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Reduction of Greenhouse Gases

Encouraging employees to use public transit through "CarboPOINTs"

Submitted by Karin Savoye on July 20, 2009 - 08:52.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
Fondaction
Location: 
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

Since the fall of 2007, a certain number of Montrealers who use alternative modes of transport for their daily commutes have found themselves rewarded for their efforts. By choosing more environmentally-friendly ways of getting to work, these people are earning special points in the "CarboPOINT" program, perhaps the most distinctive element of the sustainable transport plan adopted by Montréal's Carrefour financier solidaire (CFS).

The CFS, which consists of eight social and economic development institutions (the largest of which is Fondaction, the CSN workers' fund), has found an innovative way to promote sustainable transport among its 130 employees and encourage them to leave their cars at home when coming to work.

CarboPOINTs are calculated according to the likely reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that results from the type of alternative transport chosen by an employee. Whether it be public transit, carpooling or more physically active ways of getting about (such as cycling or walking), every participant in the program gets something out of it, since CarboPOINTs can be redeemed each year in exchange for outdoor gear or gift certificates for fair trade products.

There are also several other measures aimed at encouraging employees to use alternative transport, such as 50% reimbursements on monthly transit passes, reserved indoor parking for carpool drivers, and free bicycle tune-ups each spring.

The range of measures introduced by the CFS lets participating employees "do their part" for the environment while also helping them to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

Implementation: 

The CarboPOINT program was introduced in 2007 by Fondaction and Neuvaction, another organisation at the CFS. Not only is the program designed to increase the number of employees using alternative means of transport, but it also aims to raise awareness among participants regarding climate
change issues and the need to modify their lifestyles by opting for alternative transport. As well, the system collects information on the commuting habits of CFS employees and allows for greater accountability.

A "charter" detailing the CarboPOINT system and its basic principles has been carefully developed and a copy given to each participating employee. In addition to stating the program's mission and objectives, the charter explains how data is entered, how CarboPOINTs are calculated (i.e., according to mode of transport used and distance travelled between home and work), how the points are earned and redeemed, and how the system is
administered.

The CarboPOINT system is hosted on a web-based platform, which allows participants to enter information on the type of transport they use to get to work. This can be done on either a daily or weekly basis, and the information is entered in the form of percentages (e.g., "On Mondays, 80% of my commute is on the métro and 20% is on foot"). Each component of the trip is then given a "weight" and CarboPOINTs are calculated automatically. The platform also produces reports that, first, detail how an employee's CarboPOINTs can be redeemed and, second, provide information on the accountability
of the various institutions involved.

The program offers a wide range of rewards in the form of gift certificates for local products and services offered by businesses that are supported by the organisations at the CFS.

Challenges and Solutions: 

The CarboPOINT system itself was designed using relatively few resources. However, the web-based platform -- which supports the system, auomatically collects employee data and produces specific reports -- requires major investments in time and resources, particularly when first being installed.

Given that the proper functioning of the CarboPOINT program relies on the participants acting in good faith, it might be advisable to introduce a monitoring mechanism to verify that the information submitted by employees is in fact correct.

Results: 

In 2008, 46 CFS employees participated, some of whom accumulated an annual CarboPOINT balance equivalent to $250, the maximum amount offered in the program.

Thanks to these efforts, we reduced our GHG emissions by more than 20 tons last year. For 2009, we hope to cut GHG emissions by 25 tons.

The CarboPOINT initiative was honoured at the third Gala de reconnaissance en environnement et développement durable de Montréal, held earlier this year in April.

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"Eco-responsible" Event Planning for the Agropur Managers’ Annual Meeting

Submitted by Optim Ressource... on May 25, 2009 - 08:49.
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About
Location: 
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

The Agropur Managers’ annual meeting took place in October 2008 at the Marriott Hotel in Montreal.
160 participants came from various places in Canada and the US. The whole day was taking place at the hotel and was a succession of conferences.

The central topic of the meeting being sustainability, Agropur had decided to organize an ecoresponsible, and possibly carbon neutral, event.
The program and the location of the event were already decided. It was still possible though to collaborate with the hotel to understand the ecoresponsible practices already in place and to adjust the menus and the recycling equipment. It was easy to calculate and compensate GHG emissions, reduce paper and gifts supplies and raise participants’ awareness on sustainability issues.

Optim Ressources is accredited by the Conseil Québécois des Événements Écoresponsables for this type of consulting service.

Implementation: 

A detailed analysis of the event’s different components (location, food, transportation, energy, gifts, decoration, communication tools) was led with Agropur’s organizer in order to identify the most significant opportunities.

The hotel was contacted in order to get a full picture of all the measures contributing to sustainability and to identify new measures that could be implemented.

Three priorities were chosen for the Agropur event, taking into account constraints related to the location, the corporate culture and the managers’ expectations regarding ecoresponsibility:

1. Reduce resources consumption and waste, by using less packaged goods, recycling and redistributing food surplus
2. Reduce and compensate GHG emissions generated by participants’ transportation
3. Favor responsible consumption, giving priority to local or fair trade food, requiring less transportation and contributing to Canadian or developing world economy
Participants were informed before and during the event about the ecoresponsible measures.

Challenges and Solutions: 

• Change practices while respecting corporate culture
An ecoresponsible event needs to fulfil the company’s objectives in priority. In this case, it had to be prestigious, educational and to ensure an excellent employer image. Some consumption habits could not be changed, the place had to be high end, those criteria being well anchored in the company culture.
Therefore, many soft but significant initiatives (less printing, no water bottles, local meat and food, etc.) were an excellent way to improve the sustainability balance sheet of the event. They prove to participants and company top management that they by no means undermine the quality of the event. They also prepare the ground for more radical choices in the future.

• Commit partners, in particular the host of the event
A meeting of this type is constrained by the hosting place, which has its own policies, practices and equipment. It is therefore very important to value what is already in place and to identify with its owners new measures that will bring them benefits, either in terms of reputation, competencies, etc. Some initiatives, like composting, might need more time to get organized and might not be ready in time for the event. However, it is useful to start the dialogue between the hotel and a charity to set base for a future collaboration.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• Mobilisation of organizers and employees
• Reduced environmental impacts of the event
• Additional contribution to local economy (food, Planetair)
• No additional cost for Agropur
• Learning process for Agropur since all events organized by the communications department now systematically include ecoresponsible measures

Results: 

The following measures were adopted :
1. Reduction and collection of waste
• Water, juices and other drinks (including milk and cream) served in carafes
• Minimal document printing and systematic use of recycled paper and vegetal ink, no printing of menus or day schedule
• Collection of nametags at the end of the day
• Exclusively reusable dishes
• Recycling bins for paper, plastic, aluminum available in every room
• Donation of food excess to a charity or to the hotel employees

2. Reduction and compensation of GHG emissions
• Suggestions made to Quebec employees to car-pool
• Choice of a downtown location for the meeting and accommodation
• Calculation and compensation of GHG emissions due to transportation *

3. Sustainable consumption
• Revised menu to include local food or at least North-American (the meeting being held in October, the local food available was not as varied as in the summer), Quebec cider, apple and cranberry juices
• Fair trade tea, coffee and sugar
• Company gift made of recycled material

4. Awareness-raising to SD
• The central topic of the meeting being SD, several guest speakers were invited to present their achievements
• In his opening speech, the master of ceremony explained the measures in place and their importance to the company
• A poster listing all initiatives was placed at the door
• Participants were informed after the meeting of the GHG compensation results

* Concerning GHG compensation, a large majority of participants had to travel by plane to the Montreal meeting. Some others based in the Quebec province could car-pool. Two approaches were used :
• Quebec participants were asked to travel together if possible
• Emissions were calculated during the meeting and compensated
The compensation project had to fulfill several requirements : the funds had to be used for a Canadian project, preferably for energy efficiency improvements. Several organizations were contacted and CarbonZero was chosen as an energy efficiency project for low-income housing in Quebec.

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Tomato greenhouse heated with landfill gas: entering the carbon market

Submitted by Mathieu Régnier on March 17, 2009 - 13:10.
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About
Location: 
Québec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

In 2007, a new complex of greenhouses was built in the community of Saint-Étienne-des-Grès in the Mauricie region of Québec. Covering an area of five hectares, the complex uses a source of clean energy that helps to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are generated by more traditional forms of energy.

The greenhouse complex is heated by biogas (gas produced by the breakdown of organic materials) from an adjoining sanitary landfill site operated by the Mauricie waste management board, which gave the company exclusive ownership over all CO2 credits created by the project as well as the right to sell them on the carbon market. The application of this technology will in fact allow for the creation of voluntary carbon credits.

There are two advantages to the practice: i) the capture of methane from the landfill site prevents it from being released into the atmosphere; ii) the collected biogas is a source of thermal energy and serves as a replacement for natural gas, a fossil fuel.

Implementation: 

There are a number of steps involved in setting up a project to create GHG credits:
1) Design the project (conception);
2) Conduct feasibility and eligibility studies;
3) Choose an appropriate methodology for reducing GHGs, or develop such a methodology (Canadian Standards Association and its Carbon Accounting and Management Standards [ISO 14064-1, 2, 3]);
4) Develop a Project Idea Note (PIN);
5) Draft a Project Design Document (PDD);
6) Obtain approval;
7) Negotiate a contract to purchase credits;
8) Select a registry and register; 8) Implement an ongoing audit and certification system;
9) Sell carbon credits through a broker.

The third step mentioned above is of particular significance; the chosen methodology sets out in detail how the project should be carried out and specifies both the recording requirements and the main physical parameters to be measured. In this case, the methodology focuses on the flow and temperature of the captured gas as well as a series of physico-chemical parameters to be recorded on an ongoing basis, all in an effort to ensure that the credits are valid for sale.

The governments of Canada and Québec have assumed a substantial portion of the costs involved in building an underground piping network and compression station and installing a water supply for the greenhouse.

Those interested in sponsoring such projects will be pleased to know that the Canadian government’s ecoACTION program is investing more than $3.6 billion in ecoENERGY initiatives aimed at making clean energy more accessible and affordable.

Challenges and Solutions: 

A significant amount of the company’s assets are tied up, as the greenhouse complex cost $18 million. However, the company has received federal and provincial government subsidies of $4 million and $2.1 million, respectively. The expenses incurred by the waste management board are also quite substantial for a small municipality.
Technical difficulties will arise if external experts are not brought in to measure the potential reduction in emissions.

Any project likely to generate carbon credits should establish benchmarks to determine its “additionality”, a term that indicates whether a given project will lead to a greater reduction in GHGs than would otherwise occur if it were not implemented. Current environmental legislation is often used to establish these benchmarks. In this case, such legislation may have included Québec’s Regulation respecting solid waste and the Regulation respecting the landfilling and incineration of residual materials. Given that this information could not be verified with the company, it is probable that the Saint-Étienne-des-Grès landfill site is not legally obligated to capture existing biogas or burn it off. In summary, to market carbon credits that represent the bulk of the returns on investment, the company had to demonstrate the project’s additionality.

Returns on investment may not necessarily materialise during the first year (as carbon credits will accumulate over numerous years).

Marketing the carbon credits involves various additional steps. Given that carbon market regulations are still relatively new and that procedural steps are rather complex, a sponsor of a GHG-reduction project will have to rely on external experts.

Results: 

The project has been beneficial to both the company and the community near the landfill site (reduction of odours). The environment has also benefited: the capture of biogas has resulted in a drop in GHG emissions equivalent to 56,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, and there has been a reduction in atmospheric pollutants such as chlorine and ozone compounds. This has had a positive impact on the area’s ecosystems and the health of residents in local communities. It is expected that the CO2 credits created will generate returns that compensate for the investment.

Indirect results:
More than 200 jobs directly created by the new complex.
The complex will allow the company to increase production and strengthen its presence in the U.S. market.

Other Examples: 

Numerous facilities in Canada use landfill gas to produce electricity and generate heat. The Environment Canada website provides a list of projects in its “Waste Management: Landfill Gas Overview” section.

La Mondiale encourages its employees to use alternative means of transportation

Submitted by World Forum Lille on February 4, 2009 - 14:28.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
La Mondiale
Location: 
FRANCE
Content
Summary: 

Going from home to work is what employees mostly do with their individual cars everyday, and it has a huge impact on human beings and the environment: CO2 discharge, floor sealing of the roads and car parks, crash risk, and so on. La Mondiale is concerned about the impacts the journeys of its employees has on the environment and on the neighbourhood. The company headquarters, where around 850 people work, is located nearby a subway stop.

Key Strategies:
Restricting car use.
Making the use of parking lots more rational, as they are neither numerous nor safe enough.
Clearing sidewalks and the streets around the building
Promoting the use of alternative means of transportation.

Implementation: 

• La Mondiale implemented a business trip scheme (« plan de déplacements d’entreprise » : PDE) in partnership with transport companies such as SNCF, Ademe, Ademn and Transpole. The latter already implemented its own “geographic localization” plan.

• The workforce got information over PDE’s stakes thanks to surveys, conferences during the “sustainable development week”, talks, training...

• Alternative means of transportation were offered to employees:
- An off-street parking is booked for carpool;
- The company pays half of Transpole travel card (bus and subway) and part of SNCF travel card (train). These are directly sent to volontary employees to promote public transport.
- A car park is booked for two-wheel vehicles, as well as showers and locker rooms for people walking or riding to the workplace.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• 29% of the employees gave up their cars, generating 29% less traffic.
• Employees save petrol.
• More harmonious relationships are developed with neighbours.

Results: 

• Human performance is boosted :
- Dialogue and team spirit
- Sense of general interest
- Pride to belong to the company
• Car-park fees are limited.
• Suppliers and customers are welcomed in a better way.
• Corporate image is strengthened.

Greenfuel produces biofuel from algae

Submitted by World Forum Lille on February 4, 2009 - 09:56.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
GreenFuel
Location: 
United-States
Content
Summary: 

Greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 emissions in particular are one of the main concerns when it comes to climate change. Greenfuel company has developed a bioreactor that can recycle flue gases and produce biofuel.

Producing a large amount of biofuel and recycling polluting gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide (NOx).

Implementation: 

Biofuel’s bioreactors are composed of transparent tubes that contain an algae-based solution. The tubes are put instead of smoke filters inside the chimney stack, so that polluting gases pass through.
Algae use the CO2 and NOx that are present in flue gases to ensure their photosynthesis.
They can remove up to 80% of poisonous compounds when it is a sunny day, and 50% when it is
cloudy.
Algae are then harvested, dried and converted to biofuel and methane.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• There is a reduction in the quantity of polluted gas emissions in the atmosphere

• The « manufacturing process » used for biofuels does not compete with food crops

• There are energy savings, as the bioreactors replace energy-guzzling smoke filters located inside the chimney stack.

Results: 

• The global industrial park that emits CO2 and NOx provides a future for bioreactors

• The high algae yield induces a greater production of biofuel compared to that of a harvest.

Condo Design that Reduces Residents' Ecological Footprint

Submitted by Rune on December 31, 2008 - 11:06.
in
About
Associated Group(s): 
Produktif
Location: 
Montreal, QC, Canada
Content
Summary: 

Maison Productive House (MpH), a condominium project conceived and executed by Produktif, re-builds 5 condemned city apartments and adds 3 new townhouses in Pointe St-Charles, a post-industrial, inner-city Montreal neighborhood. MpH offers efficient housing solutions based on the principles of Zero Emissions Design (ZED), that is, that the building’s green value be measured not only by the materials and energy used but the eventual ecological footprint of the residents who make use of the living spaces.

MpH is designed to enable residents to cut their individual ecological footprint by 60% or more compared to the current Canadian average, combining energy-efficient housing design with accommodations for alternative transportation and local food production.

Implementation: 

Enabling Alternative Transport

The Productive House site was chosen for its access to Montreal’s principal walking, public transport and cycling circuits. It is walking distance from Canal Lachine and the Atwater farmer's market with its water-front recreational and green park area, half a block from the Charlevoix metro station and bike paths linking to downtown Montreal, Verdun and La Salle, and Lachine.

The condo provides sheltered bike racks for its residents and two parking spaces dedicated to carshare vehicles of Montreal’s Communauto carshare service.

Lowered energy consumption for each resident:

Maison Productive House uses a combination of renewable energy systems and specifies energy conservation measures both in building materials and permitted appliances.

* Geo-thermal radiant floor heating
* Solar panels (Convection-tube solar collectors, etc)
* Passive solar design through the overall orientation of building mass
* High R-value materials, and low U-value fenestration
* Energy-efficient lighting and appliances (Energy Star appliances specified, LED-lighting, etc.)

Enabling Local Food Production On-Site:

The MpH is designed for residents who enjoy growing their own vegetables in urban green spaces. Shared gardens on site include fruit orchards and an herb garden, plus a rooftop greenhouse and garden that will produce fresh edibles, year-round. Private gardens include kitchen gardens in the backyard as well as growing space on balconies and in indoor solar atriums or Sun Spaces in each apartment unit.

Through innovative use of temporary and seasonal covers as well as age-old technologies such as cold-frames, the Maison productive House introduces multiple solutions to extend growing seasons with both summer and winter harvests. This innovation takes advantage of the relatively southern latitude of Montreal and the generous number of sun-days in this location, while taking measures to trap heat and protect growing areas against extreme temperature drops.

Waste Reduction:

Maison Productive House’s principal innovations center around recuperation of runoff and waste water for irrigation purposes.

Runoff rainwater is redirected to irrigate the rooftop gardens. In addition, Maison productive House collects and filters domestic greywaters from showers and basins and reuses them for toilet flushing. This initiative, combined with the use of water-efficient appliances and fixtures aims to reduce water consumption by 50%. This eases the strain on already overburdened municipal infrastructure as well as minimizes our waste of potable water.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

MpH will save the atmosphere an estimated 48 tons of CO2 each year, a 50% footprint reduction.

MpH will reduce municipal water consumption by 50% per resident.

MpH will generate locally-grown vegetables for its residents.

All above results need to be confirmed through post-occupancy monitoring.

Results: 

MpH is designed to save residents approximately 60-80% in heating costs.

Refurbished Modular Office Furniture – an Economical and Carbon-Light Practice by Liberté, Facilitated by Réseau Bureatique

Submitted by Brenda Plant on November 30, 2009 - 10:31.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
Liberté
Location: 
Québec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

Liberté was founded in 1928 and began producing cream cheese and cottage cheese in it’s first location on the corner of St-Urban and Duluth, in downtown Montreal. In 1964, the company moved to Brossard, just off the island of Montreal, and grew it’s production to include yogourt. Having established it’s brand and reputation in Quebec, Liberté now offers over 100 products including various types of yogurts, kefir, cheeses, sour cream and tofu which are distributed throughout Canada and the United States.

In 2008, due to a lack of space in the former office space, Liberté had decided to move offices. They were moving from Candiac, Quebec to St Hubert, and the new offices were going to require new furnishings. While the new building is not LEED certified, much effort was put into greening the space, including a refrigeration system that uses the natural cold of Quebec winters, and office refurbished furnishings. The former office furnishings had been custom made and were not going to be transferable, in addition, more work stations were going to needed. They were looking for something that was standardized and modifiable. They settled on refurbished modular office furniture from Réseau bureautique, a decision that saved them significant expenses (40% less than buying new), and significantly reduced their overall carbon footprint.

Implementation: 

At first, Liberté was thinking of buying new modular office furnishings for their new office space. They even looked at lower end desks and dividers, but found the disadvantage of that sort of solution was that there was no accompanying system plan that would allow for internet networks and the like. In addition, there would be no guarantee of the longer-term availability of the models chosen, and over time the office could end up looking pretty hodge-podge. It was decided that the higher-end furnishings were needed, perhaps even refurbished higher-end furnishings.

Liberté solicited 3 submissions from companies offering modular office furniture. They needed 28 workstations. Two of the companies offered new modular furniture, and one, Réseau bureautique, offered refurbished modular office furniture. The Coordinator of Sustainable Development at Liberté had heard the President of Réseau bureautique speak about their products at a conference on sustainability, which is why they were included in the request for submissions.

Liberté made the clear choice of going with the refurbished furnishings from Réseau bureautique. The decision was based on the cost, which came in at 40% less than buying new when the product quality and look were next to indistinguishable. The fact that this choice meant they saved 12 tons of greenhouse gas emission was a bonus.

Réseau bureautique came in with various layout plans; their products were very flexible and standardized, facilitating potential future changes and additions. Logistically, the Réseau bureautique solution worked very efficiently. The whole move was done over a weekend, and the offices had to be fully operational on the Monday morning. Réseau bureautique furnishings were pre-installed, and made that quick transition possible.

Liberté was offered a choice of materials with which the refurbished furnishings would be covered. The options included 100% post-fiber recycled fabrics. The ecological fabrics were priced at the same cost as the non-ecological fabrics, again, making the more environmental choice that much easier.

Liberté has since bought 4 new workstations and will soon be ready to buy more. They don’t even consider other suppliers anymore.

Challenges and Solutions: 

The whole move was done over a weekend, and the offices had to be fully operational on the Monday morning. Réseau bureautique furnishings were pre-installed, and made that quick transition possible. Réseau bureautique came in with various layout plans, their products were very flexible and standardized, facilitating potential future changes and additions. Logistically, the Réseau bureautique solution worked very efficiently for the open space office area.

For the closed office spaces, there were not a lot of options in the refurbished office furniture, so in the end, 10 additional desks were purchased new for the closed office spaces at Liberté. This was nonetheless made easy by the fact that the same supplier, Réseau Bureautique also supplied Liberté with new, made-in-Quebec desks.

In the case of Liberté, there was no psychological barrier to buying refurbished furniture. The cost savings spoke very loudly, and the quality of the Réseau bureautique offering was as good as new.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

Twelve (12) metric tons of CO2 were saved by getting 28 refurbished office workstations as opposed to if Liberté had purchased 28 new workstations. For more details on the calculation see: http://www.reseaub.com/calcenviro/index_en.html

Réseau Bureatique employs around 40 people, mostly coming from the socio-economically underpriviledged neighbourhood of St-Henry (Montreal), where the factory is located.

Results: 

The choice of buying refurbished modular office furniture from Réseau bureatique reslted in cost savings equal to 40% less than that which would have been spent on the equivalent furnishings from companies that offer new products.

Liberté now has a certificate from Réseau Bureautique that hangs in the front entrance of the office building attesting to the amount of carbon saved as a result of their decision to purchase refurbished over new. Employees are proud of the decision, and visitors are shown the certificate. This choice is also now mentioned in presentations on the company and the measures it has taken to become more sustainable.

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Transpole's buses runs on gas and biogas in association with the Communauté Urbaine de Lille

Submitted by World Forum Lille on February 3, 2009 - 20:03.
in
About
Associated Group(s): 
Transpole
Location: 
France
Content
Summary: 

Lille Métropole Communauté Urbaine decided, in the 1990‘s, to use for the first time methane gas from the fermentation of sludges processed in sewage treatment plants as a fuel for urban buses, to fight against air pollution and use local energy. The operation was led in association with Transpole, the public transport services operator. It aims at developing the bus fleet, converting it to buses only running on natural gas or biofuel.

- Limiting fossil energy consumption, as well as pollution.
- Limiting C02 emissions

Implementation: 

From 1994 to 1998, there was an experimental test on 7 buses. Natural gas and biogas from the sewage treatment plant in Marquette were used. It showed gas was price effective when compared to diesel. The test proved to be good for the environment (reduction in particle emissions by 95%, in nitrogen oxide by 71% and noise reduction by 50%) and the buses running on gas are reliable. These are the reasons why the Communauté Urbaine de Lille decided in 1999 to convert a third of its fleet (i.e. 100 buses) to buses running on gas.

Since 2005, new facilities have been (or are going to be) created to supply buses with gas and biogas
A new bus depot was built in Sequedin. 150 buses can actually park there, and they are fixed on site and assigned from there.
In 2008, the Centre de Valorisation Organique was created : it aims at producing biogaz from urban waste, and will replace the equivalent to 2/3 fuel consumption.
Surveys are being conducted to build a bus depot working on biogas coming from a sewage treatement plant.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• Reduction in C02, NOx and CO emissions
• The buses running on gas are less noisy (50%)
• The new buses are in compliance with the High Environmental Quality approach (HEQ) ; rainwater is recovered and water is recycled : 25l water are required to wash a bus instead of 300l.

Results: 

• Trying out and acquiring a specific know- how.
• The fuel bill when running on gas/biogas is equivalent to that of other fuels.
• The company shows it is a « green » public transport service operator; this induces an increasing number of runs on the network.

On its Spanish site, Roquette has made bicycles available to the employees

Submitted by World Forum Lille on February 3, 2009 - 19:15.
in
About
Associated Group(s): 
Roquette
Location: 
Spain
Content
Summary: 

At Roquette’s Spanish site, located in the small town of Benifaio (25 km from Valencia), the construction of new buildings resulted in a lack of parking space. To remedy this spot problem, the management made bicycles available to its employees.

To free parking space during the works.
To create new habits among the employees, to be maintained once the construction is finished.

Implementation: 

As the operation started, 113 people were contacted. Of these, 91 responded positively and got a bicycle. The only instructions were that they must be used during the construction work.
At the end, more than 50 % of the people concerned continue to use the bicycles for commutes inferior to 5 km.
This approach is perceived positively from the employees’ point of view as well as from that of the town inhabitants.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• Less pollution and fewer CO2 discharges

• Wellbeing, pleasure and health of the employees

• Reduced commute costs for the employees

Results: 

• Ecological and cheap solution to a parking problem

• Positive image of the company in its nearby ‘urban’ environment

• Less traffic jam

Rabot Dutilleul implements a system to cut business trips

Submitted by World Forum Lille on February 3, 2009 - 19:00.
in
About
Associated Group(s): 
Rabot Dutilleul
Location: 
France
Content
Summary: 

Site developments at national scale can make building workers move very far from home for a long period. The company, as a proof of its commitment in Social and Environmental Responsibility, has been brainstorming on that issue.

Cutting business trips for the 350 employees of the group.
Optimising the way work is assigned on the building sites in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Champagne Ardenne, Picardie, Ile-de-France and Lorraine.

Implementation: 

The company has developed a tool assigning workers to building sites in a consistent way. An internal software groups together all of the employees’ houses according to their jobs (form setters, crane operators, masons, scrap dealers,etc). The workers are assigned to the nearest site from their homes, according to the location of the building site.

A full-time employee controls the assignment of the employees on the various building sites, and optimizes the way the software is used.
In the same way, local employment procedures are implemented in newly established recruitment agencies.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• The distance between homes and building sites is reduced.
• The employees buy time and they feel better; there is a reduction in road risks and road accidents that is the first work accident cauase in the building industry.
• 30t CO2 are saved a month as equivalent to 332 employees and 18,000 non-travelled kilometres.

Results: 

• The employees save time, they work better ; there is a better responsiveness on the building sites.
• Better relationships between local agencies and stakeholders (customers and customer-companies).

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