Antaris’ greenhouse gas emissions have reduced significantly since our 2018 baseline. Achieving a 50% reduction in our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 will be challenging. We have identified measures that can be taken to improve our performance and are actioning them.
The scope 3 emissions that we have identified so far are an order of magnitude greater than our scope 1 and 2 emissions and have reduced significantly. However, this was in large part due to COVID-19 and we need to take steps to ensure they do not rebound.
Context
In 2021, Antaris set a near-term science-based target to reduce our absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 50% by 2030, from a base year of 2018.
When these targets were validated by the SBTi, TMS consultancy T/A Antaris Consulting was one of only 26 Irish companies committed to SBTi and one of only 7 Companies in Ireland with targets set to meet 1.5 degrees C target. Antaris signed up for the Science-based targets to show climate leadership and to practice what we preach.
Our greenhouse gas emissions inventory has been compiled following the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and Scope 2 Guidance.
Status of emissions
Our training and consultancy activities give rise to scope 1 emissions from the heating of our offices (gas boiler) and scope 2 emissions from grid-supplied electricity (power and lighting) (reported as location-based and market-based). Our market-based scope 2 emissions are zero as we source zero-emission electricity from our electricity supplier (Energia).
We are reporting on our company-wide scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory and progress against published targets for the years 2021 and 2022.
We have committed to measure and reduce our Scope 3 emissions. We are taking an incremental approach to expanding the scope of the 3 emissions measured. Even so, based on the emissions already measured from Scope 3 we can see that emissions arising from business travel are larger than our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
Results
| Year | Scope 1 | Scope 2 (market-based) | Scope 2 (location-based) | Scope 3 | Total tCO2e |
| 2018 | 2.2 | 0 | 3.5 | 26.3 | 32.1 |
| 2020 | 2.4 | 0 | 2.4 | 18.3 | 23.1 |
| 2021 | 4.1 | 0 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 11.6 |
| 2022 | 1.4 | 0 | 1.7 | 11.1 | 14.2 |
Our scope 1 emissions arise from natural gas combustion for heating. Our emissions appeared to increase in December 2021 however this was due to a misreading of the gas meter. Therefore, the gas usage is overestimated in 2021 and underestimated in 2022. We have taken steps to ensure more frequent meter readings are taken to avoid this happening in the future.
Our scope 2 (market-based) emissions are zero as we purchase zero-emissions electricity from Energia. However, we are still working to reduce our electricity consumption. Our electricity bills are largely based on estimated bills and that is why there are negative usages, where the actual meter readings corrected the estimate. We have taken steps to ensure more frequent meter readings are taken to avoid this happening in the future.
Discussion
Factors material to emissions
Our scope 1 emissions are entirely due to heating water for hot water and space heating. To reduce the amount of fuel used to heat water we can take steps to reduce the heat demand and ensure that the heat generated is used efficiently.
We are investigating ways to reduce heating demands in the medium term. In the longer term, we need to decarbonize our heat source. i.e., move to a heat pump instead of a gas boiler.
We are based in a Georgian redbrick townhouse which was built in the 1830s. This is a protected heritage structure.
The building contains three businesses. One of the businesses has relocated, leaving the basement offices empty. The lack of computer equipment and bodies may be contributing to a higher heating requirement. The adjoining building is currently vacant. We expect that when the building comes back into use (and is heated) losses through the party wall will reduce, lowering the heating load requirement. Our Georgian building has original wood sash windows. These windows are single-glazed. We are located in a listed heritage building so replacing the windows with double-glazed PVC windows is neither desirable nor legally permissible.
We will investigate how the building fabric can be improved to reduce heat losses within the constraints of the heritage-protected building. We will also look at how we can better manage the heat demand through better zoning and timing of the boiler operation. To do this we will get an energy survey completed for our building identifying energy efficiency improvements.
Our scope 3 emissions
Antaris has committed to measure and reduce our scope 3 emissions.
The largest scope 3 emissions identified is business travel, i.e. employees travelling in their own car to client sites. Other business travel emissions arise from hotel nights and flights.
Potential solutions
We are working to reduce the amount of travel to client sites required. We are doing this by offering remote visits. We are also trying to match the economic and environmental incentives so that where the client requires on-site visits, they pay an additional amount for travel costs.
We are also working to incentivise public transport and active travel. We are investigating how we can ensure that driving is not the most financially attractive option for our consultants, or at least reduce the gap in expenses paid between taking public transport and driving a car, recognizing that public transport may be less convenient.
| GHG Protocol Scope 3 categories | |||
| Included in annual figures? | 2018 (baseline) | 2021 | 2022 |
| Category 1 – Purchased goods and services | N | N | N |
| Category 2 – Capital goods | N | N | N |
| Category 3 – Fuel- and energy-related activities | N | N | N |
| Category 4 – Upstream transportation and distribution | N | N | N |
| Category 5 – Waste generated in operations | N | N | N |
| Category 6 – Business travel | N | Y | Y |
| Category 7 – Employee commuting | N | N | N |
| Category 8 – Upstream leased assets | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 9 – Downstream transportation and distribution | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 10 – Processing of sold products | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 11 – Use of sold products | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 12 – End-of-life treatment of sold products | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 13 – Downstream leased assets | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 14 – Franchises | N | N/A | N/A |
| Category 15 – Investments | N | N/A | N/A |
Actions taken to date
We already purchase electricity on a zero-emission tariff.
We have some energy efficiency measures in place (PIR lighting etc.)
We also have an energy efficiency behaviour change programme in place with posters reminding staff to turn off machines, lighting etc. when not in use.
Actions for the coming year (2023)
Improve energy use monitoring better by taking more frequent meter readings.
Commission an energy efficiency audit for the building.
Investigate whether the attic insulation is of sufficient depth.
Examine ways to reduce travel emissions including reducing incentives to choose a car over public transport.
Expand the categories of relevant scope 3 emissions that we measure and take steps to reduce them.
We have set up an ESG committee to drive progress against our GHG emission targets. The ESG team will be tasked with identifying measures that could be taken to reduce emissions and to bring them to the board for consideration/approval.
Growth
We have plans to grow as a business. We want to ensure that our growth does not cost the planet. We are therefore planning to grow and decarbonize concurrently. We are aware that this makes the task of decarbonising more challenging.
Conclusion
We have reduced our overall greenhouse gas emissions considerably compared to our 2018 baseline. However, much of this is due to travel restrictions from COVID.
We’re currently off track to meet our near-term SBTi target which commits us to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030. Our scope 1 emissions are relatively static. We will need to take significant measures to achieve this.
Our identified scope 3 emissions are an order of magnitude larger than our scope 1 emissions.
The largest impact we can have to reduce emissions is to avoid travel as much as possible. This should be our priority focus.
