The Value Of Reducing Carbon Footprints Environmental Sciences Essay

The Value Of Reducing snow Footprints Environmental intuitions EssayThis report examines the belief and value of measuring and reducing a business or merchandise atomic number 6 mark as puff up some renewable energy systems procurable, that could channel to degree Celsius reduction and energy efficiency. Guides and legislation already exist. In anticipation of future developments, regarding sustainable practices and strict mandatory requirements for organizations and businesses, it is important to take action. Fin every last(predicate) t grey-hairedy, several renewable energy systems atomic number 18 presented and evaluated with recommendations for the companys building.IntroductionThe last three decades the detrimental human impact on the environment became the subject of extensive study. Today it is internationally admit that the extensive use of fossil displace and overexploitation of earths re informants has led us into an environmental crisis. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) e missions produced by the burning of fossil fuel ar the most threatening factor to Climate Change (IPCC, 2007). The international commitments concerning light speed reduction emissions, at the recent Climate Change Summit in declination 2009, show the need for quick and effective measures. To meet this challenge the fabrication and commerce sectors must similarly take action.Today the quantification and educateup of GHG emissions is expressed by the term Carbon Footprint. This report analyses the composition of a businesss Carbon Footprint in relation to its activities, products and properties. Moreover, its explained why this course of action is necessary and how it could benefit the totally business and its production dish up. Finally, some of the most typical renewable energy technologies be examined and suggested for the companys office premises located in Athens Greece.The definition of coke stair.Throughout time there were many attempts to define what a atomic numbe r 6 footprint is. Nowadays, the definition of Wiedmann and Minx (2007, p.4) is what is widely accepted The degree Celsius footprint is a measure of the exclusive total amount of carbon dioxide emissions that is directly and indirectly caused by an activity or is accumulated over the life stages of a product. This includes of individuals, populations, governments, companies, organizations, processes, industry sectors etc. Products include goods and services. In any case all direct (on-site, internal) and indirect emissions (off-site, external, embodied, upstream, downstream) need to be taken into account.The above reference to carbon dioxide ( carbon dioxide) emissions includes all six Kyoto Protocol (1997, Annex A) Green House Gases (GHGs). These gases, besides Carbon Dioxide, (CO2) are Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). They are all aggregated and quantified in tonnages of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). Th e conversion is based in each gass Global Warming Potential (GWP) over a period of 100 years. The GWP is defined as the relation impact of a GHG compared to Carbon Dioxide (CO2) over a given period of time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC) in its 3rd Assessment physical composition (2001) provides the values as well as the deliberation method.Carbon Footprint for business, companies and organizations.There are two types of Carbon Footprint for a business or an organization.Organizational carbon footprintProduct carbon footprintOrganizational carbon footprintThe Organizational carbon footprint is made up from all direct and indirect GHG emissions caused by the organizations activities (Carbon Trust, 2010).According to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions are divided into three scopes (categories) (WBCSD WRI, 2004).Scope 1 Direct greenhouse gas emissionsThese are emissions created by the organizations assets and productio n processes e.g. on site fuel use for production process, vehicle use for transportation of employees, materials, products and xerox, cold loses, oil and fuel leakages, physical or chemical processing etc. Generally, emissions resulting from the organizations activities.Scope 2 Indirect GHG emissionsEmissions created by the use of electrical energy, heat and steam purchased for in premises use of the company or organization. (The energy suppliers emissions).Scope 3 Indirect GHG emissions other than the Scope 2 categoryEmissions created from activities needed for the company to dish out but not made buy the company or organization itself. Extraction and transportation of raw material from suppliers, commuting of employees, transportation of fuel for use, recycling, waste transfer and disposal are examples of what is included in this category. Generally any product or service purchased by the company necessary for its production process except from electricity and heat (scope 2).Pr oduct carbon footprintThe product (goods or services) carbon footprint is made up from the emissions of its life cycle. This includes all the emissions generated from the declination of raw materials, manufacturing or service provision, use, reuse and finally its recycling and disposal as waste. Those emissions are generated similarly like the organizational carbon footprint by the use of energy, fuel combustion for manufacturing and transportation, and losses and leakages that emit directly to the environment like refrigerants, gases (methane) etc (Carbon Trust, 2011).Caution is necessary when calculations of both the organizational and product carbon footprint are made so as to not undercount or over count its quantity due to the complexity of these calculations.The necessity of carbon footprint calculation and reduction.There are many reasons why a business or organization should develop a management system for the reduction of its carbon footprint. As mentioned above there are two types of carbon footprint organizational and product (goods and/or services) Its noteworthy that the calculation of either or both footprints sets a reference point for the comparison and evaluation of progress made (Carbon Trust, 2010).Organizational carbon footprint reductionsThe organizational carbon management and reduction leave behind brighten the environmental burden of a businesss activities. Uncontrolled anthropogenic GHG emissions from usage of fossil fuel, deforestation, manufacturing, industrial procedures (steel, iron, cement production) and other activities thicken the greenhouse gas layer. This layer traps more re-radiated solar energy from the earths surface into the imprintest atmospheric layer the Troposphere. This results to global warming (Denman K.L et al, 2007).Furthermore the quantification of the carbon footprint helps managers and employees to recognize the areas which kick in the greatest say-so for further reductions and cost saves over time (Ca rbon Trust, 2010) .Another major reason is to report the reductions to third parties concerned with GHG emissions. According to the Carbon Trust Carbon Footprinting guide (2010), this should be done in order toDisplay social conscientiousness or for marketing purposesAnswer requests of businesses, customers, investors for carbon emission data immortalise compliance with mandatory climate change legislation such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) (2010) or European Union (EU) Emissions Trading organization (ETS) (2008)Provide information by the companys participation to initiatives that have a purpose to help organizations, investors, governments, consultants, academics and generally anyone concerned, develop energy and emission policies, reduce their carbon footprint and make research. An example is the Carbon Disclosure Project CDP (2001).To enforce a carbon reduction strategy or purchase or sell carbon offsets.Carbon Offset transactions are made based on the Clean Developm ent Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol (1997).Product carbon footprint reductions galore(postnominal) of the benefits from the reduction of the product carbon footprint result from the way these reductions take place. In order to reduce its products carbon footprint, the company should monitor and try to make changes to its whole manufacturing process. Emissions come from the whole life cycle of the product. Thus, reductions should be made in every stage of this cycle, to every input and output. Correct selection of materials and suppliers, product spirit and manufacturing and decreased energy consumption, are all key contributors to effective carbon management. As a result, aside from environmental benefits and reduced costs, the organization will ultimately drive change to the whole supply chain. Furthermore, develop better relationship with its suppliers and help them identify and reduce their own inefficiencies (Carbon Trust, 2010)There are likewise advantages for the marke t and public image of an organization. Public conscience and awareness about environmental friendly practices and sustainability has grown notably the past two decades. The reduction of a products carbon footprint can enhance a brand name and attract more customers and shareholders (Carbon Trust, 2010). This is a result of the differentiation from other products, which have not yet developed carbon management programs or have bigger footprints.Current common practice and approach to calculation, reduction and publication of carbon data is by the use of the GHG Protocol and Publicly obtainable specification (PAS) 2050 for organizations and products respectively. Independent validations and awards for greenhouse gas emissions denote transparency of the organization, could attract interest and provide reassurance to stakeholders. dogging progress is necessary for both the organizational and product carbon footprint in anticipation of future (and stricter) legislation and tougher com petition.The companys carbon footprint.An indication of the companys carbon footprint in Athens Greece, can be given by the annual energy consumption of its building. In 2010 the energy consumption of natural gas and electricity was 225230kWh and 379125kWh respectively. The Greek Regulation of Building talent Performance in table B.1 (2010, p.5336) gives values of 0,989kgCO2/kWh for electricity and 0.196kgCO2/kWh for natural gas. This means, that approximately 419 tones of CO2 per year are produced by the companys office premises alone.Renewable energy technologiesRenewable energy comes from natural sources abundant in our environment. Solar, wind, rain, waves, heat from earth and newly produced organic material are all used to provide zero carbon energy. The most common applications are passive solar designs, solar p baking hotovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, biomass heating, ground source heating and wind power generation. Other Low Carbon technologies such as absorption cooling and combined heat and power (CHP) can as well be incorporated with the use of this technology. Considerations should be made relative to different building types and locations as well as costs.Passive solar designs use the buildings design and structure (orientation, design, shading, window glazing and thermal insulation) to store or deduct heat and provide dissemination. The basic concept is to optimize the direct use of the energy available from the buildings environment. Although best casefuled for new buildings, existing could use some of its concepts. The benefits from such an application include better working environments, less temperature fluctuation, natural air ventilation and less dependence and use of mechanical means for heating and lighting. This results to, increased productivity, low maintenance, higher asset value, lower energy bills and emissions (SEEDA).Photovoltaic systems, convert solar radiation to electricity. The systems consist of a set of PV cell panels, in verters and wiring. PV cells are made from semiconductor material abundant in earth like silicon. The panels can be installed in either the roof and/or sides of a building, or directly on the land. The effectiveness and efficiency of such an application depends a lot from the available area, its orientation as well as from the shading of neighboring buildings and other obstacles. They have low maintenance requirements, long warranties and even longer life expectancy. let off they have high initial capital costs. These systems are mostly recommended when correct conditions like lighting, orientation and available area exist and/or grants from governments. It is anticipated that briefly these systems will be highly competitive due to fuel price increments and continuous evolution and optimization of the technology (SEEDA). For a 750Kwh /year system prices ordinary at 6000 minus any grants and tax returns that may exist.Solar thermal piddle heating, is a system, installed on roofs, that collects the suns radiation to heat a non corrosive (antifreeze and water mixture) liquid. This liquid runs through a coil in a water cylinder and transfers its heat to the water (Menzies, G.F, 2009) The Carbon Trust (2005) reports that approximately 60 % of hot water demand could be covered by solar water heating. Its considered one of the most effective and cheap solutions for carbon reduction and cost savings. Menzies (2009) reports 1-3% carbon reductions for commercialized applications sized to cover 50% of hot water demand.Biomass heating, uses boilers that burn organic material from plant and animal matter to produce heat, fuel or electricity. The system typically consists of a furnace with piping that transfers heat for space or water. It is considered as carbon neutral because the CO2 and CH4 are part of the active carbon cycle (accumulated from plants and animals recently and now put back in nature, unlike the carbon emitted from the burning of fossil fuel which was out of the system for millions of years)( Menzies, G.F 2009). Biomass Boiler fuel comes cheaper than electricity, oil, LPG heating (Menzies, G.F, 2009). More so, flexibility to convert to heat, fuel or electricity is also a plus. Still, high initial costs, space requirements for fuel storage and availableness of suppliers should be carefully considered. Its typically best for businesses with organic byproduct material as result of their industrial process and/or for longer hours of operation than usual. payback periods usually range from 3 to 9 years depending on the replaced system ( Carbon Trust, 2011)Ground Source heat pumps, use the relatively constant clandestine temperature, for space and water heating purposes. These systems are not considered carbon neutral (but low carbon) because, pumps use electricity or gas to convert the gathered low level heat to useable high-grade. Still carbon reductions could be substantial for non domestic applications especially if used for the whole heating demands. Carbon reductions of 14%-27% and 16%-23% have been reported for new build and retrofit applications respectively though, 100% demand coverage may be impossible for large buildings (Menzies, G.F, 2009). One the downside these systems have high initial capital costs for installation or retrofitting. Generally, they difficult to apply because of the required ground surveying, long piping, large collectors and empty space (Carbon Trust, 2005). run up power generation, comes from the conversion of wind energy to electricity or kinetic energy (wind mills, water pumps) through wind turbines (Menzies, G.F, 2009). They come in varying sizes to suit energy demands. The viability of this option depends largely on wind speed, direction, as well as fitted wind data and lack of obstacles. Noise and vibration should also be taken in consideration (SEEDA). For roof applications there could be prohibiting building regulations or planning permissions needed (Carbon Trust, 2005 ). Their initial cost as well as the high probability of obstacles (e.g. neighboring buildings) and unpredictable wind patterns, of most urban locations makes the investment unsuitable for most buildings. On the contrary, well chosen sites with sufficient meteorological data could be highly energy efficient and lucrative plus enhance the company profile.Application to the companys buildings in Greece.The Greek Ministry of Environment Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) (2009), reports that Buildings in Greece are responsible for 36% of the domestic energy use. This waste of energy happens, due the lack of use of modern technologies, the old age of most buildings and the lack of legislation concerning insulation standards (up until recently).Moreover, electricity in Greece is the most carbon intensive energy, produced mainly by coal and lignite. This means, that by saving electricity or using an alternative energy source (renewable or other fossil fuel such as natural gas), has the gre atest authorisation for CO2 emissions reduction. Furthermore, extensive sunshine periods make the use of solar energy a very efficient sustainable practice.The companys offices in Athens Greece (3600m2, 95 employees) are considered a mix of a naturally ventilated open plan and air-conditioned standard type (Action Energy, 2003). An investment for a 40kWp solar PV system as well as a solar hot water system of 8m2 (500lt) would result to emission reductions of approximately 15% (Appendix). These, combined by passive solar upgrades (insulation, window glazing, sunshades) could achieve an even greater reduction of CO2 emissions.Overall the use of renewable energy sources, will upgrade the energy performance certificate of the companys building, enhance its public image, asset value and reduce costs (after the investment payback period).ConclusionsAs outlined above, sustainable practices are not only an pledge towards our environment and future generations. The incorporation of carbon management systems and renewable energy sources is actually an investment which will yield profits for all areas of the production and commercial process. Furthermore, this course of action is anticipated to be adopted generally and enforced legally. Thus, it is clear that its in a businesss interest to develop sustainable low carbon development strategies and policies as soon as possible.List of referencesAction Energy, (2003) Energy Consumption Guide 19 Energy use in offices. Revised Edition. capital of the United Kingdom Carbon Trust available at http//www.carbontrust.co.uk/Publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=ECG01 9 viewed on 20/02/2011.Carbon Trust, (2005) young and Renewable Energy Fact Sheet (GIL137). London Carbon Trust available at http//www.carbontrust.co.uk/Publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=GIL137 accessed on 17/02/2011.Carbon Trust (2010) Carbon footprinting The next step to reducing your emissions (CTV043). 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