The Government has mandated the public sector to lead by example in taking climate action. The central document underpinning this policy is the Climate Action Mandate 2022 which is also referred to in the Climate Action Plan 2021 (CAP 21). CAP 21 provides that public sector bodies complete a Climate Action Roadmap (CAR).
Our Office comprises six different statutory bodies all of which are supported by our ‘Corporate Spine’ (HR, Finance, ICT, Legal & Communications). “The Office” collectively refers to the statutory bodies listed below.
The Office does not meet the description of a “Large Public Body” as set out in CAP 21. Our CAR, therefore, reflects to a large extent the structure contained in the Public Sector Bodies Climate Action Roadmaps Guidance 2023 published by SEAI & EPA. (For smaller public bodies, the SEAI/EPA guidance may be used as a template for the roadmap.) Our Mapping to requirements of the Climate Action Mandate (Appendix 1) mainly follows the template set out in the 2023 guidance.
Our Office has already progressed a number of issues identified in the CAR. Our progress is reflected in this document and summarised in Appendix 1.
Our original CAR was approved by our Director General and Management Advisory Committee (MAC) on 29 March 2023. This revised CAR has been considered and approved by our Director General and MAC on 27 September 2023. The revised CAR will be published on our Office websites and on our staff intranet
The Climate and Sustainability Officer/Energy Performance Officer is a member of MAC. In addition, representatives of the Green Team regularly update MAC by making presentations on issues of importance and general updates on progress on its action plan. The Green Team play the roles of championing green issues across the various sections of the organisation
It is noted that this Office does not meet the description of a “Large Public Body”. [1] The Climate and Sustainability Officer is also the Energy Performance Officer. This individual is the Head of Corporate Services and is a member of MAC and has responsibility for implementing and reporting on the Climate Action mandate. This individual has the required decision-making powers in relation to facilities management, procurement, governance, and reporting.
A Green Team was originally established in our Office in 2020. In light of members of the original Green Team leaving the Office to take up new opportunities, a new Green Team was appointed in March 2022. The Green Team has eight members and is representative of the various statutory bodies and business units within the Office.
The Green Team operates under its Terms of Reference which were agreed and signed off by MAC in November 2022. The Green Team compiled an ambitious and challenging work programme for 2022 and delivered on over 70% of its action items. The Green Team submitted an Annual Report of its activities in 2022 to MAC and this report was subsequently made available to all staff on our Office Intranet.
An Action Plan for 2023 was developed. The Green Team has worked throughout 2023 to deliver on the Action Plan items. The Green Team will report on progress of the CAR to the Climate and Sustainability Officer and will continue to make regular presentations to MAC on strategies, policies and initiatives to meet our requirements under CAP 21.
The Green Team has identified communications and knowledge sharing as key elements in meeting its objectives and enabling the Office to meet its CAP21 targets. It has a dedicated page on the Office Intranet. The following communication and knowledge sharing methods have been and will continue to be employed by the Green Team:
In relation to future training needs analysis it is understood that SEAI and EPA are working to identify skill gaps in the civil service and arranging appropriate training. We will ensure that all Senior Management (PO level or equivalent and above) will complete a climate action leadership training course in 2023 or 2024. Green Team members and other relevant staff will be required to consider such training as part of their annual Learning & Development plans. While no formal training has yet been put in place, members of the Green Team have availed of SEAI training courses such as Carbon Basics and various information campaigns and workshops delivered to staff, as outlined above, have been very successful in raising an awareness of energy and wider environmental issues.
The above training requirements are included in the Office Learning & Development strategy.
We will report on our progress in achieving our climate mandate requirements in our Annual Reports. Using SEAI’s Public Sector Monitoring and Reporting System we will report on the following:
The target for the public sector is a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. This is a new target and the SEAI have set baseline levels for each body individually based on 2016-2018 average energy related C02 emissions.
In the same way as with the energy efficiency target, the baseline (i.e. 2016-2018) predates the move by the Office to a more energy efficient building in 2019. Our old premises had a dual electricity and thermal system (thermal being the gas for the heating system) whereas our current building has electricity only for both light and heat. In view of our baseline being set in the old building, we were provided with a baseline of 143,000 kgC02 for electricity and 45,000 kgC02 for thermal. Clearly, we will not have any thermal related emissions in future. Our carbon emissions for 2020 and 2021 were 66,000kg C02 (54% reduction in real terms) and 55,000 kg C02 (62% reduction in real terms) respectively.
It is not anticipated that there will be a growth in services that would significantly impact on energy emissions over the course of the target period.
The Office will remain focussed on reaching its decarbonisation target and it will also maximise efforts to reduce its carbon emissions through a range of measures outlined in this document. In particular, the Energy Efficiency Audit identified a comprehensive programme of measures which have been formulated into an action plan. This will be central to the Office campaign to reduce its carbon emissions and thereby meeting its targets
The energy efficiency target is to achieve 50% savings by 2030. The baseline for this target is energy use in 2009 which is the same baseline as that used for the old 2020 target. The Office of the Ombudsman relocated to a new more energy efficient premises in December 2019. In effect, this will mean that the baseline target, set in 2009, will not be as meaningful as it is in other public sector bodies. In this regard, SEAI has advised that every public body has a unique situation and the baseline period may suit some organisations and not others. It further advised that most organisations are dynamic and may increase or decrease operations at any time so SEAI do not expect to make exceptions or adjustments to the baseline target.
In the new premises our consumption levels have been 499,000 kWh (48% saving in absolute terms on 2009 target) and 299,000 kWh (69% saving) for 2020 and 2021 respectively. In view of the various lockdowns and closures these figures may not be reflective of normal usage patterns and there were air conditioning system difficulties for some of the periods in question
The Office will actively pursue measures such as adhering to the Reduce Your Use Campaign, implementing the measures outlined in the Energy Efficiency Audit and the continued use of smart energy meters to identify further energy efficiency opportunities. An action plan has been set up following the Energy Efficiency Audit and progress on these measures is regularly reviewed by the Green Team.
An Energy Efficiency Audit was carried out in September 2022. The Green Team has considered the audit report and has identified the actions required to meet the 23 recommendations contained therein. The majority of the recommendations concern:
Many of these recommendations have already been adopted including the development of an Energy Efficiency Policy. Those not adopted have been included in the Green Team Action plan for 2023.
In accordance with S.I. 243 of 2012 the Office employed a consultant to carry out a DEC rating for the building. A rating of B3 was obtained. The DEC is displayed in the main reception area of our Office. The Advisory Report also contained some advice which the report stated could reduce our energy usage and costs. The savings proposals mainly concern capital investments, such as installing solar panels. The Office is aware that the landlord has already installed photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof of the building as part of its LEED Platinum rating.
A copy of the DEC rating report was provided to OPW. The Office will await OPW’s advice, as leaseholder and office with relevant expertise, before proceeding with any capital investments in this regard. Those proposals which do not concern capital costs will be reviewed by the Green Team and included in their Action Plan for 2023.
The Office signed up to the Government’s Reduce Your Use energy efficiency campaign. The Office undertook an information campaign for staff through weekly messages on the Intranet to increase their knowledge and awareness of energy usage and energy. The Office also implemented the recommended temperature guidelines and the duration of the heating systems.
Before the introduction of the Reduce Your Use campaign, messages had been issued to staff, including advising staff on the importance of turning off equipment when not in use. The Green Team will continue to increase staff awareness of energy usage and conservation throughout 2023.
Our heating/air conditioning system is fully electric and is controlled by a heat pump. It does not use any fossil fuels. The Office has four separate electricity meters.
The Office works in conjunction with the landlord to monitor our energy usage. This involves receiving monthly reports for each meter which analyse energy usage and compare usage to previous months. These monthly reports and recommendations will continue to be reviewed by Corporate Services and the Green Team with a view to identifying any potential for further reductions in energy consumption. The Green team produces a quarterly report to MAC on energy usage. Our energy spend is in the under €250k category, so we are classified as a small organisation. The Office is satisfied that it has an energy management body / system appropriate to the size of our organisation, as set out in SEAI’s guide to Demonstrating Exemplar Energy Management and that we are implementing energy management programmes appropriate to the size of our organisation as per SEAI’s energy management guidance.
As outlined in this document, our targets have been set against our old building and as our new building is more energy efficient, it is anticipated that the targets should be met without requiring the implementation of major measures and such is the specification of the building that it would be difficult to find additional energy saving measures outside of behavioural issues. In view of Covid19 and problems with the air conditioning system, it is very difficult to estimate what our usage would be in a typical year but we will work hard and avail of SEAI expertise to ensure that we strive towards maximising our energy savings and minimising our C02 emissions.
Green Public Procurement is a process where public authorities seek to source goods, services or works with a reduced environmental impact. The appropriateness of including environmental measures in public procurement projects will vary from contract to contract. The procurement policy for the Office is set out in the Corporate Procurement Plan.
GPP is a central focus of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). Most of our procurement is carried out using OGP Frameworks and GPP is included as a standard criterion in OGP Framework template tender documents.
The criteria sets which are of most relevance to our office are as follows:
ICT Products & Services is by far the most significant area. Again, most ICT Procurement is carried out through OGP Frameworks. Our ICT Unit is fully aware of the Public Sector Guidance in this regard and will include green criteria as part of their tendering processes and therefore comply with the provisions of circular 20/2019. An example of this is the inclusion of green criteria in the Cleaning Service Providers procurement process. The Office will ensure that all relevant staff are notified to consider Green Criteria when procuring relevant goods and services including Food & Catering Services and Paper Products & Printing Services.
The Office will put in place a system for gathering and recording GPP implementation in our Office for tendering processes outside of OGP Framework agreements. The Procurement Officer, who is also a member of the Green Team, will monitor the procurement to ensure that green criteria are included where appropriate.
The Office will introduce a policy aimed at offering more non-meat options when procuring Food & Catering services.
There have been major improvements in our IT systems and record management practices in recent years which has resulted in a substantial reduction in the use of paper-based files and printing. The move to blended working has also reduced the amount of printing by staff. The total number of pages printed in 2022 was 208k. In comparison the total number of pages printed in 2019 was 710k. The introduction earlier this year of a system whereby staff use swipe cards for printing will be of further assistance in this regard.
The Office is also planning to digitize returns furnished to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) under the Ethics in Public Office Act. This project is due to be completed in 2025. A longer term project to digitize returns to SIPO under the Electoral Acts will commence in 2025. Completion of these projects will substantially reduce paper usage in SIPO and thereby reduce the overall paper usage in the Office.
The Public Sector Bodies Climate Action Roadmaps Guidance 2023 published by SEAI & EPA requires public bodies to track water use and set out plans for reducing water use. The Office operates from a shared building, including shared unrestricted access toilets on some floors and common shower facilities, and therefore there is no way to distinguish our use in these areas from that of others. The only water which is directly in the Office control is in one disabled access toilet, the canteen and the tea stations. The Green Team will prepare a workshop for staff on reducing water use both in the office and at home.
As stated above, the Office operates from a shared building and all waste from the building goes into a communal waste room. The only usage statistics the Office receives is for the building as a whole. The Office is not aware of any separate means of tracking Office waste production. However, the Green Committee for the building sets competitive recycling targets for the building as a whole and our Office plays a very active role in assisting the landlord in achieving these targets.
The Office Green Team prepared a workshop for all staff on Waste & Recycling and Food & the Environment which is also available on the Office intranet. The Office is also working with the landlord to improve recycling targets (see section 11 below).
Our Office operates out of one location. As stated in section 6 above a DEC rating of B3 was obtained for our building. The Office does not have any official vehicles or fleet. It should also be noted that our heating is fully electric and we do not have any fossil fuels in use in the building.
Our building already has secure bicycle parking in place. In addition, our building provides lockers, showers and a drying area for clothes. There is also a bicycle repair centre and free bike service days. The Green Team encourages staff to make use of these facilities. It also encourages staff to make use of wider initiatives such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, the Travel Pass Scheme, Dublin Bikes, etc.
It should also be noted that all the lights in the building are activated by sensors.
The Office is working with the landlord, IPUT, towards achieving recycling targets. The landlord actively monitors waste and has installed cameras in the waste room to ensure that waste/recycling is disposed of appropriately and correctly. The target for the building for 2023 is 75% recycling and the actual collective level achieved for all tenants in the building for 2022 was 51%. It is recognised that a large effort will be required on everyone’s part during 2023.
Measures taken by our office to achieve recycling targets were as follows:
____________________
Elaine Cassidy
Director General
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2022 Climate Action Mandate |
Section of Roadmap Guidance |
Our Progress |
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1.1 Reduce GHG emissions by 51% in 2030. |
Section 2.2 Our targets |
Recycling level of 51% achieved for 2022. Target for the building for 2023 is 75% Proposals/plan to achieve target |
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1.2 Increase the improvement in energy efficiency in the public sector from the 33% target in 2020 to 50% by 2030. |
Section 2.2 Our targets |
Energy Efficiency Audit completed. Many of the recommendations contained in the Audit have already been adopted. Recommendations not adopted are included in the Green Team Action plan for 2023 DEC rating of B3 obtained. Report advice that does not concern capital costs are included in the Green Team Action Plan for 2023. Await OPW opinion on report advice that concerns capital costs. Government’s Reduce Your Use energy efficiency campaign implemented. Continue to raise awareness of energy usage and conservation among staff throughout 2023. |
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1.3 Update Climate Action Roadmaps annually in line with updated Public Sector Climate Action Mandate. |
Section 1.7 Updating the Climate Action Roadmap. |
The Climate Action Roadmap has been updated. |
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2.1 Establish and resource Green Teams, reporting to senior management, to become integrated drivers of sustainability in every public sector body. |
Section 2.1 Our people |
A Green Team representative of the various statutory bodies and business units within the Office is established and active. |
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2.2 Nominate a member of the Management Board as the Climate and Sustainability Champion with responsibility for implementing and reporting on the mandate. |
Section 2.1 Our people |
A member of MAC has been appointed as both the Climate and Sustainability Officer and the Energy Performance Officer for the Office. |
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2.3 Incorporate appropriate climate action and sustainability training (technical and behavioural) into learning and development strategies for staff. |
Section 2.1 Our people |
Await SEAI/EPA training and include in staff L & D plans |
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2.4 Organise staff workshops (at least annually) to engage on climate issues, including a focus on decreasing the organisation’s carbon footprint. |
Section 2.1 Our people |
Presentations/workshops by Green Team Members at section meetings concerning Environmentally Friendly Transport, Waste & Recycling, and Food and the Environment. Presentations to bi-annual meetings of all staff and presentations to MAC. All workshops are published on the Office Intranet. |
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2.5 Ensure all Senior Management (PO level or equivalent and above) complete a climate action leadership training course in 2023 or 2024, similar to the Local Authority training course as delivered by the CAROs |
Section 2.2 Our people (2023 guidance). |
Training for Senior Management has been included in the Office L & D Strategy |
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3.1 Report on the following in the annual report:
Using SEAI’s Public Sector Monitoring and Reporting System, public bodies are to report annually on implementation of the individual mandate requirements using a “comply or explain” approach. |
Section 1.5 Reporting |
Report on Energy Consumption for 2021 submitted to SEAI. Report on greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability activities included in last Annual Report. Further information as set out in column 1 will be included in future annual reports. |
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3.2 Public bodies are expected to publish their full Roadmap on their website. |
Section 1.6 2023 guidance – Approval & sign off. |
We will publish the CAR on our office websites and on our staff intranet. |
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3.3 Review any paper-based processes and evaluate the possibilities for digitisation so it becomes the default approach. |
Section 2.3 Our way of working |
We have already achieved a substantial reduction in the use of paper-based files. Continue to monitor paper usage during 2023. Completion of SIPO Ethics Returns Digitisation project in 2025. Commencement of SIPO Electoral Returns Digitisation project in 2025. |
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3.4 Achieve formal environmental accreditation for large public sector bodies, such as ISO 50001 (Energy Management Standard) or ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), with a view to achieving EMAS ISO 14001 (Eco Management and Audit Scheme). Specifically:
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Section 2.3 Our way of working |
The Office is satisfied that it has an energy management body / system appropriate to the size of our organisation, as set out in SEAI’s guide to Demonstrating Exemplar Energy Management and that we are implementing energy management programmes appropriate to the size of our organisation as per SEAI’s energy management guidance. |
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3.5 Implement Green Public Procurement, in line with the EPA Green Public Procurement Guidance and using GPP Criteria Search where appropriate. All public bodies shall:
Cease using disposable cups, plates and cutlery from any public sector canteen or closed facility excluding clinical (i.e. non-canteen healthcare) environments.
Specify low carbon construction methods and low carbon cement material as far as practicable for directly procured or supported construction projects from 2023.
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Section 2.3 Our way of working |
Green Criteria were included as part of the selection and award criteria in the 2022 tender for indoor cleaning service. ICT fully aware of the Public Sector Guidance. Relevant staff to be made aware that Green Criteria must be included when procuring Food & Catering Services and Paper Products & Printing Services. Consider more non-meat options policy for procuring Food & Catering Services.
Disposable material is not provided in our canteen or tea-stations.
N/A |
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Set up a system to gather and record data on GPP implementation in your organisation, using the reporting template and guidance developed for government department reporting as a reference |
Section 2.3 Our way of working |
The Office will put in place a system for gathering and recording GPP implementation in our Office |
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4.1 Promote the use of bicycles (including push bikes, electric bikes and cargo bikes) and shared mobility options as an alternative to car use among employees and visitors by creating and maintaining facilities (both inside and outside of buildings) that support such options, including secure and accessible bicycle parking, shared mobility parking and charging stations, as appropriate, with a view to achieving the Smarter Travel Mark, which is currently being developed as part of the Sustainable Mobility Pathfinder Programme. |
Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
Our building already has secure bicycle parking in place. In addition, our Office provides lockers, showers, and a drying area for clothes. There is also a bicycle repair centre and free bike service days.
Our Green Team is considering the process for securing the Smarter Travel Mark. |
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4.2 Phase out the use of parking in buildings that have access to a range of public transport services and active/shared mobility options for the majority of staff/visitors while providing that sufficient accessible parking is maintained for those with physical mobility issues. |
Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
A small number of car parking spaces are included as part of our tenancy agreement. OPW has responsibility for the lease and will give a direction in this regard. |
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4.3 Display an up-to-date Display Energy Certificate in every public building that is open to the public to clearly show energy use. |
Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
DEC rating of B3 obtained. The DEC is displayed in our Office. |
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Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
Our heating/air conditioning system is fully electric and is controlled by a heat pump. |
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Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
Our Office operates out of one location as a tenant in a shared building. We have no building “estate” or “stock”.
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Public sector procurement contracts for delivery and haulage should specify zero emissions vehicles where possible.
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Section 2.4 Our buildings and vehicles |
Our Office does not purchase or lease vehicles. |
[1] As per CAP 21 Large public bodies include government departments; organisations that consume over 50 GWh of energy per annum; and homogenous sectors such as education and health.