There is mounting evidence that Climate Change is a reality that will affect us all. We specialise in assisting organisations understand their carbon footprint and deliver a carbon management programme or emissions reduction strategy.

Our specialist team can apply proven energy, economic and environmental expertise to the challenges of climate change and the introduction of emissions trading. Benchmarking of emissions, carbon costs, impact of EUETS, design, financing and implementation of solutions to maximise benefits and minimise exposures. Please review the case study for our work on the Carbon Management Strategy and Masterplan for the South Kensington Cultural and Academic Estate.

This innovative programme represents the coming together of five of Britain's most prestigious institutions, namely the Natural History Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Royal Albert Hall, The Science Museum and Imperial College.

Their buildings and operations have a combined carbon footprint of 55,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2005 and a total utility expenditure of nearly £8m.

We have helped them develop a strategy for monitoring and targeting their energy usage and carbon emissions, obtain a £2.9m HM Treasury grant to support a £4m multi-site comprehenisve sub-metering project which is being delivered throughout 2007.

The next step is to use this information to identify opportunities for iimproved operating practices, economies of scale and new technologies including CHP and utilisation of underground aquifers.

We are currently providing the commerical administration of the programme working towards completion of the "Masterplan" around the end of 2009.

We can help identify your organisation's carbon footprint and assist your migration to a carbon neutral or zero net carbon operation

Call (+44) 0845 257 7080 (local rate from UK) for an exploratory discussion or email us now with your contact details and the nature of your enquiry and one of our specialists will call you back as soon as possible.

 

 

 

1 WHAT IS THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT?

The Greenhouse Effect is the natural process by which the atmosphere traps some of the Sun's energy, warming the Earth enough to support life.

However, most mainstream scientists believe a man-made increase in Greenhouse Gases (GHG's) is dramatically increasing the warming effect. In fact, current levels of the GHG's carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are higher now than at any time in the past 650,000 years: that is the conclusion of new European studies looking at ice taken from 3km below the surface of Antarctica.

Scientist have found that that CO2 is about 30% higher than at any recorded time, and methane 130% higher; and the rates of increase are absolutely exceptional: for CO2, 200 times faster than at any time in the last 650,000 years.

It is the extra GHG's which humans have released which are thought to pose a threat of over heating the atmosphere (Global Warming). GHG's punch above their weight, as they constitute only about 1% of the total atmosphere, and are made up of:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous Oxide (NO2)
• Ozone (O3)
• Halocarbons (PFC's etc.)
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
• Water vapour (H2O) – not strictly speaking a GHG
The remaining, and majority, is Nitrogen (N) 78%, and Oxygen (O2) 21%

2 WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

While the climate of the Earth is always changing, in the past it has altered as a result of natural causes. Nowadays, however, the term Global Warming is generally used when referring to changes in our climate which have been identified since the early part of the 1900's. The changes we've seen over recent years and those which are predicted over the next 80 years are thought to be mainly as a result of human behaviour rather than due to natural changes in the atmosphere.

Heat and light from the sun's radiation arrives at the Earth covering a wide spectrum of wave-lengths. The short-end, or blue end, radiation gets through the atmosphere, and is absorbed by the surface, where it heats up. This heat is then radiated by the Earth back into space as long-wave radiation, at the red-end of the spectrum (e.g. infra red light).

Some of this long-wave radiation however is reflected back down to the surface, or retained in the atmosphere, by Greenhouse Gasses (the Greenhouse Effect). The greater the abundance and density of GHG's and clouds the greater the Global Warming.
There is also a knock-on effect. Warming will trigger some processes which speed-up further warming, For example ice and snow reflect back into space both long and short-wave solar radiation. However with the effect of Global Warming the ice caps will recede: decreasing ice cover will mean exposed land absorbs more heat and speeds warming further.

1. Ice reflects back solar energy
2. Exposed land is darker and absorbs energy
3. as ice melts, more land can absorb more heat which melts more ice.
4. A warmer atmosphere causes less ice formation

3 WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?

Climate Change is the total of the effects of Global Warming; changes in Ocean Currents; Cloud Growth; Biomass Depletion; and weather patterns, on the World's climate. The variables and permutations are immense and as yet science cannot predict with accuracy exactly what Climate Change will bring, except to say with certainty, that man-made changes to the atmosphere chemistry will have an effect.

4 WILL GLOBAL WARMING AFFECT OCEAN CURRENTS?

One of the anomalies of Global Warming is that it may bring harsher winters to the UK: both longer in duration, and colder. Presently winter temperatures are milder than experienced at the same latitudes in central Europe; Asia; and North America. This is because the West coast of Northern Europe is warmed by the Gulf Stream.

Dramatic temperature shifts have happened in the past, driven partly by changes in major ocean currents. The great " ocean conveyor" helps transport heat around the globe via surface and deep-sea movements of water. Scientists are exploring whether Global Warming might slow or shut it down altogether. Such an event would disrupt mostly wind-driven surface currents such as the Gulf Stream, which brings the UK its milder winters.

1 Surface currents carry warm, salty water from the tropics.
2 The water cools, its density increases and it sinks to the deep ocean.
3 The cold water flows back to the equator, driving the "ocean conveyor" which in turn contributes to the Gulf Stream that warms northern Europe.
4 As ice melts, freshwater dilutes the warm salty water from the tropics.
5 The water becomes less dense so does not sink as fast, weakening the " ocean conveyor".

5 WHAT IS A CARBON FOOTPRINT?

This is a term used to define the impact a household, organisation, community, or country might make on the atmospheric environment, by measuring the amount of net carbon emissions.

Many of our actions generate carbon emissions, which contribute to accelerating global warming and climate change. For example, when we drive a car, each gallon of petrol used produces carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and, in smaller amounts, nitrous oxide. Depending on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and the miles traveled, a petrol-powered car can generate its own weight in carbon dioxide each year. We can reduce our Carbon Footprint by driving a more efficient car, or driving less, or taking fewer trips by plane. We could also plant trees or help preserve forests to offset emissions, reducing the net footprint: trees are a sink for carbon, consuming it as they grow.

An organisation's total carbon footprint would take into account the energy used to produce all its products, and the services it consumes. Home energy use and transportation represent approximately 40% of all UK carbon emissions.

6 WHAT ARE GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG'S)?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas of primary concern, but is not the only Greenhouse Gas: it is however the one that has accumulated the most in the atmosphere and is presently having the greatest cumulative warming effect on our planet. Human sources of CO2 include the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), and deforestation. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased 30% since pre-industrial times.
Other GHG's, produced by human activities, include:

• Methane (CH4), emitted by agriculture, cattle, landfills, and natural and coal gas. Human activities have increased the concentration of methane in the atmosphere by about 145%.
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O), produced by various agricultural and industrial practices, including the use of nitrogen fertilizers, nylon production, and the burning of organic material and fossil fuels. Human activities have increased the level of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere by about 15% above natural levels.

• Tropospheric Ozone (O3), ozone in the lower part of the atmosphere, created by the reaction of sunlight with human-produced pollutants from vehicles and power plants. Tropospheric ozone has probably doubled in the Northern Hemisphere since pre-industrial times.

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and other halocarbons such as Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and other industrial processes. The production of chlorofluorocarbons is rapidly being eliminated because of their destructive effect on the ozone layer. Yet other halocarbons, such as HFCs, are now being produced as substitutes, many of which are also greenhouse gases. PFCs are used in semiconductor manufacturing and are a byproduct of aluminum smelting. SF6 is an insulating gas used in the transmission of electricity. SF6 is the most potent greenhouse gas ever measured.

All of these gases, aside from the halocarbons, are also produced by natural causes - but it is their rapid build-up in the atmosphere over the past few centuries, due to human activities, that is now causing Global Warming.

7 WHAT IS THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Some environmental and government groups feature a broader concept than the Carbon Footprint: the Ecological Footprint, which is an estimate of how much land and water is needed to produce all the resources an individual consumes, and dispose of all the waste and pollution he or she generates. Because of the Earth's increasing population and levels of consumption and pollution, human beings are leaving bigger and bigger Ecological Footprints, at a rate that is increasingly harmful to the planet.

8 DOES BIOMASS AFFECT CLIMATE CHANGE?

(A potted history) Millions of years ago, there was no oxygen in the atmosphere and life existed only in the sea (complex life has only existed for past 600 million years). Gradually, as plants developed, they colonized the land and used solar energy in the manufacture of cells, absorbing carbon from the atmosphere, and giving off oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. So plant life eventually changed the atmosphere such that oxygen breathing animals could gradually leave the sea and move onto the land.

As the atmosphere continues to warm up, and humidity and carbon compounds increase, conditions for rapid plant growth may also increase. The plants may act as a sink for the increased levels of carbon, creating a slowing of the Greenhouse Effect. However this is only one of many scenarios, and doesn't take into account Global Dimming from increased cloud cover.

People of course exhale CO2 so the massive population explosion must make a difference as does the husbandry of cattle which produce large volumes of methane, but these issues are minor compared to the worldwide mass deforestation.

Meantime, plankton in the sea and lakes may also have a vital role to play. Plankton consist of a variety of plant and animal life from Phytoplankton (mainly unicellular algae, which forms the basis of the food chain in the ocean waters) to larval fish. Scientists believe that plankton currently absorb 30-50% of the CO2 produced by the burning of fossil fuel.

Plankton influence the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and the sea. The relative amounts of CO2 contained in the atmosphere and dissolved in the ocean's surface layer determine whether the ocean-water emits or absorbs gas. The amount of gas dissolved in the water is in turn influenced by the amount of phytoplankton, which consume CO2 during photosynthesis, which occurs mostly within the first 50 metres of the surface and varies according to the season and location.
Some areas of the ocean do not receive enough light or are too cold. Other areas appear to lack the nutrients or trace minerals required for life, or abound in zooplankton (microscopic animals) that feed on phytoplankton.

Plankton's role in the carbon cycle is different from that of land plants: ocean life absorbs CO2 during photosynthesis and, while most of the gas escapes within about a year, some of it is transported down into the deep ocean via dead plants, body parts, and waste. The CO2 is then released into the water as the materials decay, and most of it becomes absorbed in the sea-water by combining chemically with water molecules. Although a small, but possibly significant percentage, of the sinking organic material becomes buried in the ocean sediment, most of the dissolved carbon dioxide is eventually returned to the surface via ocean currents; but this can take centuries or even millennia.

9 DO BUILDINGS HAVE A CARBON FOOTPRINT?

According to the Energy Trust, energy in the form of heating, cooling, lights, power for machinery, computers and other office equipment, is the main source of carbon emissions in buildings: and buildings, of all types, are responsible for more than 45% of carbon emissions in the UK, with non-residential buildings accounting for 20%.

Recent sharp increases in energy costs have heightened awareness of the need to improve energy efficiency to reduce costs, as well as to tackle GHG's. In April 2006 amendments to Building Regulations will come into force making it a legal requirement for energy efficiency to be integrated into new build and refurbishment projects. In addition, the introduction of the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings may require public buildings to display an energy performance certificate.

The UK Government in the Energy White Paper set targets requiring total UK carbon emissions to be reduced by 60% by 2050. Clearly if these numbers are to be achieved, and carbon emissions stabilised, then a major drive towards energy efficiency is required. The good news is that energy efficiency can pay for itself and reduce overall occupancy costs. The bigger the building, the more it is used, the greater the savings that can be achieved and the bigger the low-carbon benefit. Contact Us to find out more about energy savings in your building.

10 WHAT IS GLOBAL DIMMING?

Interest in Climate Change has stimulated people to wonder about Global Dimming, and how it squares with Global Warming, and the dire predictions that are now being promulgated.

Simply put, Global Dimming is the effect of visible air polution: increased cloud cover as a result of man-made exhaust and smoke polution has reflected the suns rays back into space, reducing the amount of sunlight reacing the ground. This was first identified in a study in Isreal in the early 90's when data on sunlight intensity, collected 40 years earlier (for the establishment of crop production & irregation), showed that light intensity had reduced by 22%. Subsequent stiudies showed similar results, of reduction in sunlight from 1950 to 1990, in: Australia 9%; USA 10%; Russia 30%; and the UK 16%.

At the same time, worldwide studies of evaporation rates indicated a substantial decline. This seemed odd at first because over the same period, the Earth's temperature had clearly risen. However studies have now shown that, unlike boiling water in a kettle, out-door evaporation of air-temperature water is triggered more by sunlight (photons agitating water molecules) than by ambient heat. So, evaporation tests supported the findings of Global Dimming.
With sunlight reduced world-wide by 10%, why is the Earth heating up, instead of cooling down? There seems to be a paradox here. The solution is to understand the difference in the causes and effects.

Particulates injected into the atmosphere (particularly resulting from fossil fuel consumption) by industry, transportation, heating and electrical generation, caused air-polution, smog, and many allergic and respitory health problems. The increased cloud cover started to affect weather patterns and may have been responsible for the failed monsoons which caused terrible starvation in sub-Saharan Africa in the 80's.

Cleaning up the air became a high priority, stimulating initiatives such as smokeless zones in the UK, and car-emmissions restrictions in California (subsequently effecting car & truck design in the USA and ulimately world-wide). Finally, after decades of political pressure to reduce air-pollution, visible progress was being made in the West by the mid-80's with Eastern Europe joining in during the 90's as a pre-requisite to joining the EU.

As air quality improved (along with attendant health benefits), so too, slowly we became more aware of the invisible efffects of pollution. We may have dramatically reduced the particulates (ash, soot, sulphides etc.) but CO2, NOX, Methane and other GHG's had been steadily building up. Smoke scrubbers, catalytic converters and more efficient burners may have cleaned up the air near we breathe, but did nothing to reduce the greenhouse effect. What it did do however was hide from us the real impact of Global Warming and it is only now we are coming to realise what a serious problem we are faced with.

Scientists are telling us that Global Dimming fooled us into underestimating the effects of Global Warming: some even forecast temperature rises of 10% by 2030. These are apocalyptic predictions, ultimately forecasting ice cap meltdown and runaway super-heating of the atmosphere.

Fortunately it is not too late: the UK government is funding studies by top centres of learning with a view to developing a Carbon Masterplan, to reduce carbon emissions to neutral or zero net. This is not just an exercise, but is looking for practical, commercially viable solutions, which will be tested in actual operational conditions.

Cynergin is proud to acknowledge its contribution to the joint efforts being made by the Natural History Museum and its partmers; see Carbon Masterplan