Carbon accounting in the United Kingdom water sector: a review

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 2721-2727 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Investment Planning ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Annual Reporting ◽  
Water Companies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Industry Investment

The UK is committed to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and has introduced a number of initiatives to achieve these. Until recently, these targeted energy-intensive industries and, thus, the water sector was not significantly affected. However, from 2010, UK water companies will need to report their emissions under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). Both Ofwat (the economic regulator for water companies in England and Wales) and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR) now require annual reporting of GHG emissions in accordance with both Defra Guidelines and the CRC. Also, carbon impacts must now be factored into all water industry investment planning in England and Wales. Building on existing approaches, the industry has developed standardised carbon accounting methodologies to meet both of these requirements. This process has highlighted gaps in knowledge where further research is needed.

scholarly journals The Role of Embodied Carbon Databases in the Accuracy of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Calculations for the Embodied Carbon of Buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7988
Author(s):  
Golnaz Mohebbi ◽  
Ali Bahadori-Jahromi ◽  
Marco Ferri ◽  
Anastasia Mylona
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Unit Weight ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Embodied Carbon ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Uk

Studies conducted by major national and international scientific bodies have indisputably concluded that the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since the mid-20th century has led to irreversible changes in the climate. Data has shown that the contribution of the building sector accounts for 39% of these emissions. Reducing GHG emissions associated with the construction phase of buildings, or embodied carbon (EC), will prevent GHG emissions from entering the atmosphere earlier, reducing the negative impacts. However, to achieve any meaningful reduction, there is a need for consistency and accuracy in the calculations. The accuracy of these calculations is primarily tied to the accuracy of embodied carbon factors (ECF) used in the calculations, values determining the environmental impact of a product or procedure per unit weight. The emissions of any product can be calculated by performing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). While the requirements for carrying out an LCA have been standardised in ISO14044, the lack of a definitive national ECF database in the UK means that EC calculations can vary drastically based on the chosen database. An LCA has been carried out on a standard Lidl supermarket design within the A1–A3 boundary. For the calculation, the ECFs were sourced from two different databases, using the GHG conversion factor data published in 2020 by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change and data published in 2019 by the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE). The latter is currently accepted as the most consistent database for carbon factors in the UK. This study showed that using a more detailed database compared to using a more general database could result in a 35.2% reduction of embodied carbon, while using more detailed data from a single database can reduce it by a further 5.5%. It is necessary to establish the most accurate baseline for embodied carbon so that any carbon reduction attempts can be as effective as possible.

scholarly journals BIM in the water industry: addressing challenges to improve the project delivery process

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Kamunda ◽  
Suresh Renukappa ◽  
Subashini Suresh ◽  
Haddy Jallow
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Water Industry ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Water Companies ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe UK water industry is a private sector that has no government mandate to implement building information modelling (BIM) but would benefit from its use. Research has identified that fragmentation and inefficiency still existed in the water industry project delivery processes. These issues can be addressed by harnessing the collaboration that BIM brings by using emerging information technology. The UK water industry has had little research in the use of BIM in the project delivery processes over the years.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of the research is to explore and examine BIM elements currently used in the water industry, as well as understand the organisational cultural support for BIM. It also investigated the adoption of BIM which will enable to improve water industry project delivery processes. An empirical study was performed in the UK given the relatively new and unexplored nature of the research problem, a qualitative research methodology was adopted. In total, 14 semi-structured interviews from six water sector organisations were conducted to collect data, which was then analysed using thematic analysis for inference and conclusion.FindingsThe study identified that BIM has already changed how projects are delivered by the water companies and their supply chain. Use of emerging technology such as Autodesk Revit, Civil 3D and virtual reality has gained traction and is leading organisations to continue investing in these areas to remain relevant. Although staff training was offered by all organisations within the study cohort, some interviews still thought that more can be done by their organisations as BIM is still maturing. Those interviewed regarded BIM models as data and information rich with the ability to enable the supply chain to obtain quicker approvals.Originality/valueThe paper provides a richer insight into the understanding and awareness of BIM elements used in the water industry to improve project delivery processes. This study suggests that the water industry supply chain has taken positive steps and started to benefit from BIM use. It also recommends that there is a need for cross-sector collaboration to capture and share best and worst practices relating to BIM adoption in the water sector.

CSR maturity and motivation in the water sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linne Marie Lauesen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Water Companies ◽  
Good Transparency ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to examine the literature of CSR motivation and presents research results from a case study of the water sector (water companies from Denmark, the UK, the USA and South Africa) and its motivation for and maturity in its CSR work. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used in this paper is first a literature review followed by research done with ethnographic methods such as participant observations, interviews and document analysis. Findings Based on a literature review and research in water companies’ motivation and maturity based on Crowther (2006) and Crowther and Reis’ (2011) CSR maturity typology, the paper suggests an extension of this into a CSR Maturity Framework by adding profit-making, legitimacy and business ethics as clusters of motives for businesses to engage in CSR work. The concrete findings of the water sector suggest it as semi-mature according to the proposed CSR Maturity Framework, because it has only reached the level of CSR reporting, but neither suggests definitions of sustainability nor shows any particularly good transparency and accountability yet. Research limitations/implications The research is limited to water companies in four regions – Denmark, the UK, the USA and South Africa – which means that such companies in other regions may differ from the findings in this paper. However, these companies are especially chosen according to their similarities, which means that it is not the point of the paper to cover all water companies in the world, but to retrieve findings from a specifically chosen type of water companies that share a specifically institutional setup. Originality/value The originality and value of the paper is based on the findings of the research in motivation and maturity in the cases of water companies, which have been used to elaborate on an existing CSR framework – the CSR maturity typology suggested by Crowther (2006) and Crowther and Reis (2011) into a CSR Maturity Framework incorporating businesses’ motives of profit-making, legitimacy and business ethics. The CSR Maturity Framework will be applicable for analyzing the CSR maturity for any business sector, and it adds value for businesses in its clarifying and suggesting themes that business sectors need to elaborate.

scholarly journals Can we save GHG emissions by working from home?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina Santos ◽  
Rayan Azhari
Keyword(s):  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Working From Home ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Using data from official government publications in the UK, we estimate the potential changes in transport and buildings CO2e emissions in England and Wales if those engaged in jobs compatible with homeworking were to work mainly from home. We find that the net result is likely to be an increase, rather than a decrease in CO2e emissions. Assuming that 20% to 30% of workers were to work from home, the increase would range from 0.18% to 0.97% relative to emissions from the buildings and transport sectors combined, and from 0.11% to 0.60% relative to emissions from all sources. Under the very unrealistic assumptions that the buildings where the new teleworkers used to work close permanently rather than remain open or be repurposed, and there is no rebound travel, there are modest emissions savings, which range from 0.61% to 1.63% of CO2e emissions from the transport and building sectors combined, and from 0.38% to 1.01% of CO2e emissions from all sources when 20% to 30% of workers work from home.

TBE in United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Clinical Disease ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Probable Case ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
South West ◽  
Louping Ill ◽  
The Uk ◽  
North And South ◽  
South West England

Until 2019, TBE was considered only to be an imported disease to the United Kingdom. In that year, evidence became available that the TBEV is likely circulating in the country1,2 and a first “probable case” of TBE originating in the UK was reported.3 In addition to TBEV, louping ill virus (LIV), a member of the TBEV-serocomplex, is also endemic in parts of the UK. Reports of clinical disease caused by LIV in livestock are mainly from Scotland, parts of North and South West England and Wales.4

HIV and other STIs in the United Kingdom: further increases

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (48) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Health Protection Agency ◽  
Protection Agency ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Living With Hiv

The Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre for England and Wales and others have reported that the number of people living with HIV in the UK has increased

Benchmarking Risk Analysis Practice in the International Water Sector

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
B.H. MacGillivray ◽  
P.D. Hamilton ◽  
S.E. Hrudey ◽  
L. Reekie ◽  
S.J.T Pollard
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Water Utility ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
The Usa ◽  
International Water ◽  
Practical Guidance ◽  
The Uk

Risk analysis in the water utility sector is fast becoming explicit. Here, we describe application of a capability model to benchmark the risk analysis maturity of a sub-sample of eight water utilities from the USA, the UK and Australia. Our analysis codifies risk analysis practice and offers practical guidance as to how utilities may more effectively employ their portfolio of risk analysis techniques for optimal, credible, and defensible decision making.

scholarly journals LEAP-Based Greenhouse Gases Emissions Peak and Low Carbon Pathways in China’s Tourist Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1218
Author(s):  
Dandan Liu ◽  
Dewei Yang ◽  
Anmin Huang
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Tourist Industry ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Co2 Equivalent

China has grown into the world’s largest tourist source market and its huge tourism activities and resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are particularly becoming a concern in the context of global climate warming. To depict the trajectory of carbon emissions, a long-range energy alternatives planning system (LEAP)-Tourist model, consisting of two scenarios and four sub-scenarios, was established for observing and predicting tourism greenhouse gas peaks in China from 2017 to 2040. The results indicate that GHG emissions will peak at 1048.01 million-ton CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2e) in 2033 under the integrated (INT) scenario. Compared with the business as usual (BAU) scenario, INT will save energy by 24.21% in 2040 and reduce energy intensity from 0.4979 tons of CO2 equivalent/104 yuan (TCO2e/104 yuan) to 0.3761 Tce/104 yuan. Although the INT scenario has achieved promising effects of energy saving and carbon reduction, the peak year 2033 in the tourist industry is still later than China’s expected peak year of 2030. This is due to the growth potential and moderate carbon control measures in the tourist industry. Thus, in order to keep the tourist industry in synchronization with China’s peak goals, more stringent measures are needed, e.g., the promotion of clean fuel shuttle buses, the encouragement of low carbon tours, the cancelation of disposable toiletries and the recycling of garbage resources. The results of this simulation study will help set GHG emission peak targets in the tourist industry and formulate a low carbon roadmap to guide carbon reduction actions in the field of GHG emissions with greater certainty.

Funding Local Political Parties in England and Wales: Donations and Constituency Campaigns

2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Johnston ◽  
Charles Pattie
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Liberal Democrats ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The funding of political parties is an issue of considerable contemporary concern in the UK. Although most attention has been paid to the situation regarding national parties, the new funding regime introduced in 2001 also applies to constituency parties, and some concerns have been raised regarding the limits on spending and expenditure there. Using data released by the Electoral Commission on all donations above a specified minimum to constituency parties, this article looks at the pattern of donations over the period 2001–05. It then analyses the impact of spending on the 2005 constituency campaigns, showing that for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats substantial donations enhanced their vote-winning performances in seats where their candidates were challengers whereas for Labour substantial donations aided its performance in marginal seats that it was defending.

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