Case Study – Carbon Footprinting

JSM Construction  

JSM Construction offers a wide range of services to the power, telecoms and civil engineering sectors.

 

As JSM’s customers were asking for carbon emissions data and reduction targets to be included in tender applications, Anya Ledwith developed their carbon management system.

 

Although JSM had an EMS in place, they had not considered calculating their carbon emissions until requested by key customers. Now they find it common that environmental and carbon criteria are included in tender specifications.

 

Working with the SQE Director and his team, Anya supported JSM throughout the carbon management process. A comprehensive carbon footprint was calculated, covering the company’s organisational activities (e.g. energy, fuel, waste & water) and also those arising from the civil engineering projects (considering the embodied carbon within the materials used, such as sand, tarmac, aggregate and concrete).

 

Using the footprint data to focus on significant areas, an interactive staff workshop identified improvement opportunities and set reduction targets, so developing the carbon management strategy. Staff were engaged throughout, including those that don’t usually get involved in ‘management’ practices.

 

Additionally, JSM was able to identify typical carbon footprint data ‘per project’, allowing each projects’ emissions to be offset and become carbon neutral, a service that is now offered to clients.

 

The benefits of this project included:

• Responding to customers’ requirements
• Key service development and value creation
• Understand emissions to identify reductions & cost savings
• Increased staff awareness and involvement
• Encouraging and challenging the client to meet their own carbon footprint targets
• Challenging their peers to make a change and reduce their carbon emissions.

 

Anya helped JSM by clarifying what customers expected from them in terms of carbon management. She made it relevant to the company and staff in particular, and helped identify improvements.

 

“I worked closely with Anya and found her to be very knowledgeable in her field and a pleasure to work with. She made the process of calculating our carbon footprint easy and even enjoyable. I would have no hesitation in recommending Anya to other people in our line of work and beyond. She would be a great asset to any company.”

Mick Barrett, SQE Director, JSM Construction