a 5-step carbon reduction framework to tackle the main identified sources of our operational carbon emissions. The schemes are detailed below and subject to review.
‘Switch it off’ Campaign – Staff are encouraged to lower carbon intensity in our offices and on our sites by switching off and unplugging electric equipment or lighting when finished using them.
No Idling Campaign – Our Drivers and machine operators are encouraged to turn off their engines when stationary for long periods of time.
Go electric scheme – To reduce our scope 1 emissions, we are encouraging our workforce, subcontractors, and suppliers to opt for electric battery powered options on our projects.
We also encourage our workforce and suppliers to check the condition of equipment and that battery capacity is at least 80% in regular checks.
Combined with our assessment to implement low carbon economy options (i.e. use of solar equipment and generators) in our projects where possible, we can increase energy from renewable sources.
Our ‘Smarter’ Scheme
We are introducing our ‘smarter’ initiatives to tackle embodied carbon emissions from work-force travel and other logistics operations. From smarter travel to smarter logistics to reduce our upstream transportation and distribution emissions.
Think Circular
Introduction of Ensigna’s 9R’s circular economic framework to promote, reduce, reuse and recycling principles into our procurement policies and waste management, which will endeavour to help reduce embodied carbon emissions from our supply chain.
Our Management System
Away from our 5-step Carbon Reduction Framework, we are currently working towards developing our Environmental management system to achieve the ISO14001 accreditation. This includes introducing organisational procedures to monitor, manage and control of environmental aspects that result in emitting Greenhouse Gases.
Our planning procedures for construction projects consist of Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs) that considers controls to minimise operational and embodied carbon emissions while exploring opportunities to offset or sequestrate carbon.
In the future we hope to implement further measures of:
- Ensure our project delivery takes a whole life carbon view, following UKGBC Net Zero and RICS Embodied Carbon guidance methodologies, measuring carbon reduction against BREEAM methodologies by 2024.
- Achieving the ISO 14001 certification for our Environmental Management System as well as aiming for the ISO 14064-1 accreditation.
- We aim to set Science based targets for our carbon reduction plan using the sectoral Decarbonisation method approach, we aim to have these targets approved by the SBTi.
Declaration and Sign Off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been completed in accordance with PPN 06/21 and associated guidance / reporting standards from GHG protocol’s Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 1/2/3 Emissions, Encord’s Construction CO2e Measurement Protocol, UKGBC Net Zero and RICS Embodied Carbon guidance methodologies for Carbon Reduction Plans.
Emissions have been reported and recorded in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the GHG Reporting Protocol corporate standard and uses the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas company reporting.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, and the required subset of Scope 3 emissions have been reported in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard.
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and signed off by Ensigna’s Managing Director.
Signed on behalf of Ensigna Construction Ltd:
Adam Marley,
Date: 5th of April 2023