ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY and ENERGY EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT:
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY and ENERGY EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES
POLICY STATEMENT
The Facilities Management Department recognises that all of its activities have an environmental dimension and accepts that it has a duty to carry out those activities in an environmentally responsible manner. The overall aim of the department is to act proactively in encouraging both staff and business partners to help us in improving our environmental performance.
ENGERGY CONSERVATION
Horseferry Road
Due to the 24 hour a day operation at HFR, there is always a high requirement for heat rejection and low requirement for heating. After considerable investigation, systems that combine heat and power and ice storage were excluded as impractical, although other less overt measures were undertaken (see below). The main energy conservation measures of note are the use of dry air chillers for free cooling when conditions are suitable, the use of re-circulating VAV boxes to condition the office spaces and sun shading to reduce heat gain.
Other features in the Horseferry Road building include:
- External sun screening and low “E” glass to reduce heat gain
- Roller blinds to reduce heat gain
- Reception and fire escape stairs heated but not air conditioned
- Trend Building Management (BMS) system
- CO2 monitoring to studio and cinema
- Height efficiency light fittings with automatic timers
- Modular boilers
- Dry air coolers
- Resin transformers
All buildings
- Natural daylight is promoted within all Channel 4 buildings by the use of glass fronts to offices and glass doors wherever practical
- Dark colours for interior decorations are avoided as dark colours reduce light reflection and increase demand for lighting
- Centrally controlling all lighting and heating/air-conditioning, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption out of hours (to be introduced in some buildings)
- Ensuring that all waste removed from the central London offices is recycled
- Encouraging the efficient use of gas, electricity and water at all properties
- Maintaining air conditioning systems by appropriately qualified staff on a regular basis
- Seeking to understand the environmental aspects of any products we purchase
- Reviewing all fire extinguisher systems to ensure they do not contain ozone depleting substances and keeping demonstrations to a minimum
REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS
The Facilities Management Department reviews energy consumption throughout its operations and identifies targets for energy reduction. This involves the following:
- Instructing the professional team involved in refurbishment projects to take appropriate measures to ensure that energy consumption is minimised
- Including environmental performance as a factor when making purchasing/contract decisions
All traces of asbestos have been removed from the buildings the Channel has acquired over the past few years. The removal of the asbestos was carried out by trained personnel and the waste disposed of by suitably qualified contractors.
GENERAL OFFICE PRACTICIES
Office products
Where possible the FM department purchases chlorine free, recycled stationery and selects office materials that can be recycled (eg. Toner cartridges, old headed paper being converted into note pads). The FM team discourage the direct waste of office products by providing adequate storage space in practical locations, to ensure security, safety and protection of stocks.
Building Maintenance
Where possible the FM team and their contractors use water based paints and adhesives that do not contain toxic chemicals or other pollutants. Cleaning contractors are encouraged to used cleaning products that no not have ozone depleting substances as constituent.
Waste Management
All producers of waste are held legally responsible for its safe handling and disposal. The duty care requires us to:
- Know how much waste the Channel generates and what it consists of
- Ensure that waste is collected by a Registered Waste Carrier
- Satisfy ourselves that our waste is dealt with properly and legally through the disposal chain
- be aware that material collected for recycling is still classed as waste
The contractor the Channel has chosen to handle its waste is fully licensed and all waste is disposed of at a licensed site. All of the waste removed from the Channel 4 offices is recycled. This includes paper, catering items (plastic cups, cans etc), printing supplies (toner cartridges, printer ribbons) and washroom supplies (paper towels etc).
Water consumption
The use of water is an integral part of services used by offices (drinking and sanitation). Using water efficiently can reduce energy costs through the efficient use of hot water and by avoiding pumping costs.
In reviewing water consumption, attention is paid to the following:
-Standing charge for the water supply
-Standing charge for waste water
-Charge for the volume of water used
-Charge for the volume of water passed to sewer
All buildings have been designed/refurbished to avoid the use of sprinklers through the installation of early warning detection.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Energy savings of 20%+ can be achieved by improved operation of the building and by investment in cost effective energy saving measures. Consequently regular energy audits are being carried out to review energy consumption of the buildings and to monitor the effectiveness of energy conservation measures.
Other
We operate an environmentally aware transport policy by encouraging employees to use public transport by providing interest free season ticket loans for all staff and by providing a company care allowance in lieu of company vehicles.