Best Foot Forward

California-based Fetzer Vineyards commissioned BFF to compare the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions associated with manufacturing and transporting existing bottles (2008) against the manufacturing and transport emissions of new, lightweight bottles (2009). The results from the analysis show that there will be greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of about 14% or 2,985 US tons CO₂e from switching to lighter glass bottles in 2009.

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) is an internationally-acclaimed architectural practice which seeks to incorporate sustainability issues into all their projects. RSHP was keen to address similar considerations in the operation of its own offices. The practice commissioned BFF to follow ISO14064 to assess the carbon footprint of its London office to obtain a baseline against which to develop a strategy for reducing its environmental impacts.

Ecover are a leading company in the field of sustainability and wished to conduct detailed ecological footprints of three of their leading products: washing powder, washing up liquid and toilet cleaner. Ecover appointed us to undertake both ecological and carbon footprints of the full product lifecycles including raw materials, manufacture and distribution. We also provided a broader sustainability assessment, and together the results from these reports are being incorporated into Ecover’s constantly evolving sustainability strategy.

The 16th Annual Public Health Forum was held over two days at the Arena & Convention Centre Liverpool in April 2008. The UK Public Health Association (UKPHA), who organised the conference, commissioned BFF to assess the carbon and ecological footprint of delegates’ travel,  accommodation and food consumption as well as waste management, energy and material use at the venue. The results are being used by UKPHA and ACC Liverpool staff to develop their sustainability policies.

Sheppard Robson is one of the largest architectural practices in the UK and has won major awards for design and innovation. Sheppard Robson commissioned BFF to assess the carbon and ecological footprints of their annual office activities in London and Manchester. The results from the study have enabled them to develop a strategy to monitor and reduce their footprint in the future.

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. Ofcom commissioned us to undertake a full carbon and ecological footprint analysis of all offices, publications, data storage and vehicle fleets. The results from the study are being used to develop targets for Ofcom to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions year on year.

Sunderland based people and property business, Gentoo, is aiming to create a benchmark to measure and therefore effectively manage their environmental impact in order to contribute to the UK’s Carbon Reduction Commitment. BFF was commissioned by Gentoo to carry out a comprehensive footprint assessment (both carbon and ecological) of its entire business as part of its ongoing work aimed at improving the efficiency of the Group and lessening its impact on the environment.

Connection launched the new IS chair which maximises recycled content, and has an extended warranty to increase the effective asset life. Our carbon and ecological footprint assessment showed these design changes markedly reduce the footprint compared to a typical office chair.

Local authorities are increasingly required to control organisational emissions and lead the management of emissions authority-wide. Luton Borough Council appointed BFF to undertake a holistic carbon and ecological footprint analysis of its corporate activities and the region as a whole. This included the assessment of the effectiveness of regional transport policies and where the council should concentrate efforts to meet corporate emissions targets under the new Carbon Reduction Commitment.

The Forestry Commission is hosting increasing numbers of music events on its land, and is acutely aware of the potential impacts of these activities. BFF was selected to examine the events management process and develop a tool to enable footprint assessments of future events.

The carbon dioxide emissions from paper production and distribution are well known, but how do these compare with emissions from the electronic delivery of scientific journals? BFF worked with Reed Elsevier to compare delivery channels for 'Fuel' journal and help inform the company's future publishing strategies. One of the findings was that end user behaviour is critical to the overall impact, but as yet very limited data exists on this aspect of publishing.

The ARENA Network Carbon Reduction Program has been established to assist small-to-medium-sized enterprises across Northern Ireland with their energy consumption. ARENA Network—the environmental arm of Business in the Community— commissioned BFF to provide a footprinting application for use by SMEs engaged with the Program. We developed Footprinter™ NI and it is now freely available to users on the Program’s website.

National Express wanted to compare the carbon footprint of travelling between London and Edinburgh by different modes. The model BFF developed accounted for distances, emissions factors and occupancy rates of travel by plane, car and train. The results were used to underpin the national advertising campaign from National Express to guarantee their claims were transparent and justifiable.

The Centre for Reuse & Remanufacturing commissioned us to compare the carbon footprints of refilling cartridges compared to replacement with new equivalents. We looked at the full lifecycle, and found that refilling is the better option. The full report is available by contacting the Centre directly.

There has been significant interest and debate in the process of remanufacturing - or 'retreading' - vehicle tyres. We were commissioned by the government-funded Centre for Reuse & Remanufacturing to analyse the retreading of light commercial vehicle tyres. The study considered material inputs, manufacturing energy, distribution and end-of-life for both tyre types. The results showed retreading is more carbon efficient. The full report is available by contacting the Centre directly.

Councils in the UK are under pressure to increase their operating efficiency. The Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned us to assess council services and compare the carbon footprints of electronic and other information delivery channels by Sunderland City Council. The results demonstrated that electronic delivery is more carbon efficient, and extrapolating the findings estimated potential annual savings of up to 14,000t carbon dioxide if all councils moved towards electronic delivery.

We have worked with Pacific Interiors on a number of footprinting projects, and this tool presents some of our findings in a simple, engaging interface. The calculator helps users understand the environmental significance of refit frequencies, asset lifespans and operational efficiencies.

The environmental impact of FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) packaging is often scrutinised. Wine bottles are one of the heaviest packaging items, so some retailers are moving to PET in an effort to reduce product weight. Our work for WRAP assessed the carbon balance of glass and PET wine bottles filled in the UK. There are a number of variables which determine the overall carbon efficiencies, and are all detailed in the publicly available report.

The government-funded Envirowise programme is dedicated to improving resource efficiency in UK businesses. BFF was commissioned to develop a simple tool to demonstrate the relationship between resource use, costs and carbon efficiency. The resulting 'Envirowise Indicator' can be used by visitors to their website.

Duchy Originals is a market leader in responsible food production. BFF was contracted to supplement their existing work by calculating the ecological footprint of several of their products, and identify 'hotspots' where the largest impacts lie. BFF has also been working with Duchy Originals to further incorporate sustainability across their business.

FIRA is one of the leading trade associations for the furniture industry. BFF was commissioned to develop ‘Furniture Footprinter’ – an easy-to-use web-based tool which allows manufacturers to calculate the carbon and ecological footprints of their products. Furniture Footprinter covers the full lifecycle of products and can be used as a design-support tool.

Fitting out commercial and retail spaces has been identified as highly resource intensive. We worked with Pacific Interiors to assess the material flows, transport and energy demands of these activities and so derive the footprint for an office fit-out. The analysis suggested ‘lower carbon’ fit-out options where savings could be made.

We have completed numerous office footprints and wanted to develop a tool for clients to have in-house to enable ongoing footprint measurment. 'Office Footprinter' is the first completed product in the Footprinter series, and is being used by a number of clients for tracking Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Office Footprinter is a subscription-based model although a free trial version is available on the dedicated Footprinter website.

CABE (The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) plays a key role in raising awareness of sustainability across the industry. CABE wanted to manage its own footprint, so commissioned BFF to calculate the ecological and carbon footprint of its office activities.

The Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion has test emissions of 99g/CO₂ per km. BFF calculated the emission savings from driving the Polo Bluemotion over a year instead of the average car in its class, and compared the figure to savings from recycling paper, drinks cans and plastic bags. Advertising campaigns were run in print, online and on television.

In the music world there has been debate over the environmental footprint of music bands jetting around the world. Radiohead were concerned about their impact, and commissioned BFF to footprint their tours in the US. The study drew wide boundaries – including fans' travel, merchandising, waste and energy – and demonstrated that the overriding impact is from the travel of thousands of fans. Radiohead is now taking steps to help their fans minimse their travel emissions, as well as reducing the band's direct footprint.

Trócaire is the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland with its head office in Maynooth and international offices around the world. Trócaire campaigns on climate change issues and wished to carefully assess its own impacts as an organisation. BFF calculated the carbon and ecological footprints of three Irish and three international Trócaire offices as well as all international travel. Our findings helped Trócaire understand the relative impacts of different activities, and allowed it to start tackling the major challenge for an international aid agency of minimising air travel.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) used BFF to calculate the total carbon footprint of its HQ offices. The results were used by their Sustainable Development Team to investigate opportunities for BERR to target plans to reduce its footprint. BFF was invited to share the findings with Whitehall's Sustainable Development Policy Working Group.

Orangebox was ahead of the curve in recognizing the importance of minimising the carbon intensity of its products. In 2006 we worked closely with the production team to assess the carbon and ecological footprints of a range of chairs, and we ran scenarios on possible reduction opportunities from material substitution. Further work included the implementation of a workshop for sharing knowledge between Orangebox staff and suppliers, BFF, and specialist eco-designers.

The CBI plays a pivotal role representing UK businesses, and closely follows the climate change debate. BFF was commissioned to undertake a footprint of the CBI's own operations to demonstrate where its own impacts lie. The results influenced their coporate carbon reduction strategy.

The South West region benefits from an outstanding landscape and rich cultural heritage which attract over 20 million visits by tourists each year. The regional government is acutely aware of its need to preserve the natural environment whilst encouraging economic growth and improving quality of life. In order to make informed decisions and develop effective policies, local decision makers first needed to understand the current environmental position. BFF met this need by completing ‘Stepping Forward’, a resource flow and ecological footprint analysis of the South West.

The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) manages a number of rural estates and National Nature Reserves. BFF was approached by CCW to consider the impact of its utility usage, but our wider study showed the highest emissions actually come from material inputs and staff transport. CCW used these results to target emissions reduction actions.

The National Health Service (NHS) is one of the world’s largest employers, and its size and function necessitate intensive resource use. BFF’s ‘Material Health’ study investigates the mass balance and ecological footprint of the NHS in England and Wales - the first time a measure of this kind had been attempted. The objective of the study was to influence future environmental policy while supporting the NHS’s primary purpose of improving the health of the nation. The Material Health report has been broadly received as an insightful and sophisticated analysis of a highly complex organisation.

We have been training organisations and individuals on the ecological footprint since 2004. Over 300 people have passed through the training course, which is delivered from our Oxford offices and externally for clients. The course explains the principle of ecological footprinting, and provides opportunities for practical application of the methodology with a series of case studies.

This pioneering study was commissioned by IWM as part of the Biffa Programme on Sustainable Resource Use. The study assessed the resource flows and ecological footprint of Greater London with the aim of providing an evidence base with which to influence policy. The report was welcomed by the Mayor of London as “particularly important because it is the first such analysis of a major world city”. The 'City Limits' report has been widely lauded, and now forms part of the curriculum in London schools.