Carbon
Construction is a carbon-intensive industry which typically involves the extraction, manufacture and transport of large quantities of materials, as well as construction activities. The way we design and construct buildings and civil and infrastructure projects can have a significant effect on the amount of emitted greenhouse gases. Skanska measure its carbon footprints on both project and corporate level and work on how to reduce our emissions.
Carbon emissions from the built environment
The construction industry has a significant indirect impact on greenhouse gas emissions through the use of energy and large volume carbon intense materials such as concrete and ferrous metals products. In addition, the built environment is a major consumer of energy and therefore indirectly responsible for a significant proportion of the greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the power generation sector.
Our carbon strategy
Strategic direction is informed by our Environmental Policy and we focus on things we can directly control and directly influence. We strive to reduce emissions of gasses associated with Climate Change. Where reduction is not possible, as a last resort we will balance our own emissions using reputable means.
The Environmental Policy and the Color Palette™ recognize the need to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the built environment. They contain short and long-term actions that have been influenced by risks and opportunities related to climate change.
Since 2008 we have been developing expertise to reduce carbon emissions by:
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Increasing energy efficiency in the construction process and in the operation of the completed projects
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Increasing fuel efficiency in the construction process, e.g. logistics and fuel use on site
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Identifying the means to select construction materials that can demonstrate a lower carbon footprint, provided they meet necessary technical and economic requirements
Project Carbon footprints
We perform carbon footprints in our projects. Since 2013, we have performed more than 700 project carbon footprints, helping us to realize improved environmental and economic project performance.
A carbon footprint is defined as an estimate of the embodied carbon – emissions related to construction materials and activities. The reduction of embodied carbon via value engineering efforts often provides cost effective ways to minimize the environmental impact of Skanska’s projects. Selection and reduction of materials and reducing the amount of transport can realize both environmental and financial savings.
Green Strategic Indicator (GSI)
For the Business Plan 2016 - 2020, Skanska have ten Green Strategic Indicators. The Green Strategic Indicator for carbon is “the number of projects that have been submitted to a Preliminary Carbon Footprint”.
Greenhouse gas emissions from Skanska’s operations
Climate Change is one of the biggest challenges for mankind. We are accountable for further generations to minimize the carbon footprint on our operations today. In 2015 Skanska Sweden set the target to be carbon neutral (zero carbon) by 2050. This includes the whole value chain; our production and construction projects, material from suppliers and subcontractors and finally the operation of the buildings, civil and infrastructure projects.
Greenhouse gas emissions from Skanska’s operations
Greenhouse gas emissions from Skanska’s operations Direct (Scope 1) and Indirect (Scope 2) in tons CO2e
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 |
312,800 |
330,758 | 367,791 | 386,154 | 354,518 | 341,869 | 305,986 |
| Scope 2, location based approach |
52,704 |
49,207 | 60,494 | 51,305 | 50,981 | 67,886 | 110,866 |
In 2016, Skanska changed the reporting year for carbon to cover a 12-month period from the fourth quarter of the prior year through the third quarter the following year. The 2016 carbon emission metrics cover from the beginning of the fourth quarter 2015 through the end of the third quarter 2016.
Direct and indirect emissions
Scope 1 includes direct emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by Skanska, e.g. emissions from combustion in owned or controlled boilers, furnaces, vehicles, etc. Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the Skanska. Scope 2 emissions physically occur at the facility where electricity is generated.
Skanska’s greenhouse gas reporting covers all Construction and Developing units and the greenhouse gas inventory is developed in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The scope 1 and scope 2 carbon emissions from the construction units are third party reviewed and disclosed in our Annual Report and to CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project. Skanska is reporting in accordance with the Location based approach in Annual Report and in accordance to Market based and Location based approach to CDP.
Scope 3 is an optional reporting category for other indirect emissions that are a consequence of Skanska’s activities, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by us, e.g. the extraction and production of purchased materials; transportation of purchased fuels; and use of sold products and services. We disclose our scope 3 emissions to CDP.
Climate leadership recognition by CDP
Skanska was recognized as a climate leader by the 2016 “Climate A List ” compiled by CDP. This puts Skanska among the leading 193 companies in the world on climate action - or around 9 percent of the responding companies worldwide. This is an important milestone on Skanska’s journey to be a low-carbon business. A review of risk and opportunities related to climate change is part of Skanska's submission to the CDP Climate Change program. CDP supply the investment community with data on climate strategy, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and the risks and opportunities of climate change from thousands of the world’s largest companies.