Big four consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers has reduced its total emissions by a quarter since 2007, almost halving its energy consumption in the process after wide adoption of energy efficiency and sustainability measures across the business.
The company’s latest sustainability scorecard shows it has saved almost 30,000 tonnes CO2e from 2007-16, meeting its 2017 target a year early. The largest reduction has come from its scope 2 electricity emissions, which have fallen by 67%.
As well as a number of energy saving measures across its portfolio, PwC also signed an agreement with green utility Good Energy in October 2015 which has provided 19GWh of renewable electricity over the last year.
With the adoption of renewable energy from Good’s wind and solar farms, PwC has reduced non-renewable electricity use by 81% since 2007, while use of gas, oil and biodiesel has fallen by 44% over the same period.
The company has a ten year target of achieving a 50% reduction in total energy use by 2017 and had achieved a 43% by last year following an 11% year on year drop. PwC says this has been achieved through investment in new technologies and changing the way its staff operate.
The company’s two flagship offices, More London and Embankment Place, have both received extensive funds to increase their sustainability credentials. The former was reportedly the first office building in the UK to receive the BREEAM Outstanding rating with a final score of 89.97% while Embankment Place received a score of 96.31% following extensive refurbishment completed in 2014.
Both offices use a tri-generator powered by cooking oil from within the M25 to meet the majority of peak electricity demand as well as some of the heating requirements.
Other technologies in place at the buildings include LED lighting, solar water heating facilities and waste reduction measures.
The overall reduction in energy saved PwC around £14 million between 2015 and 2007 from avoided energy costs, as well as carbon-related costs associated with both the government’s CRC scheme and a voluntary commitment to purchase additional carbon offsets.