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Becoming Net Zero Carbon

Why is this important to your business?

There are obvious ethical reasons as to why we all need to contribute
to protecting our planet for future generations. There are also legal and
economic ones that will apply to all our businesses.

Because of this there are changes to the

way that buildings are being built, and This pack of information will help you:
our clients, the contractors, will have to
work to stricter targets to ensure their
whole supply chain is contributing to a
Net Zero Carbon future.
From small house builders to large
scale contractors, every construction
project will be delivered by a Net Zero
Supply chain by 2050 in line with both 1. Meet contractor 3. Reduce material
Government and Construction Industry requirements for waste and costs.
targets. Contractors and developers are a zero-carbon
adapting their procurement scoring to supply chain
appoint scaffolding specialists that will
contribute to this target.
NASC member businesses account for
the vast majority of scaffold revenue in
the UK and are in prime position to lead
in decarbonising our industry, whilst
preparing our businesses to be selected
as part of the Net Zero Supply Chains of 2. Reduce energy use 4. Significantly reduce
the future. and costs. your carbon
A sustainable business also increases footprint and meet
Net Zero Carbon
efficiency and reduces costs.
targets you set.

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Glossary & FAQ

This section provides a summary of key terminology and answers some
questions regarding Net Zero Carbon.

This is a live document that is added production of greenhouse gases – primarily

to regularly based on questions Carbon Dioxide (CO2), but also Methane
asked by NASC members. and Nitrous Oxide.
If you have a question that is not This results in less heat from the planet
answered in this section, email us at filtering back out through the layer into
enquiries@nasc.org.uk and we will space, increasing the Earth’s temperature
answer your question and include it and contributing to a change in our
for reference for other members. climate.
If no action is taken this will result in
Why is everyone concerned about irreparable damage and irreversible
carbon reduction? change to the planet.
Earth’s atmosphere is surrounded by Several Treaties have already been agreed
a layer of gases which regulate the by World Leaders to work together to
temperature of the planet by allowing in control the amount of change by reducing
radiation from the sun while radiated heat the amount of greenhouse gases being
from the planet is released out into space. produced.
Human activity, such as burning fossil
As the single biggest contributing factor,
fuels, has accelerated changes in this cycle
much of the focus is being placed on the
and altered the chemical composition of
reduction of carbon emissions.
this layer of gases due to an increase in

https://climatescience.org/advanced-greenhouse-gases

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What are the UK’s climate targets? What are Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions?
The UK Government has set legally binding Carbon emissions are categorised under 3
commitments to reduce CO2 emissions: scopes:

Produced from
Scope 1: our business
Direct activities, such as
Emissions through our fleet
and use of plant /
machinery.
68% 78% Net
by 2030
– only 8
by 2035
zero Scope 2: Secondary sources
by 2050 Indirect such as electricity
years away Emissions in our offices.

These targets will impact on all businesses Sources such

and how we operate in the coming years. as those our
Scope 3:
Supplementary supply chain is
How do we measure our carbon Emissions responsible for
emissions? and employee
travel to work.
This is the starting point for your journey
to net zero. Understanding the size and
composition of your carbon footprint is These categories of emissions need to
essential in prioritising the changes you be understood as reductions in particular
can make. scopes impact your status towards net
zero.
However, it is not easy to do yourself.
Online calculators are generic and do not
What is Net Zero Carbon?
offer a validated measurement.
Net Zero Carbon is achieved when our
If you need an independently validated
businesses make significant reductions in
audit, we can connect you with our partner
all 3 scopes and offset the amounts that
Engie to discuss further.
cannot be reduced.
Search for approved offset programmes.
There are lots of interesting options from
planning trees to supporting enterprises is
developing countries.
Offsets however must be used on top of
continuous reduction efforts. You cannot
achieve NZC status if you are offsetting
emissions that are possible to reduce or
remove from your business.

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What is Carbon Neutral? Can I self-certify as Carbon Neutral or

Net Zero Carbon?
Carbon Neutral means that you have
reduced the amount of CO2 your business No. You will need to provide evidence to
produces as much as possible based on an organisation that can certify your status
what you can control and you offset the with the Carbon Trust.
rest by financing projects that remove CO2
from the atmosphere. You will need to provide clear evidence of
reduction in emissions under the relevant
scopes over time and that the amount you
What is Carbon Negative? need to offset is as minimal as possible
Carbon Negative can only be achieved under your current strategy.
once your business has become Net Zero You cannot be ‘business as usual’ and
Carbon. simply offset your emissions.
Carbon Negative cannot be simply
achieved by offsetting more CO2 emissions How do I find Carbon Offset
than your business uses. Programmes?
On top of having a zero carbon footprint, A quick search online will introduce you
your business has to prove that it is to many organisations that offer offset
additionally removing CO2 from the programmes. But be cautious when
atmosphere through its own operations. choosing who you use.
There are products emerging that capture Firstly ignore any claims that they can
carbon from the atmosphere, including certify you as Carbon Neutral simply
scaffold sheeting. As these products are through using them to offset all of your
tested and become more widely available, emissions as this is incorrect.
becoming carbon negative in the future
may be a possibility for some businesses. Select an organisation where their
offset programmes are approved by an
accredited body such as The Carbon
What are offsets? Trust, The Gold Standard and the Verified
Offsets are approved projects that remove Carbon Standard.
CO2 from the atmosphere that you can
contribute to financing. What is PAS 2060?
Approved projects will allow you to finance PAS 2060 is a specification standard
the amount of CO2 you need to offset detailing how to demonstrate carbon
and there are a wide variety to choose neutrality, produced and published by
from both in the UK and in developing the British Standards Institution (BSI).
countries. Companies can self-certify to PAS 2060 or
seek third-party verification.
Examples include financing of
re-forestation projects or the provision PAS 2060 was developed by BSI (and
of energy efficient stoves in developing other organisations such as Defra and
countries. Carbon Trust) to specify requirements

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to be met by an organisation seeking to processes and carbon capture methods

demonstrate carbon neutrality through the in steelmaking in Europe and even in
quantification, reduction and offsetting of China. The process used for manufacturing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and came Aluminium (electrolysis) is also being
into effect in April 2010. investigated for use in steel making.
Demand from industry for carbon
How does this link to ISO 50001 and reduction will have a combined effect on
14001? manufacturers. As the cost of low-carbon
ISO 140001 – Environmental Management materials fall our demand will increase.
and ISO 14001 – Energy Management So, in the future we will be able to
are excellent starting points on your establish Green Procurement Policies and
sustainability journey. it will become possible to procure more
You can achieve Net Zero without them, sustainably manufactured steel products.
but they help you create policies that fit
with the wider environmental and energy What is embodied carbon and does it
efficiency drive. apply in temporary works?
Embodied carbon means all the CO2
Why does this affect temporary works? emitted in producing materials. It is
Our path to Net Zero is not as challenging estimated from amount of the energy used
as some trades because we are temporary to extract and transport raw materials
works. However, all operations within as well as emissions from manufacturing
the construction supply chain need to processes.
contribute to reducing emissions where we The embodied carbon of a building
can. can include all the emissions from the
construction materials, the building
Can we be Net Zero and still use steel? process, all the fixtures and fittings
inside as well as from deconstructing and
The manufacture of iron and steel is disposing of it at the end of its lifetime.
responsible for 11% of global CO2
emissions. Temporary works will be defined under
the process of building so although we
There is a misconception that our don’t use materials that constitute part of
businesses can’t achieve Net Zero Carbon the final build, the carbon emitted from
whilst we use steel that is manufactured the materials we use to support the build,
using fossil fuels. As this process is outside may be included in an embodied carbon
our businesses’ control, this is not true due calculation.
to the scope definitions our businesses’
work towards. A good example of this is in our
scaffolding boards, where carbon is stored.
Encouragingly, a growing number of This carbon will be held until the board
steel manufacturers have made Net Zero degrades or is burnt. Purchasing boards
pledges and there is active exploration encourages manufacturers to grow more
and movement towards carbon reduction trees.

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As long as we dispose of waste timber

correctly, carbon can be stored for many
years. Concepts such as circular economies
can extend carbon storage through reuse
of the timber.

What are circular economies?

Restorative material cycles in which waste
for one process becomes food for the next;
designed-in reuse, recycling, flexibility,
ease of repair, and durability.
Examples of this would be recycling our
timber.

What is product stewardship and how

can our suppliers use it?
Taking responsibility for a product across
its entire lifecycle. Companies design their
products and develop ‘take-back’ systems
so they can be recycled/remanufactured.
(i.e. Buyback/recycle of waste sheeting).

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Quick Wins
Ideas to help you quickly reduce carbon usage.

Energy • Consideration of vehicle replacement

strategies
• Changing electricity supplier to
renewable energy supplier. Many large
energy companies are now moving to People, Culture and Communication
sustainable sources of energy as their • Influence staff through training and
core provision. awareness campaigns to support
• Review lighting systems in offices and environmental protection and
warehouses and phase in LED systems. improvement.

• Introduction of motion sensor light • Source local labour for projects

switches in office and yard buildings wherever possible.
• Engagement of the workforce –
Waste encourage them to suggest innovation
and development.
• Put in place a waste reduction policy
to reduce use of products not just • Development of a set of simple toolbox
recycling. This would include reduction talks that companies can use.
in paper usage and plastics.
• Digitalise processes to reduce paper Travel
consumption i.e. electronic invoicing, • Cycle to work schemes
digital scaffold inspections etc.
• Encourage car share schemes
• Source schemes to recycle what can be
recycled such as timber. Even hard hats • Encourage staff to reduce business
can be recycled: journeys or to combine journeys.
https://www.yesrecycling.org/hard-hat-
recycling Materials/Operations
• Consider sustainable alternatives for
Fleet/Logistics
hired in plant i.e. HVO or EV.
• Detailed journey planning to optimise
• Consider current recycling/disposal
logistics and reduce fuel consumption.
policies. An example would be to send
• Use of speed limiters on vehicles. waste base boards for recycling instead
of burning.
• Changing fuel supplier to 100% carbon
offset (UK Fuels now offer this for £0.01 • Extend the life of components through
per litre) increasing servicing and maintenance
schedules.

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Potential investments to plan for

Longer term changes that require investment and planning

Solar Energy before choosing who you purchase it from.

Solar power is a clean, renewable and Being 100% hydrocarbon, HVO has better
sustainable energy source that creates performance and stability that other
zero harmful greenhouse gases. It works biofuels, and is a popular green alternative
by converting energy from the sun into available at the pump in many countries in
electricity and heat, even in cloudy Europe such as Sweden and Finland.
climates.
HVO Fuel can often be used without the
Installation of Solar Panels can help requirement to change filters on your
businesses generate their own clean existing vehicles but do check with your
energy. There are two types of solar vehicle manufacturer.
panels: Solar PV which generates an
electric current and Solar Thermal that Electric Vehicles
generates heat. The technology in both are
slightly different. Electric vehicles are the future, and the
Government are ensuring that charging
The investment required is often a barrier infrastructure and incentives are in place to
to businesses using solar energy, but the encourage more of us to move to electric
panels work effectively for 25 years with or hybrid technology.
the materials used being more widely
recycled. For company vans and cars this may be a
nearer term option for many businesses.
There are schemes that help businesses The technology for HGVs however needs
invest in solar such as PPA (Power Purchase improving before investment can be fully
Agreement) which can be used to cover considered.
the capital cost of materials and installation
of solar panels, effectively giving you free Businesses investing in EV may want to
solar panels at your premises. The installer consider:
will take a percentage of the electricity
• Provision of charging points at the
generated to cover the installation and
business locations which will also help
maintenance costs.
employees who do not have a company
vehicle but drive to work and want the
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) option to purchase electric/hybrid cars.
HVO fuel can reduce CO2 emissions by • Use of electric forklift trucks within the
91%. It is manufactured by hydrotreating yard.
waste fats and vegetable oils from
sustainable and renewable sources. Check
that suppliers have the International
Sustainability and Carbon Certification

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Grants and Incentives

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-
consumers/energy-advice-businesses/
find-business-energy-efficiency-grants-and-
schemes
Ofgem provide a clear guide on what is
available and what you need to do.

https://www.fitariffs.co.uk/commercial-
grant-funding/
This website provides details on the grants
and tariffs available to businesses.

https://www.gov.uk/government/
collections/government-grants-for-low-
emission-vehicles
The UK Government’s Workplace Electric
Vehicle Charging Scheme

https://www.engie.com/en/news/ppa-
power-purchase-agreement-what-is-it
Power Purchase Agreements – what they
are and how to select one.

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Draft Policy Statement template

Please see the appendix on Page 12.
As a start point for members who are new
to this area we have supplied a draft policy
statement that can be tailored to your
individual business needs.
Please update you specific company details
and your individual plans and commitments
for carbon reduction.

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Sources of useful information

ConstructZero
https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/constructzero/

Greenhouse Gas Protocol

https://ghgprotocol.org/

Pledge to Net Zero

https://www.pledgetonetzero.org/

Government 10 Point Plan

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_
data/file/936567/10_POINT_PLAN_BOOKLET.pdf

Supply Chain Sustainability School

www.supplychainschool.co.uk

The Carbon Trust

https://www.carbontrust.com/
“The Carbon Trust offers businesses free, independent advice on efficient energy usage and
installing sources of renewable energy. Use their Green Business Directory to find suppliers
they have accredited. The National Energy Foundation YouGen website offers a similar tool”

Federation of Small Business

https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/transition-to-net-zero-with-the-zero-carbon-business-
portal.html

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Net Zero Carbon Policy Statement

BUSINESS NAME understands its moral and legal duties in protecting the environment and
moving towards a long term sustainable business model which removes or minimises negative
impacts on the planet.

The Business is committed to reducing the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gas
emissions generated by its scaffolding operations and activities and is working towards a
position of net zero carbon by 20XX (based on current legislation).

As part of this commitment it will ensure that it has a clear and methodical understanding of
its current carbon emissions levels to provide the basis for specific and meaningful reductions
targets and setting of key milestone dates.

The Company will ensure that all aspects of operations are considered including fixed and
mobile site facilities, purchasing, transportation, site operations, waste production and
management, resource provision and usage, training and development and office based
activities.

It will consider and understand direct, indirect and supplemental emissions affected by the
business and will ensure the development of strategies for reductions in all 3 scope areas.

It will ensure appropriate training and communications across the business operations to
ensure that all employees, and others working for and on behalf of the business, understand
these fundamental commitments and how they can implement changes and improvements in
their areas of operations.

The company is committed to – (examples only)

1. Replace existing Euro 5 engine wagons with Euro 6 vehicles by July 2023
2. Switch energy supply to a renewable energy provider by June 2022
3. Install motion sensors in office building to reduce annual electric consumption by 15%
4. Carry out internal training on carbon reduction across entire workforce by December 2022

This policy and the objectives and targets developed from it will be reviewed at least annually.

J Smith
Title
Date

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