Scope 3 Emissions Management-Commercial Facilities
Assessing Scope 3 Emissions for Buildings- Challenges and Solutions
51% of India’s top 100 listed companies disclosed their Scope 3 data for FY23 despite it being a voluntary disclosure in the BRSR: PwC India Report
The measurement and reporting of carbon emissions have been widely embraced across various business sectors. Reporting on carbon emissions, establishing baselines, achieving emission reductions, and benchmarking have become integral to contemporary responsible business policies and practices. The preservation of the environment is widely acknowledged as fundamental to the principles of sustainability at individual, societal, and regional levels.
The UNEP reports that the building and construction sector contributes approximately 37% of global carbon emissions. According to an IEA report in 2023, in 2022, building sector emissions represent around a third of total energy system emissions, including building operations (26%) and embodied emissions (7%) associated with producing materials used for their construction. Out of the total global emissions, 8% accounts for direct emissions from buildings, while 18% stems from indirect emissions linked to the production of electricity and heat used in buildings.
The facility manager is responsible for assessing and improving the skills of facility team members, who are integral to the effective execution of building services operating procedures and practices in alignment with the sustainability principles endorsed by business owners and property stakeholders. Moreover, the facility service team has access to the field metering regime, which enables them to derive insightful analytical observations essential to the sustainability program.
- Why is accounting for Scope 3 emissions necessary?
According to the CDP Technical Report (June 2024), Scope 3 emissions make up over 93% of total emissions in the Real Estate sector. However, reporting Scope 3 carbon emissions presents a formidable challenge for facility owners and service providers.
2. Recognise the Challenges –
3. Corporate Management of GHG emissions
4. Standards to refer to
5. Facility Management Carbon Management in Value Chain of Building Infrastructures (Ref. EN 15978)
6. Solutions to look for
Facility Management plays a crucial role in proactively managing environmental impact. This includes establishing clear boundaries, setting key performance indicators, selecting appropriate calculation methodologies, and conducting insightful historical and future projections analysis.