CASE STUDY: ISS
Creating a roadmap to Net-Zero for a UK Government Department
Our customer, a UK government department, set itself the challenge to achieve true Net-Zero across its property portfolio.
The department required a strategic review of their current performance and, looking forward, how to achieve Net-Zero carbon emissions.
Caring for people, places and our planet
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is a UK government department which is responsible for business; industrial strategy; science, research & innovation; energy & clean growth; monitoring climate change.
In 2020, BEIS turned its sustainability remit inward, challenging itself to achieve a Net-Zero target across its property portfolio and operations. The starting point was the head office in Westminster.
Whilst BEIS fully understand their energy consumption and relative scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, the scope 3 emissions are less well defined. Setting a true Net-Zero emission target required all three scopes to be understood, have a pathway to reduction and actions to reduce emissions.
Mapping the emission footprint
ISS led a review of the scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in order to create a Net-Zero baseline for BEIS; a pathway to Net-Zero was then created with detailed plans on the route to emission reductions. ISS developed the strategy in line with the baseline established in the phase 1 work by the ISS team at BEIS .
The strategy took the customer from the initial data and compliance review, to a robust glidepath to Net-Zero emissions. The study involved constant communication with the client and internal departments and teams to capture and collate key scope 3 data such as procurement, resource use and expenditure.
Ursula Sparrow, Head of Sustainability- Commercial and Operations Directorate, BEIS, said:
“ISS provided us with an excellent service from start to finish. They conducted clear and thorough reports and recommendations which will be extremely valuable to BEIS in mapping out our pathway to Net-Zero. As well applying their expertise and experience, I was impressed by their high level of engagement with us throughout the project.”
Energy audit and decarbonisation
ISS completed a full energy audit and identified key decarbonisation projects to reduce operational emissions. The results provided a fully costed package of solutions to reduce energy and associated GHG emissions.
Next steps in our sustainable partnership
The planned next steps are to continue to support BEIS and their Partner Organisations to identify and deliver opportunities and plans across the client’s estate.
Our Account team continues to support BEIS with the delivery of expert projects, which include a key estate LED installation. This saw 3,595 LEDs replacing 5,263 standard bulbs across 1 Victoria Street (BEIS head office in Westminster) alongside remodelling of an innovative lighting controls system which is projected to reduce site electricity by 14% – or just under 200 tCO2e per year.