Climate Change Strategy

Annual greenhouse gas report to end March 2022

Introduction 

In 2019 South Ribble Borough Council declared a climate emergency, committing to the borough becoming carbon net zero by 2030. Within the borough, the council has an important role as a major employer, significant energy user and community leader in leading by example in reducing its own corporate carbon emissions.

This report provides an annual overview of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the councils estate and operations to the end of March 2022.  The GHG emissions have been calculated using guidance and emissions factors published by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Where UK emissions factors are not yet available the council has estimated carbon emissions using the methodology of One Carbon World, as used for the first detailed carbon footprint calculations for the period of 2018/19. The links to source material are provided as references below.

Results 

Table 1 - GHG emissions reported as kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2e).

*In April 2019 Chorley FCC began to operate from the SRBC depot, including supply of fuel from the depot.

**Despite the councils water usage increasing from April 2021, due to operation of the leisure centre,  the kgCO2e has decreased due to a significant reduction in the national conversion factors for water use and treatment.

***Well to tank is the energy usage in the fuel supply chain, ahead of the fuel being utilised by the council (including extraction, refining and transportation of primary fuels).

****Those staff employed in a shared service arrangement with Chorley Borough Council are classed as 0.5 of a post for the purposes of these calculations.

Table 2 - South Ribble Borough Council's operational scopes

Supporting Information 

Organisation Information

South Ribble Borough Council is responsible for providing a wide range of services to residents of the borough, those visiting the borough and to businesses operating within the borough.

The council serves a population of approximately 110,00 and has approximately 328 employees, either employed solely by SBRC or in a shared service agreement with Chorley Borough Council.

The carbon footprint boundary includes those activities under the operational control of the council, under Scopes 1,2 and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas protocol.

In April 2021 the operation of four leisure centres transferred back into council control and so the data for the year 21/22 includes the four leisure centres.  However, it is anticipated that in the coming year the emissions arising from the operation of the leisure centres will reduce significantly as a result of the heat decarbonisation works underway.

The council has received grant funding to undertake heat decarbonisation works at 6 of our largest energy using buildings within our estate:

• Civic Centre, Leyland
• Moss Side Depot, Leyland
• Leyland Leisure Centre
• Penwortham Leisure Centre
• Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre
• South Ribble Tennis and Fitness Centre.

During 22/23 these 6 buildings are undergoing works to remove mains gas as a source of heating, introduce new heating technologies and improve our use of renewable energy. In reporting years to come this reduced reliance on mains gas, and the resulting reduction in carbon emissions, will be evidenced.

In order to report the difference in emissions that these works provide, the energy use for these 6 buildings is given below, as a baseline for future greenhouse gas reports. This data has already been included within Table 1 above, so Figure 2 below represents the baseline energy use in the year preceding the heat decarbonisation works.

Reporting Period

For the period 2018/2019 One Carbon World calculated the annual GHG emission report for the council.

For the periods 19/20, 20/21 and 21/22 the council has undertaken these assessments internally, using the methodology and data provided by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Where this data does not provide for activities undertaken by the council (for example the use of engine oil and weed killer) then these have been estimated using the data and methodology of One Carbon World.  As the UK provides for the calculation of emissions from such goods, the Council will transfer to the use of the UK methodology and data.

Operational Scope

This report includes Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions resulting from the councils activities, including the use of fuels and chemicals

Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions, associated with the use of electricity. These indirect emissions arise as a result of the councils electricity consumption, but the emissions occur at sources not owned of controlled by the council.

The Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been measured for all properties and vehicles that the council owns and controls. Those buildings within the council estate that are rented out have been excluded from the scopes.

Scope 3 emissions are other indirect emissions, where the choices and actions of the council result in emissions occurring at sources not owned or controlled by the council, for example consumption of goods and waste disposal.

Scope 3 emissions are reported based on the availability of comprehensive and reliable data. The council will continue to improve the capture of GHG emissions data, which will allow for future enhanced reporting of Scope 3 emissions. For example, the original calculation for 2018/2019 did not include staff travel, water use and waste water.  These have been added from April 2020 to more accurately reflect the full range of activities and fuel usage. 

In April 2021 the councils leisure services transferred back to council control from a partner organisation. Therefore, from April 2021 our emissions calculations will also include these leisure services and their staff.

The activities / emissions included within these calculations are:

• fuels
• material use
• transmission and Distribution
• UK electricity
• water use and water disposal
• other waste disposal
• additional factors (WTT - well to tank related emissions) for fuels and electricity

Links to the precise methodology and data utilised are provided as references below, but as a guide the Greenhouse Gas equivalent (CO2e) emissions are calculated by multiplying the resources used during the reporting year by the relevant emissions factor for that year.

SRBC annual data x emission factor = Greenhouse Gas emissions 

All conversion factors used in this report are in units of kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2e).

Assumptions and / or Omissions

To maintain consistency of reporting the same assumptions are used in each of the accounting periods -

Emissions from waste production have been calculated over a 52-week period and using

0.5 tonnnes weight for a full 1,100 litre bin

Emissions from use of lubricant and hydraulic oils based on assumption that 1,149 litres weigh 1 tonne 

Emissions from use of organic compost based on 700 litres = 1 tonne.

Limitations of Assessment

To date, gas and electricity has been measured as a whole for the entire council estate.  In order to better understand our consumption and evidence the effect of future heat decarbonisation plans, this year's report also includes specific calculations relating to the use of energy at the Council's largest energy using buildings -

• Civic Centre, Leyland
• Moss Side Depot, Leyland
• Leyland Leisure Centre
• Penwortham Leisure Centre
• Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre
• South Ribble Tennis and Fitness Centre.

During 22/23 these 6 buildings are undergoing substantial works to remove mains gas as a source of heating, introduce new heating technologies and improve our use of renewable energy. In reporting years to come this reduced reliance on mains gas, and the resulting reduction in carbon emissions, will be evidenced.

Carbon offsetting

The council has not committed to the use of carbon offsetting, prioritising instead carbon reduction measures.

However, the council has delivered a programme to plant 110,00 trees across the borough - one for each of our residents.  Whilst this is not provided as an off-setting figure it forms an important part the councils response to the climate emergency and improving biodiversity across the borough.

Changes in Emissions 

Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions

When One Carbon World was employed to calculate the GHG emissions for the Council's activities for 2018-2019, the resulting report made the following recommendations:

1.'The amount of natural gas used is reviewed and if possible reduced. As natural gas is primarily used for heating purposes, there could be some very quick wins with a thorough audit of the system. On the back of the audit and identification of energy use over time, there could be better/more efficient methods to insulate Council buildings, improve heating systems, or supply alternative/renewable energy sources for heating, e.g. infrared panel heaters, air source heat pumps (ASHPs), ground source heat pumps (GSHPs), solar thermal, solar PV plus others'.

In 2020, the council was awarded a Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme round 1 grant of £145,004.  This has provided heat decarbonisation measures at the Civic Centre, Leyland including the installation of further solar PV panels, the installation of LED lighting, and the provision of an improved building management system, to allow for better energy control and efficiency within the building.

In 2021, the council was awarded a further grant under round 3 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, for the sum of £4,968,855.  These works will take place up to march 2023 and see the removal of mains gas as a heat energy source from the councils largest energy using buildings, including all of the lesiure centres.  They will improve the energy efficiency of the buildings and increase our use of renewable energy sources.  It is anticipated that this will have a significant impact upon the councils carbon footprint from April 2023 onwards

2.'The amount of diesel/petrol used is reviewed and if possible reduced. On the back of a thorough audit and identification of diesel/petrol use over time, better/more efficient use of vehicles can be achieved through planning to reduce journey numbers. Also, more and more hybrid and electric vehicles are available in the marketplace with much lower emissions. By phasing out over time vehicles that run on diesel/petrol and replacing them with vehicles that use hybrid technology or that are electric powered, South Ribble Council will be able to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations (and potentially reduce fuel costs)'.

The council has a rolling programme to replace end of life fleet vehicles with electric vehicles, where technology allows.

The council is working to ensure that as our electric vehicle fleet increases, we have the infrastructure installed to meet this changing demand.

3.'To effectively monitor the Carbon Footprint of South Ribble Council over time, it is also recommended that a relevant performance indicator is chosen e.g. tonnes CO2e per Employee.

4305.41 tonnes CO2e / 250 employees = 17.22 tonnes of CO2e per person per year.

      Other performance indicators could also be used, such as those based on financial data

e.g. KgCO2e per £, with the cost indicator linked to financial turnover and/or profit.'

This has been implemented as part of the data provided within Table 1 of this report, with the both options of total number of employees and full time equvialents (FTE)  provided to allow representative benchmarking

Carbon Emission Factors 

These are revised and published on an annual basis, for the calendar year. The annual Greenhouse Gas emissions depend not only on the resources used by the council, but the national emission conversion factors, which may change annually.  Links to the emissions factors are provided as references below.

Intensity Measurement 

We have taken the approach of measuring the councils emissions per total number employees, and also per full time employee equivalent so we are able to benchmark against other organisations, to learn from best practice and help others in making improvements within their own organisations.

Those employees classed as shared service employees with Chorley Borough Council will be classed as 50% SRBC employees, 50% Chorley Borough Council employees for the purposes of the GHG emissions calculations.