Three-year Climate Plan will decrease carbon footprint by 20%
As a company working at the heart of the energy transition, and committed to promoting net zero carbon, Laborelec takes its responsibilities seriously.
In 2021 at the company’s headquarters in Linkebeek, 4.2 GWh of electricity was consumed, while natural gas consumption amounted to 1.4 GWh. The good news is that 250MWh of electricity is already generated by PV panels recently erected on site, saving the equivalent of almost 40 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
At Linkebeek, 50% of all CO2 emissions come from energy consumed on site, while commuting and business travel accounts for the other 50%.
The mobility budget scheme is also helping to move us to more sustainable commuting, either through staff transitioning to electric vehicles, or other more sustainable solutions such as public transport, or help with housing costs closer to work. 10 tonnes of CO2 is already saved by 43 Laborelec staff cycling or walking to work. In 2022, cyclists were able to cover over 77,000km in commuting to the Linkebeek site.
Progress is being made, but clearly there’s scope for more. Much more.
Of the 230 vehicles currently leased in 2022, 172 were internal combustion engines emitting an estimated 330 tonnes of CO2 per year. 25 plug-in hybrids emitted 15 tonnes of CO2, while 33 battery electrics also accounted for 15 tonnes.”
So, in 2022, the company launched its ambitious three-year action plan to further the transition to low-carbon operations in these priority areas, building on the progress already made. The plan has two main elements:
Energy consumption goes maximum solar
- Solar energy’s contribution will increase by almost 200% by the end of 2023 with installations on all the remaining rooftops. In combination with battery storage, emission of 80 tonnes of CO2 will be avoided.
- Optimisation of building climatization systems will save a further 32 tonnes of CO2
- Improved thermal insulation in older buildings will save almost 20 tonnes of CO2
Greener travel and commuting
- Promoting commuting by bike in 2023, including a bike allowance, secure parking, and a bike leasing scheme, are estimated to save 3 tonnes of CO2 for a 30% increase in bike use.
- Moving 80% of staff vehicles over to electric by 2026, with an increased number of charging points could save a massive 186 tonnes of CO2
The plans are ambitious, but achievable, while failure is not an option. Let’s all make Laborelec a greener place to work!