We are proud to announce that we have achieved Climate Active certification for the 2023-24 year, a significant milestone that underscores our ongoing dedication to sustainability and environmental responsibility. This certification reflects our efforts to operate as a carbon-neutral business, reducing emissions through innovative design, sustainable practices, and renewable energy use.
At Ecoliv, we remain committed to driving positive change in the building industry by delivering homes that not only meet the highest environmental standards but also contribute to a regenerative future for all.
What is Climate Active?
Climate Active is an Australian Government initiative that supports climate policy by encouraging voluntary climate action among Australian businesses. The brand represents the collective efforts to measure, reduce and offset carbon emissions, thereby minimising negative impacts on the environment. Certification demonstrates our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Our Climate Active commitment
Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Ecoliv. We're committed to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible when it comes to environmentally responsible construction. It's a fundamental part of our business philosophy.
We are proud to announce we have already achieved a 32% decrease in our overall emissions targets since our base year, well exceeding our initial goal of 20% by 2026. This significant progress is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability and our effective implementation of emissions reduction strategies.
Our Emissions Reduction Strategy
We are committed to continually improving processes to minimise and where possible eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
Ecoliv is still in a growth phase (number of clients and employees), so we have set an intensity-based overall emission reductions target, which will be reviewed year-on-year. Because we’ve already reached our initial targets, we commit to further reduce our intensity-based operational emissions (tCO2-e/Full Time Equivalent Employee) by 50% by 2026 from the CY2022 baseline.
This will be achieved with the following activities across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions:
Scope 1 emissions
Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organization (e.g emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles.)
- Ecoliv has purchased its first Electric Vehicle and is currently working with the Green Building Institute to be involved in trialling an EV Ute. Transition to an electric car and Ute will reduce diesel and petrol consumption to 0. A time-bound target to reach 100% electric vehicles will be defined in 2024 after this review.
- Ecoliv replaced the petrol forklift with a gas forklift in 2023. A review of electric forklift option will be conducted in mid-2024.
Scope 2 emissions
Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Although scope 2 emissions physically occur at the facility where they are generated, they are accounted for in an organization's GHG inventory because they are a result of the organization's energy use.
- Ecoliv have transitioned to 100% GreenPower and carbon neutral electricity, which will reduce our scope 2 emissions to 0.
- Ecoliv will also install a solar farm by the end of 2024 to operate entirely off the grid.
Scope 3 emissions
Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly affects in its value chain. An organization's value chain consists of both its upstream and downstream activities.
- Installation of an electric car charging point at the construction facility to encourage transition to uptake of electric vehicles in calendar year 2024.
- When upgrading company vehicles opt for highly fuel efficient, hybrid or electric models.
- Review our Environmental Stewardship policy to prioritise sustainable and resource efficient purchases and where possible purchase certified Carbon Neutral products and services. We have developed a procurement policy to ensure that this is followed across the entire organisation.
- Reduce the number of documents that are printed and continue purchasing certified Carbon Neutral paper when available. We are also investing in a construction software, which will reduce our paper consumption moving forward.
- Staff training in operational sources of emissions and development of strategies to minimise these emissions. Reduce total emissions related to ICT services and equipment, Office equipment & supplies to 5% by 2024 compared to the base year (CY2022).
- Reducing our emissions from air and transportation by attending meetings via video conferencing rather than travelling. If air travel is unavoidable offsetting flights at point of purchase.
- Engage with key stakeholders and material suppliers to identify supply chain emissions and set reduction targets.
- Reduce Scope 3 emissions by working with suppliers to change their practices or switching sustainable suppliers if possible.
Our progress and achievements
In addition to our overall emissions reduction, we have made significant strides in other areas, including:
Renewable energy adoption: We have successfully transitioned to 100% renewable energy sources for our electricity needs.
Waste reduction: We have implemented effective waste management practices to minimize waste to landfill and our environmental impact.
Supplier engagement: We have worked closely with our suppliers to encourage them to adopt more sustainable practices and waste reduction in the supply chain.
Community engagement - Landcare: We believe that conducting our business in a responsible way and making meaningful contributions to the community in which we operate is critical to delivering balanced and sustainable outcomes.
We will be participating in a community planting day at a local farm on Thursday the 19th of September. The event is a part of the ‘Promoting and demonstrating Fire Wise planning and implementation in the Bass Coast’ project. Joining us on the day will be the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation Strong Country Team.
While we have achieved significant progress, our journey towards a more sustainable future is ongoing. We will continue to monitor our emissions, identify new opportunities for reduction, and adapt our strategies as needed.
Our Climate Active certification, exceeding our emissions reduction targets, and our dedication to sustainable practices demonstrate our resolute commitment to creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.
