A Carbon-Neutral Vision
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A carbon-neutral vision drives SERA Architects to track office-wide carbon emissions data
SERA Architects is approaching their goal to become a model carbon-neutral office by studying their carbon-producing actions, reducing as much carbon production as possible and then offsetting the rest.
In this process, SERA has identified their three largest carbon-producing activities on a per-employee basis as employee transportation (25 percent), business transportation (24.1 percent) and office supplies (21.2 percent).
How to Begin
SERA began like most offices, trying to navigate their first steps. "We all knew about green tags, but didn't know where to go from there," explains Michael Miller, Job Captain.
SERA began like most offices, trying to navigate their first steps. "We all knew about green tags, but didn't know where to go from there," explains Michael Miller, Job Captain.
SERA first secured employee & senior management support and chose a vertically integrated team to define and attain their goals. "People like being empowered to make the office better," says Clark Brockman, Associate Principal.
The team enlisted the support of the Oregon Natural Step to complete a backcasting exercise (the process of defining a vision for the future and identifying steps to get there). The process brought all employees into alignment.
"We took the time up front to see what we wanted our future to look like. We all own that picture," says Brockman.
They found The World Resources Institute's "Working 9 to 5 on Climate Change: An Office Guide," to be a helpful planning resource. The guide outlines seven steps for adopting carbon neutral practices in office environments.
Next Steps
SERA needed to determine the scope of the activities they would track and measure. Many businesses can look at this simply as:
SERA needed to determine the scope of the activities they would track and measure. Many businesses can look at this simply as:
1) Direct activities (business flights, energy consumption, employee commute trips, garbage and recycling volumes),
2) Indirect activities (their chosen vendors' practices, choices in office products), and
3) Activities within the business' scope of influence: the product they produce or service they provide, and options for customers to make good decisions.
SERA set their scope broadly and decided to tackle all three categories.
Once SERA had collected data it was time to calculate emissions. Businesses can log on to a green tag calculator with their measurements and input data like number of trips and energy use to translate to emissions.
Persevere
"This is not a task that can be done on your lunch hour," says Bonnie Bruce, Senior Interior Designer. "You have to take it in small steps. Do your homework, be diplomatic and educate from within."
"This is not a task that can be done on your lunch hour," says Bonnie Bruce, Senior Interior Designer. "You have to take it in small steps. Do your homework, be diplomatic and educate from within."
Source: City of Portland, Office of Sustainability
