Carbon Trust Creates Online Tool to Help cut Carbon

Employees could save UK businesses and public bodies £500m and two million tonnes of CO2 with the help of a new, online office tool called "Carbon Trust Empower" launched by the Carbon Trust.

By engaging employees in cutting energy use, paper waste and travel, Carbon Trust Empower has the potential to save a typical small business over 15% of their energy bill or more than £6,000 per year, says the Trust, while larger businesses that base their approach on this tool could save £150,000 and over 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Each individual employee's efforts can amount to carbon emissions reductions (220kg CO2), equivalent to heating the average household for a month.

Whitbread and Oxford City Council have already signed their staff up to use the online tool that enables employees to make practical commitments through an interactive animated tour of a typical workplace.

Using it, employees can explore energy saving opportunities throughout their office. This includes considering how they arrive for work, with options to join a company carpool or travel by public transport, before moving on to their desk, where they can commit to switch off their PC when not in use, print double-sided, and teleconference rather than travel.

The virtual journey also helps staff cut energy waste in other parts of the office, such as the reception area, kitchen, corridors and toilets.

Richard Rugg, Director of Carbon Trust Programmes, said:

"Companies often struggle to harness the huge energy savings that an effectively engaged workforce can help deliver."
"Part of the problem employers face is making actions practical, fun and sustained. By creating a virtual tour entirely from an employee's viewpoint, every aspect of Empower has been designed with the end-user in mind."

He added:

"Employees are a critical ally in cutting energy waste. Get them onboard and reap the rewards in lower bills and reduced carbon emissions."

Workplace Law
Jan 2012