Since 2016, AF Bostäder has reported – and considerably reduced – emissions from its own operations, from purchased energy and from business travel. In line with the aims of Climate Neutral Lund, we are continuing to track down other indirect emissions.
“In accordance with the guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, we have previously reported our own direct emissions in Scope 1, emissions from purchased energy in Scope 2 and indirect emissions from business travel in Scope 3,” says Louise Halén, Sustainability Coordinator at AF Bostäder. “It’s now time to expand Scope 3 – with emissions that arise among our collaboration partners, staff members and tenants due to our operations, for example when companies carry out services for us.”
Scope 3 consists of 15 categories. AF Bostäder has decided to report in the eight categories that are relevant to the company: Purchased goods and services, Capital goods, Energy and fuel-related emissions, Waste management, Business travel, Commuting-related travel, Hired assets and Hired-out assets. The largest category is Capital goods, which includes construction and renovation. Some of the indirect emissions in AF Bostäder’s Scope 3 are also reported by collaboration partners in Scope 1.
“It may sound odd that someone else’s Scope 1 is our Scope 3, but there are several benefits from dual reporting,” says Louise Halén. “It ensures shared responsibility that everyone understands their own value chain and impact. It also means that more organisations have the incentive, either individually or in cooperation with others, to reduce their emissions.”
In 2021, AF Bostäder carried out a review that provided an overview of emissions in Scope 3. The year after, the company joined the City of Lund’s project Climate Neutral Lund 2030 and signed a declaration of intent to accelerate the city’s climate management work in cooperation with other organisations. A new sustainability operational goal was formulated in 2023 with a focus on greenhouse gas emissions, in line with Climate Neutral Lund 2030.
“By increasing measurements regarding Scope 3, we will have better monitoring of our emissions and can gradually implement the right initiatives to reduce them,” says Louise Halén. “It is complicated work, as there are different measurement methods. Climate data is often lacking, and in many cases we have to use models. It is almost impossible to extract precise emission statistics, but it is important that we get a good picture of where our initiatives can be of most benefit.”
“To assist us, we have our consultants, and new guidelines developed by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute in cooperation with housing companies to create a praxis for the whole sector. The new measurements mean that our reported emissions increase, even though they are technically the same as before, as we measure more things. Emissions must be visible before we can seriously start work on reducing them,” says Louise Halén.
Latest update June 28, 2024