Protocol and Preliminary Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions Inventory: Steelcase, Inc.

Abstract

Abstract This research project is created to build the protocol and the preliminary corporate GHG emissions inventory for Steelcase, Inc., global leader in the office environments industry headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In October 2005 Steelcase joined the Climate Leaders Program (CL), a voluntary industry-government partnership, created by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Partner companies develop a corporate-wide GHG inventory of the six major gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride from both direct and indirect emission sources, and design a corporate GHG emissions reduction strategy with reduction goals to be attained over the next 5 to 10 years. Operational boundaries of the inventory incorporate all business units and subsidiaries that are under full operational control of Steelcase, Inc. Organizational boundaries include all CO, CH, NO and HFC emissions from core direct and core indirect sources. 242GHG emissions data are collected and analyzed by fuel source using facility-specific approach with 2004 base year. Calculation methodology is based on the emissions factors approach, with final results measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MT CO2e). The preliminary estimate of the total corporate GHG footprint for 2004 is 188,000 MT CO2e with 26% originating from direct and 74% from indirect emissions sources. The inventory identifies manufacturing, corporate, and transportation as the three most carbon intensive operations. They account for 61.6% (115,710 MT CO2e), 20.1% (37,684 MT CO2e) and 7% (10,516 MT CO2e) of emissions, respectively. Most of the GHG footprint comes from electricity use (139,136 MT CO2e or 75% of all emissions) and natural gas combustion (27,811 MT CO2e or 15% of all emissions). The protocol is designed to institutionalize the process for collecting, calculating, maintaining, and reporting corporate GHG emissions data at Steelcase. Corporate deliverables include the Inventory Management Plan and the GHG Inventory. Finally, the author provides an overview of other voluntary GHG reduction programs in the US and a general discussion of policy and market drivers that influence corporate climate change strategies.