City of Sydney

2013-2014

Template Version: 27 August 2014 v.4

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Public Disclosure Summary

1. Carbon neutral information

Certification for

Carbon Neutral Organisation - City of Sydney Council

The City of Sydney is the local government authority responsible for the city centre and more than 30 suburbs. The City of Sydney’s role is to provide services for our residents as well as for the daily influx of workers and visitors. On any given day, Sydney’s population swells to more than a million people.

The core functions of the City are defined by the Local Government Act 1993, the City of Sydney Act 1988 and other legislation. A non-exhaustive overview of City of Sydney services and facilities include:

• Aquatic centres • Community centres, services and facilities • Domestic waste service • Economic development • Events and sponsorships • Health and building inspections • Infrastructure (roads, footways, drainage, street lighting) • Parking services • Parks and open space • Strategic planning and development consent • Sustainability

The City owns approximately 250 properties, many of which are tenanted. The City also owns 8,599 street lights and there are a further 13,000 street lights owned by the electricity network provider but deemed to be within the City’s financial control (pays for energy and maintenance).

The City’s operations are mostly run out of a main administration building, multiple depots, parks, libraries, venues and community centres. The City’s main office is located at 456 Kent Street, Sydney behind the Sydney Town Hall.

Sustainable Sydney 2030, developed in 2008 with the most consultation ever undertaken by the City of Sydney, set ambitious targets including 70% reduction of 2006 greenhouse gas emissions, no-reliance on coal fired electricity, and for 30% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.

Sustainable Sydney 2030 proposes a Green, Global and Connected city and has significantly increased the expectations and service delivery by the City of Sydney.

Gross emissions this reporting year

40,769 t CO2-e

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Certification Boundary

In 2007 the City of Sydney Council resolved to become carbon neutral for its own properties and operations. In 2011 the City was certified carbon neutral under the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS). Our emissions boundary is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and includes all Scope-1 and Scope-2 emissions, as well as a range of Scope-3. Geographic boundary The City of Sydney local government area (LGA) covers 26.15 square kilometres of inner Sydney from Sydney Harbour at Rushcutters Bay to Glebe and Annandale in the west, Sydney Park and Rosebery in the south, and Centennial Park and Paddington in the east. This inventory pertains to providing local government services to constituents within the geographical area shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 – Local Government Area

Time span This report pertains to greenhouse gas emissions released due to activities associated with City of Sydney Council operations in the period of 1-July 2013 to 30-June 2014. Greenhouse gases The City of Sydney greenhouse gas emissions inventory looks to include the gases covered by the UNFCCC/Kyoto Protocol including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). However, there are no known sources of PFCs, SF6 or NF3 relevant to the City’s operations.

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The City includes greenhouse gas emissions from the ozone depleting R22 refrigerant within its inventory. This is an option accorded within the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Required Greenhouse Gases in Inventories - Accounting and Reporting Standard Amendment Feb 2013. Until R22 is phased out it will continue to be a source of greenhouse gas emissions and is therefore included. Organisational boundary The City of Sydney organisational boundary includes emissions sources where the City is considered to have operational control (as defined by the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2008) for emissions resulting in the delivery of services where the City has capacity to implement environmental policies. Operational control is the predominant control approach as described above. In addition the City has chosen to include other emissions sources which are within its financial control (fuel emissions from major contractors for example). For the City of Sydney, this means services required under the Local Government Act and Sustainable Sydney 2030 and includes core business, statutory responsibilities, service provision, Council facilities, services and other assets as depicted in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Organisational boundary Operational boundary In accordance with the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act, Section 11 the City includes all Scope-1 and Scope-2 emissions based on aggregated data for facilities and core activities. In addition there are a range of Scope-3 emissions sources. Figure 3 shows all emissions that have been included or excluded. The definitions for Scope-1, Scope-2 and Scope-3 emissions have been interpreted from the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) Version 2, May 2012 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.

Buildings (City-owned and managed)

• Administration buildings • Aquatic centres • Base-building services

of tenanted sites • Child-care centres • Community centres • Depots • Libraries • Town halls • Other

Street lighting

• City-owned • Ausgrid owned

Parks (City-managed)

• Equipment • Lighting

Transport

• Fleet • Major outsourced activities • Business travel of employees (flights & taxi)

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Figure 3: Diagram of the boundary of the subject of certification The City of Sydney includes many Scope 3 emissions sources within its inventory. Some Scope 3 emissions sources have excluded for reasons in accordance with Section 4.2.3 of the National Carbon Offset Standard, including:

• Emissions are likely to be negligible (relative to other Scope 3 emissions) • Determining emissions is not currently possible given available technology • Determining emissions will be very costly relative to their likely significance • There is insufficient data

It is not considered that the Scope 3 exclusions compromise the overall integrity of the reported inventory. The City of Sydney has publicly tested our emissions reduction targets and carbon neutral assertions within the media, local and international events and programs such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the CDP Cities Carbon Disclosure Project. Review of other local and international Governments at varying stages of carbon neutrality has not indicated material emissions sources which are not reported by the City of Sydney.

SCOPE-2

Indirect emissions

• Combustion of fossil-fuels off-site to provide mains electricity for City-owned and managed buildings, parks and street lighting.

SCOPE-3

Indirect emissions

• Combustion of aviation fuel for business travel flights.

• Combustion of liquid petroleum gas fuel for work taxi trips.

• Combustion of diesel, gasoline, ethanol, biodiesel and liquid petroleum gas used by major outsourced services.

• Disposal of City waste. • Paper used by the City. • Extraction, production and

transport of fuels used by fleet and major outsourced activities.

• Extraction, production, transmission and distribution of electricity and gas used by City-owned and managed buildings, parks and street lighting.

• Emissions resulting from New Year’s Eve event.

SCOPE-1

Direct emissions

• Combustion of diesel, gasoline, ethanol, biodiesel and liquid petroleum gas used by the City’s fleet.

• Combustion of diesel on-site for stationary energy used in City-owned and managed buildings.

• Combustion of natural gas on-site used in City-owned and managed buildings and City-managed parks.

• Fugitive emissions from City-owned and managed buildings commercial air-conditioning.

EXCLUDED

Indirect emissions

• Business travel by public transport.

• Embodied energy of road and building materials.

• Employee commute to and from work.

• Events. • Freight. • Fuel emissions from the

transportation of City of Sydney operations waste.

• Impact of equipment, consumables, repairs, maintenance and communications.

• Minor outsourced activities.

• Scope-3 emissions from ethanol and biodiesel consumption.

• Transportation of purchased materials or goods.

• Waste from tenancies.

NF3

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2. Summary of changes to the carbon footprint The major change has been a reduction in emissions of seven per cent since the previous reporting year - a fall of 3,176 t CO2-e. This is the result of initiatives outlined in section 3. There were no major changes in City assets (such as property acquisitions or disposals) during the reporting period. Changes in emissions reporting activities since the previous period include:

• The City endorsed an interim target to reduce 2006 emissions by 26 per cent by Dec-2016.

• Emissions are now publically reported twice yearly in the City of Sydney Green Report www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/GreenReport

• Staff changes occurred in the areas of facilities management, waste management and NCOS compliance.

• A new procedure was introduced to collect fuel consumption data from major contractors using an online survey system.

• Emissions boundary diagrams have been improved (see Figures 2 and 3) in response to a recommendation from the previous year NCOS certification.

• Emissions factors for electricity and ethanol have been updated with the release of National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors (Dec 2014).

• Taxi fare rates have been updated to reflect current tariffs. • Master greenhouse gas emissions inventory spread sheet has been updated

to show year-on-year trends. • The annual NYE event was reinstated within the City’s overall inventory. • Additional flight, taxi and fleet fuel data has been included from petty cash

and travel card information. • R22 refrigerant use is being phased out and progressively being replaced by

R410a with higher global warming potential but isn’t ozone depleting. Recommendations from the previous reporting period to include emissions from staff travel and emissions from water consumption have not been included due to insufficient data and will be investigated in future reporting years. Year-on-year changes Figures 4 and 5 and Tables 1 and 2 show year-on-year changes to the City’s greenhouse gas emissions by scope and by major business unit since 2005/06 - the year against which the City’s greenhouse gas reduction target was established through Sustainable Sydney 2030. In previous NCOS reports a 2009/10 base year was used. In this report, the 2005/06 base year has been used for consistency with Sustainable Sydney 2030, Energy Master Plans, sustainability programs, the bi-annual green report, corporate plan reporting and other communications channels. The 2005/06 base year emissions inventory received independent assurance by the company Banarra to the same level as required for certification under the National Carbon Offset Standard, specifically to a limited level for Scope 3 emissions and to a reasonable level for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. There have been no material changes to the emissions boundary since 2005/06.

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Total greenhouse gas emissions have reduced by 23 per cent since 2006. The percentage reductions are greater for some specific sectors, for example greenhouse gas emissions from our buildings are 32 per cent below 2006 levels. Progress toward the City’s interim 2016 target and the target for 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent are also shown. Table 1 - Emissions by scope

Carbon Neutral certification

n/a n/a n/a n/a Year-1 Year-2 Year-3 Year-4 Year-5

2005/06 BASELINE

2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Scope-1 4,053 4,338 4,465 5,022 4,744 4,449 4,649 4,174 4,539

Scope-2 37,760 38,709 38,439 35,506 35,073 33,821 31,835 29,633 28,109

Scope-3 11,159 11,429 11,490 11,208 10,213 10,066 10,217 10,137 8,121

TOTAL 52,972 54,475 54,395 51,736 50,030 48,336 46,701 43,945 40,769

Figure 4 - Emissions by scope

Carbon Neutral certification period

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Table 2 - Emissions by major type

Carbon Neutral certification

n/a n/a n/a n/a Year-1 Year-2 Year-3 Year-4 Year-5

2005/06 BASELINE

2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Buildings 28,775 29,075 28,626 25,750 25,203 24,718 23,150 21,847 19,711

Street Lighting

15,131 15,699 16,057 15,636 15,269 14,783 14,653 13,730 12,404

Parks 2,502 2,636 2,610 2,850 2,878 2,578 2,468 2,197 2,206

Fleet 2,669 3,022 2,954 3,212 3,225 3,175 2,710 2,373 2,417

Other 3,896 4,042 4,148 4,288 3,455 3,082 3,720 3,798 4,031

TOTAL 52,972 54,475 54,395 51,736 50,030 48,336 46,701 43,945 40,769

Figure 5 - Emissions by major type

Carbon Neutral certification period

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3. Emission Reduction Measures Table 3 - Emissions reduction measures in the reporting period

Emission source Reduction Measure Scope Status

Estimated reduction

t CO2-e

Electricity Energy and Water retrofit program 2 & 3

Complete this period

332

Electricity LED lighting retrofit 2 & 3 58% complete 695

Electricity Installation of solar PV 2 & 3 88% complete 1,379

Multiple

Other (makes up remainder of observed savings - may be due to changes in work patterns and behaviours, year-on-year seasonal influences, and fleet initiatives for example).

2 & 3 Complete this period

770

Total emission reductions implemented in this reporting period 3,176

Total expected emissions reductions in future reporting periods 1,398

4. Emissions management plan This part of the report was developed in May 2015 for Carbon Neutral certification under the National Carbon Offset Standard. It focusses on the City’s planned or intended actions to achieve its target to reduce 2006 emissions by 70 per cent by 2030. This is an absolute target, based on the City playing its fair share to constrain global average temperature increases to below 2 degrees Celsius. In the first instance, the City will continue to deploy energy efficiency and solar PV as part of its current tenders and commitments. In addition the City will continue to identify feasible opportunities to reduce emissions through technologies, management practices and the design and operation of its properties and other assets. Figure 6 shows that the majority of emissions are from electricity which reflects the highly emissions intensive NSW grid due mostly to coal-fired generation. The majority of emissions reductions achieved to date, as well as future savings, will come by reducing grid electricity through energy efficiency and renewable energy.

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Figure 6 - Electricity and non-electricity emissions Figures 7 and 8 show the emissions reduction tasks for achieving the City’s interim 2016 and longer term 2030 targets.

Figure 7 - Tracking 2016 target

Carbon Neutral certification

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Figure 8 - Target trajectories The emissions savings shown in Figure 9 and Table 4 indicate a range of opportunities to achieve the 2030 target to reduce 2006 emissions by 70 per cent. These charts are continually revised as new information and opportunities become available and are included within the twice-yearly City of Sydney Green Report available at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/GreenReport.

Figure 9 - Tracking 2030 emissions

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Table 4 - Tracking 2030 emissions

Project Description Timeframe

PORTFOLIO CHANGE Energy has increased due to changes in the property portfolio since 2006. Further increases are likely by 2030 due to the addition of new facilities.

To occur in future years

ENERGY RETROFIT A significant retrofit project mostly completed in previous years has resulted in significant energy savings. Further opportunities have been identified for future years.

Partial implementation during reporting period

LED LIGHTING Contract to replace 6,448 Council owned street lights with LED is underway.

Partial implementation during reporting period

SOLAR PV Contract to install 1.2 megawatts of solar PV to Council properties is underway.

Partial implementation during reporting period

RENEWABLE GAS Future project opportunity to reduce emissions by replacing natural gas with renewable gases.

To occur in future years

15/5 TRIGEN (TOWN HALL) Contract has been awarded to install trigeneration at Town Hall House with further sites under consideration.

To occur in future years

RENEWABLE GAS TRIGEN Future project opportunity to reduce emissions by replacing natural gas with renewable gases.

To occur in future years

FLEET Fleet emissions savings have been achieved in previous reporting years.

To occur in future years

AUSGRID LED Future project opportunity to replace Ausgrid street lighting in the local government area with efficient LED.

To occur in future years

RENEWABLES INSIDE & BEYOND LGA

Future project opportunity to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy installations.

To occur in future years

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5. Carbon emissions summary

Total greenhouse gas emissions are listed in Tables 5 and 6. Paper was the only certified carbon neutral product purchased during the reporting period.

The City of Sydney does not create or surrender LGCs or renewable energy certificates for its solar PV installations in order to retain ownership of the associated emissions reductions.

In this way, the City is installing local renewable energy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as a higher order priority than purchasing low cost offsets. This is in accordance with well recognised carbon hierarchy principles.

Table 5 - Summary 2013-14 greenhouse gas emissions inventory

Scope Emission source t CO2-e

2,3 Electricity - Properties 17,748 2,3 Electricity - Parks 2,205 2,3 Electricity - Street lighting 12,404 1,3 Fleet 2,417 1,3 Natural gas 1,963 3 Contractors 1,097 3 Events 640 1 Refrigerants 715 3 Paper* 52 3 Waste 1,467 3 Flights 57 3 Taxis 28 1 On site fuel 5

NCOS certified carbon neutral product (Paper) 31

Total Gross* Emissions 40,800

GreenPower or LGC reductions -

Total Net** Emissions 40,769

* Includes emissions from certified Carbon Neutral paper

** Excludes emissions from certified Carbon Neutral paper

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Table 6 - Detailed 2013-14 greenhouse gas emissions inventory

Scope Emission source Source data Unit t CO2-e

2 Electricity - buildings 17,927,626 kWh 15,418 3 Electricity - buildings (scope 3) 17,927,626 kWh 2,331 2 Electricity - parks 2,227,737 kWh 1,916 3 Electricity - parks (scope 3) 2,227,737 kWh 290 2 Electricity - street lighting 12,529,253 kWh 10,775 3 Electricity - street lighting (scope 3) 12,529,253 kWh 1,629 1 Natural gas - buildings 30,597,726 MJ 1,571 3 Natural gas - buildings (scope 3) 30,597,726 MJ 392 1 Natural gas - parks 12,032 MJ 1 3 Natural gas - parks (scope 3) 12,032 MJ 0 1 Diesel - fleet 739,983 L 1,992 1 Diesel - fleet (biodiesel) 261,856 L 31 3 Diesel - fleet (scope 3) 739,983 L 151 1 ULP - fleet 95,764 L 219 1 ULP - fleet (ethanol) 8,931 L 0 3 ULP - fleet (scope 3) 95,764 L 17 1 LPG - fleet 3,382 L 5 3 LPG - fleet scope 3 3,382 L 0 3 Diesel - contractor 335,624 L 904 3 Diesel - contractor (biodiesel) 265 L 0 3 Diesel - contractor (scope 3) 335,624 L 69 3 ULP - contractors 50,347 L 115 3 ULP - contractor (ethanol) 2,716 L 0 3 ULP - contractor (scope 3) 50,347 L 9 3 LPG - contractor 0 L 0 3 LPG - contractor (scope 3) 0 L 0 3 Flights (no RFI inc.) 57 tCO2-e 57 3 Taxis 92,176 km 28 1 Refrigerants 715 tCO2-e 715 1 Diesel - on site fuel 1,973 L 5 3 Diesel - on site fuel (scope 3) 1,973 L 0 3 Council waste 1,334 t waste 1,467 3 New years eve event 640 tCO2-e 640 3 Paper - A4 12,742 Reams 20 3 Paper - A3 546 Reams 1 3 Paper - plotter 175 Kg 0

Total Net Emissions 40,769

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Emissions factors

Table 7a - Fuel and electricity emissions factors

Energy content

Scope-1 Scope-2 Scope-3

TRANSPORT FUEL GJ/kL kg CO2e/GJ - kg CO2e/GJ

Gasoline (ULP) - post 2004 vehicles 34.2 66.92 - 5.3

Diesel oil - Euro iv or higher 38.6 69.75 - 5.3

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - post 2004 vehicles 26.2 60.2 - 5.0

Ethanol - post 2004 vehicles 23.4 0.4 - NE

Biodiesel - general transport 34.6 3.4 - NE

STATIONARY ENERGY FUEL GJ/kL kg CO2e/GJ - kg CO2e/GJ

Diesel oil 38.6 69.5 - 5.3

ELECTRICITY - - kg C02e/kWh kg C02e/kWh

NSW - latest factors - - 0.86 0.13

NATURAL GAS - kg C02e/GJ - kg C02e/GJ

Natural gas distributed in a pipeline - 51.33 - 12.8

Source: National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors (Dec 2014) http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/b24f8db4-e55a-4deb-a0b3-32cf763a5dab/files/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-dec-2014.pdf

Table 7b - Waste emissions factors

Scope-3

WASTE tC02e/t waste

Commercial and industrial waste 1.1

Source: National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors (Dec 2014)

Table 7c - Taxi journey fuel consumption

Scope-3

TAXI JOURNEYS L/100 km

Fuel consumption (LPG) 18

Source: Australian Taxation Office - Taxi drivers and operators - issued 2012 - Benchmarks https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Small-business-benchmarks/Previous-years/Benchmarks-by-business-type-A-Z/R-Z/Taxi-drivers-and-operators---issued-2013/

Table 7d - Refrigerant global warming potential

Scope-3

REFRIGERANT GWP

R134A 1,300 R22 1,500 R407C 1,526 R410A 1,725

Sources:

• R22 - Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing. In: Climate Change 2007 http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf

• R407C and R410A - GHG Protocol HFC Tool (Version 1.0) http://www.ghgprotocol.org/files/ghgp/tools/hfc-cfc.pdf • R134A and annual leakage rate - National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors (Dec 2014)

p57 http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/b24f8db4-e55a-4deb-a0b3-32cf763a5dab/files/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-dec-2014.pdf

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6. Carbon offsets for this year Table 8 - Offsets cancellations

Offset type Registry Serial number Quantity

(t CO2-e)

VCU APX VCS Regsitry

1755-72646242-72686953-VCU-008-MER-TH-4-403-01072007-31122007-0

40,712

VER Markit GS1-1-TW-GS472-12-2012-1248-87446 to 87485

40

VER Markit GS1-1-TW-GS472-12-2013-3497-159365 to 159381

17

Total 40,769

Offsets for the 2013/14 reporting year were purchased in July 2015. No surplus cancelled offsets have been pre-purchased for future NCOS reporting years. Registry links APX VCS Registry http://vcsregistry.com Markit https://mer.markit.com/br-reg/public/index.jsp?entity=retirement&sort=account_name&dir=ASC&start=0&acronym=&limit=15&name=city+of+sydney&standardId=&unitClass= Offset purchasing and cancellation strategy The City of Sydney purchases emissions offsets following each reporting year. Offsets for work flights are purchased through a Climate Friendly program. Offsets for other emissions sources are purchased by quotation. The offsets providers retire offsets on behalf of the City of Sydney and provide certificate numbers. The City has developed a set of stringent criteria to ensure that offsets are real, additional, and result in greatest emissions reductions with least environmental impacts. Co-benefits are also considered. The City’s offset strategy is to continue using independently verified greenhouse gas emissions inventories as the basis to annually purchase offsets via quotation. Information about the City’s carbon neutral program, including offset certificates, is available at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Carbon

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7. Declaration To the best of my knowledge and having met the requirements of the National Carbon Offset Standard Carbon Neutral Program (NCOS CNP), the information provided in this Public Disclosure Summary is true and correct.

9 July 2015

Chris Derksema

A/Chief Operations Officer

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NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

7. Use of Trade Mark

This section is a register of where the trademark was used during the year.

Table 9 - Trademark register

Where used Logo type

City of Sydney Green Reports

www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/GreenReport

Certified organisation

City of Sydney website

www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Carbon

Certified organisation

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