Corporate Greenhouse
Gas Emissions Report
1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014
Disclaimer: While great care is taken to ensure that the information reported is accurate, it is
possible that the data contained in this report has a small margin of error due to the complexity
of the information required for this task.
Revision
1.0
Description
Amended GHG calculations for bio-diesel consumption for corporate
fuel use.
Date
December 2014
Amended additional tonnes of offsets required for 2013/14
emissions to meet target of no net emissions above the 2011/12
baseline emissions.
Front page image: 28 kW solar PV installation on the roof of Mill Park library. This will reduce reliance on brown
coal fired electricity generation by approximately 37 MWh (37,000 kWh) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
50 tonnes per year. This is the equivalent of the annual average electricity consumption of 7.5 homes in the
municipality.
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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Contents
Organisation Information................................................................................................................. 4
The City of Whittlesea .................................................................................................................. 4
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target ............................................................................................... 4
Greenhouse Emissions Reporting Method ...................................................................................... 5
Reporting Methodology ............................................................................................................... 5
Corporate Emissions Boundary .................................................................................................... 5
Reportable Emissions ............................................................................................................................ 5
Non-Reportable Emissions .................................................................................................................... 6
Emissions Offsets ......................................................................................................................... 7
Total Carbon Footprint ..................................................................................................................... 8
Comparison to last year ............................................................................................................. 10
Emission Reduction Measures ....................................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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Organisation Information
The City of Whittlesea
According to the latest City of Whittlesea demographic statistics, the forecast population of the
municipality in 2014 is 186,368, a 4% increase on the estimated population for 2013. By 2036,
this figure is forecast to grow to 333,702, and a projected 160 people (approx.) will move into
the municipality every week between 2014 - 2015.
Providing infrastructure and delivering essential community services to keep ahead of the
expected growth is challenging, and as a result, the services provided by Council are growing
rapidly each year. A program of appropriate planning and management of resources is critical in
meeting this challenge.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target
The City of Whittlesea’s corporate greenhouse gas emissions target is that:
Council will uphold a zero net increase in its annual greenhouse gas emissions levels to 2022,
based on 2012 levels.
The target sets an expectation that Council’s net emissions will be held at their 2011/2012 levels
despite the continued and substantial increase in services and facilities needed to keep pace
with the population growth in the City of Whittlesea. Achieving this goal will require substantial
energy efficiency activities plus the purchase of greenhouse gas emissions offsets.
Adjustment to Baseline Figure
In order to provide a more complete and accurate 2011/12 baseline figure, an adjustment was
necessary in the calculations used to determine the GHG emissions for electricity, gas, vehicle
fuel consumption and fugitive emissions from air-conditioning units. This adjustment will not
materially affect the net change in emissions from the baseline year to this reporting period nor
the amount of off-sets required for purchase to meet Council’s ongoing greenhouse emissions
purchasing commitments.
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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Greenhouse Emissions Reporting Method
Reporting Methodology
Council calculates its greenhouse gas emissions accounts in accordance with the requirements
of the National Carbon Offset Standard for preparing a greenhouse gas inventory, and reports
these results annually.
The inventory, including the definition of the corporate emissions boundary, is based upon both
the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination and the Standard
AS ISO 14064.1 – 2006. Detailed information regarding the collection of data and reporting
process is outlined in Council’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Framework 2012-2015.
Corporate Emissions Boundary
The greenhouse gas emissions attributable to an organisation are categorised as Scope 1, 2 or 3
emissions, as defined by the National Carbon Offset Standard:
Scope 1 Emissions:
Scope 2 Emissions:
The release of greenhouse gas as a direct result of activities at a facility.
The release of greenhouse gas as a result of centralised electricity
generation that is then used for conducting organisational activities.
Scope 3 Emissions:
Greenhouse gases emitted as a consequence of organisational activities
but created at another facility.
Reportable Emissions
Council’s reportable greenhouse gas emissions have been determined to include the following:
Scope 1 Direct emissions
 Transport Fuel Usage: unleaded petrol, LPG, diesel and bio-diesel used in fleet
and other Council vehicles.
 Stationary Fuel Usage: use of natural gas to heat buildings, hot water and pools
for facilities within Council’s operational control, and unleaded petrol and diesel
used for plant and Council vehicles not used for transportation.
 Fugitive Emissions: hydrofluorocarbon emissions during the use of refrigeration
and air-conditioning equipment in buildings and vehicles.
Scope 2 Indirect emissions
 Grid Electricity Usage: electricity used in buildings and public/minor lighting
where Council has operational control.
Scope 3 Indirect emissions
 Grid Electricity Usage: electricity used in buildings and other facilities where
Council has financial control.
 Natural (town) Gas usage: use of natural gas to heat buildings and other facilities
where Council has financial control.
 Street Lighting: electricity used for street lighting.
 Staff business travel: fuel combustion for business travel in staff vehicles (Home
Care Services), flights, use of public transport, taxi use and hire cars.
 Staff commuting: fuel combustion for staff travel to and from their place of work.
 Contractor vehicle use: fuel combustion for the operation of vehicles by
contractors conducting Council business.
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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




Disposal of Council waste: emissions from waste produced from Council’s
buildings.
Reticulated water use and disposal: emissions resulting from the purchase and
treatment of water for use within Council buildings, or for irrigation of
parks/reserves.
Office paper: use of paper within business operation.
Fossil fuels: emissions attributable to the extraction, production and transport of
fossil fuels.
Electricity: emissions attributable to the extraction, production and transport of
fuel burned at generation of electricity, and electricity lost in transmissions and
distribution network.
Non-Reportable Emissions
The following emissions are considered outside of the emissions boundary, due to their low
materiality and/or an inability to gather complete and reliable data:
Scope 1 Direct emissions
 Municipal waste operations. (Not owned by Council.)
Scope 3 Indirect emissions
 Emissions from the transport of purchased products/materials.
 Embodied emissions of other supplies and services.
 Municipality Residential and Commercial emission contributions.
 Petroleum based lubricants.
 Off-site and open space annual events.
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Emission Factors
The emission factors used for the consumption of electricity, gas and transport fuels have been
sourced from the National Greenhouse Accounts Factors July 2014, and are as follows:
Table 1. 2013/14 Emission Factors
Source
Electricity
Gas
Diesel
Unleaded
LPG
Bio-diesel
Scope 1
51.33
2.69
2.29
1.57
0.118
Water
Paper (recycled)
Paper (virgin)
Scope 2
1.18
Scope 3
0.15
3.9
0.2
0.18
0.14
0
Total kg
CO2-e / unit
1.34 kg / kWh
55.23 kg / GJ
2.89 kg / L
2.47 kg / L
1.7 kg / L
0.12 kg / L
1.4
3.8
3.25
1.4 kg / m3 water
3.8 kg / kg paper
3.25 kg / kg paper
Emissions Offsets
In 2013/14, Council purchased renewable energy through the Green Power program for its
streetlights, offsetting 827 tonnes of CO2-e (6.6% of emissions), and through the Greenfleet
program, off-setting 1,000 tonnes of CO2-e of fleet emissions (55.2% of emissions). An additional
3,500 tonnes of Tasmanian forest off-sets were purchased to maintain the emissions target of
zero net increase from 2011/12 levels for the 2012/13 financial year.
A further 3,118 tonnes of CO2-e was purchased in early 2014/15 to meet Council’s emissions
target of zero net increase from 2011/12 levels for the 2013/14 financial year. Due to the
adjustment in the consumption of bio-diesel in the corporate fleet, any offsets required for the
2014/15 financial year will need to reflect the amended amount of total emissions in the
2013/14 financial year.
A variety of sources will make up the offset requirements to meet the GHG target for the
2013/14 financial year. The purchase of GreenPower for electricity used in buildings was phased
out at the end of 2012/13, and the last contract to purchase Green Power for streetlights will
terminate in December 2014, therefore the total offsets purchased via this arrangement is less
than in previous years.
Corporate vehicle emissions from fuel use will continue to be offset through the purchase of
Greenfleet offsets. All additional offsets to meet Council’s target of zero net increase from
2011/12 levels will be purchased as per Council’s GHG Reporting Framework.
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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Total Carbon Footprint
The total resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for all reportable corporate
activities, and the associated off-sets are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. City of Whittlesea GHG Emissions 2013/14
Emission Source
Natural Gas
Transport Fuels - corporate
Fugitive Emissions
Electricity - buildings & facilities
Electricity - Street Lighting
Transport Fuels - contractors
Staff Commute
Reticulated Water
Business Travel of Employees
Waste
Office Paper
Total Tonnes CO 2-e
Operational offsets pruchased in 2013/14
Additional offsets purchased for 2012/13
2013/14 Net Emissions - Tonnes CO2-e
2011/12 Baseline Emissions - Tonnes CO2-e
Additional offsets to be purchased for 2013/14
Additional offset cost at $12/ton
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
Scope
1&3
1&3
1
2&3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Amount
49,646 GJ
739 KL
122 kg
7,049 MWh
9,293 MWh
790 KL
661,572 km
255 ML
677,819 km
119 T
18,369 reams
Tonnes
CO2-e
2,742
1,813
241
9,446
12,453
2,255
1,304
357
205
137
69
31,021
1,827
3,500
25,694
23,023
2,671
$32,057
8
The proportional contribution of each emissions source is depicted in F IGURE 1. A little more
than 70% of Council’s emissions come from the consumption of electricity for streetlights and in
Council buildings.
Figure 1. Proportion of Total Emissions by Source
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Comparison to last year
In 2013/14, Council’s total CO2-e emissions increased a little over 4.5% over last year’s
emissions, from a gross amount of 29,641 tonnes CO2-e in 2012/13 to 31,021 tonnes CO2-e in
2013/14; Figure 2 & Figure 3 show the changes in each emission source.
Figure 2. 2011/12 - 2013/14 CO 2-e Emissions
CO2-e Emissions
2011/12 - 2013/14
13,000
12,000
11,000
10,000
Tonnes
9,000
2011/12
8,000
2012/13
7,000
2013/14
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Electricity - Street Lighting
Electricity - Buildings & Facilities
Emissions from electricity used for streetlights increased by 3.2% compared to the previous
year, however, streetlight numbers increased during the period, and there was also a 1.5%
increase1 in the emission factor used to calculate CO2-e emissions from electricity consumption.
Emissions from electricity used in buildings increased by 4.4% over the previous year. This
increase can largely be attributed to the following factors:




1
5 additional kindergarten rooms at existing sites
a new kindergarten and FAC at Epping Views commencing operation in 2013/14
Youth Services at Westfield being charged for electricity consumption as of the
2013/14 year
1.5% increase in the emissions factor, as for streetlights.
1.34 kg per kWh in 2014 compared to 1.32 kg per kWh in 2013
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Figure 3. 2011/12 - 213/14 CO 2-e Emissions
Emissions from gas usage in Council buildings decreased by 3.3% compared to 2012/13, after
increasing compared to 2011/12. The periods July - Oct 2013 and May - June 2014 were warmer
than the previous year, a contributing factor in the decrease.
The increase in emissions from contractor fuel use can be attributed to larger contractor fleets
servicing more than 3,000 additional houses and providing maintenance services, and increased
time spent in traffic, all factors resulting from the growth in the municipality.
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Emission Reduction Measures
The activities completed in 2013/14 with emissions reduction outcomes are shown in T ABLE 3.
Table 3. GHG Emission Actions and Savings
Annual savings
Action
Electricity
Tonnes
CO2-e
Installation of Solar PV System on Mill Park Library
A 28 kW solar PV system was installed on the Mill Park library which
will reduce their consumption of coal-fired electricity by a projected
36,800 kWh pear year, and will pay itself off in a little over 7 years.
$5,000
49
$5,400
50
$5,300
52
$21,100
186
$13,000
97
$49,800
434
Lighting upgrades in Mill Park, Lalor and Thomastown Libraries
Lighting upgrades replacing halogen downlights with energy
efficient LEDs in all three Council libraries will provide significant
electricity savings and reductions in CO2-e emissions.
Stage 1 PRACC Lighting Upgrade
Replacing almost 400 halogen downlights and metal halide lights
with energy efficient LEDs will reduce electricity consumption by
more than 38,000 kWh and have a pay-back period of less than 6
years. The bulk of Stage 2 PRACC Lighting Upgrade is expected to be
completed before Christmas.
Improvement in HVAC systems & Hot Water Service - Mill Park and
Thomastown Libraries
Adjusting the HVAC temperature set points and times of operation,
and improving the operation of the HWS will have a marked
reduction in the amount of electricity used to operate these units in
the two libraries.
New HVAC system installed in Lalor library
The new system will realise substantial savings in electricity
consumption and CO2-e emissions.
Total
In addition to the actions shown above, other projects with longer implementation times have
also been initiated:

The replacement of approximately 7,000 street lights commenced in early 2014, and will be
rolled out over the next three years. The expected savings through reduced electricity
consumption, and the reduction in CO2-e emissions will be substantial from 2014/15
onward.

Vehicles with idle-stop engines and fuel efficient diesel engines have been included in the
corporate fleet, and price incentives for to encourage the adoption of more fuel efficient
Corporate Greenhouse Gas Report 2013/14
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cars have also been introduced, in accordance with actions identified in the Fuels Emissions
Reduction Plan.

Council is also limiting the greenhouse gas emissions impact of new facilities by
incorporating a range of ESD features into the design of new buildings, such as:
o Passive design features:
 use of natural light
 clerestory windows for natural ventilation
 control of heat through north and west facing windows through shading and glazing
treatments
o Energy efficiency initiatives:
 automatic lighting controls
 solar hot water services/heat pumps
 smart HVAC (heating and cooling) systems which operate only when spaces are
occupied
 energy efficient lighting
 installation of solar PV systems on existing and new buildings.
Future Emission Reduction Measures
Recently conducted energy audits on 29 Council offices and facilities have identified additional
energy efficiency measures to be undertaken in future years. These efficiency measures will also
achieve substantial energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings.
Conclusion
Total greenhouse gas emissions from corporate operations increased by a little over 4.5% in
2013/14 compared to the previous year. Increased emissions from electricity consumption
represent a large proportion of the growth in emissions over the previous year. However,
considering the population growth in the municipality and the commensurate increase in staff
and services required, and the increase in the emissions factor used to calculate CO 2-e amounts,
the rise in emissions from electricity consumption can largely be accounted for.
In addition, some variance in year–to-year emission levels is to be expected, taking into
consideration average temperatures differences, changes in staff behaviour and aging
equipment.
Increased emissions in the operation of existing buildings indicate more opportunities for
energy efficiencies to be made. Further installations of solar PV systems, additional energy
efficient lighting, HVAC adjustments/upgrades and gap sealing will contribute to future energy
savings, reducing corporate emissions.
The increase in emissions from fuel consumption represents a larger proportion of the increase
in emissions over the previous year. However the increase in the contractor and corporate
heavy fleets may account for this increase, as a result of the growth in the municipality and the
increased service requirements.
While all care is taken with the accuracy of the information used to produce the report,
corporate emissions reporting will continue to be refined as methods of data capture and
reporting improve.
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