Emissions reduction plan
Purpose
Commonwealth entities are responsible for managing and implementing emissions reduction initiatives set by the Australian Government’s Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy, developed by Department of Finance. The Strategy sets out the Australian Government’s approach to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2030, along with the reinstatement of public emissions reporting.
The goal of this Emissions Reduction Plan is to provide a pathway for the Commission to contribute to the achievement of the APS Net Zero 2030 target through emissions reduction activities. This Plan encompasses existing and new priorities and actions within the Commission to reduce its emissions.
This Plan has been completed in accordance with the Strategy, associated guidance and reporting standards for annual emissions reporting.
Net zero greenhouse gas emissions
APS Net Zero 2030 is the target set by the Australian Government to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from government operations by the year 2030. It includes scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from activities in Australia and its territories, as described in the Strategy.
The APS Net Zero 2030 target applies at the aggregate level to non-corporate Commonwealth entities and generally covers the entirety of the entity’s organisation. From an organisational perspective, this means minimising the greenhouse gas emissions that are within our control.
Governance and reporting
Progress against actions identified within this Plan, and any additional measures adopted, will be included in our annual reports. This, combined with annual emissions reporting, will be used as a measure of the Commission’s progress towards reducing its emissions.
As part of the Net Zero in Government Operations Annual Progress Report, the Department of Finance will aggregate these measures to provide whole-of-Australian Government emissions reporting.
The Australian Public Service Commission operational context
The Commission operates across the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland, with 487 personnel as at 30 June 2024. Our facilities, which primarily comprise office spaces and training facilities, are located in areas that incur extreme temperatures.
A summary of our locations and spaces is included in Table 1, below.
| Property & Location | Function | Size |
|---|---|---|
| The Treasury Building Langton Cres, Parkes ACT |
APSC | 3129m2 |
| Lower Senate, Old Parliament House King Georges Terrace, Parkes ACT |
APSC | 740m2 |
| Parliamentary Dining Rooms, Old Parliament House King Georges Terrace, Parkes ACT |
APSC | 918m2 |
| James Cook University 1 James Cook Drive, Douglas QLD |
APSC – APS Academy |
277m2 |
| Newcastle University University Drive, Callaghan NSW |
APSC – APS Academy |
247m2 |
| 580 George Street, Sydney NSW | APSC & Merit Protection Commissioner |
247m2 |
Table 1 – APSC Locations
Baseline emissions
Baseline emissions are a record of greenhouse gases that have been produced in the past and were produced prior to the introduction of any strategies to reduce emissions. The baseline emissions from financial year 2022-23 are the reference point against which emissions reduction actions can be measured.
The baseline emissions for this Plan, captured in Table 2 below, focus on scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, consistent with the APS Net Zero 2030 target. Electricity-related emissions were calculated using the location-based method. The complete 2022-23 greenhouse gas emissions inventory tables for Commission are presented in our 2022-23 annual report.
| Baseline year | Financial Year 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Scope 1 emissions | 7.561 tCO2e |
| Scope 2 emissions | 116.343 tCO2e |
| Total emissions[1] | 123.904 tCO2e |
Table 2 – APSC Emissions Baseline
Engagement
In the development of this Plan the Commission has been working with:
- Department of Finance | Climate Action in Government Operations, to ensure that this Plan aligns with the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy and the Commonwealth Climate Disclosure requirements
- Department of Finance | Travel Team, to discuss options and considerations for lowering travel emissions
- Neighbouring Tenants, to discuss options within shared locations to lower emissions
- Landlords, to discuss options to lower emissions
- APSC Enabling Services, to discuss and verify options and actions to lower emissions.
Emissions reduction targets
The Commission is following the APS Net Zero 2030 target in full, as per the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy. The target covers the entirety of our entity’s operations within Australia and its territories for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, as described in the Strategy.
Priorities and actions
For the Commission to contribute to the achievement of the APS Net Zero 2030 target, targeted action on existing emissions reduction measures and the introduction of further or new measures is required. These actions are captured in the tables below.
Buildings
| Action | By Who |
|---|---|
| Establish a Net Zero Working Group to agree strategies and boundaries for initiatives that can be undertaken by APSC and garner support from landlords to support and implement net zero initiatives that improve a facilities emissions performance. |
|
| Review existing Green Lease Schedules to ensure they align to the Strategy and net zero 2030 target. |
|
| Target an all-electric building portfolio, with a target of all new leases to be fully electric. |
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| Ensure all new leases with an office space of >1,000m2 and leased for a minimum of four years will achieve 5.5-star NABERS Energy rating. |
|
| Undertake annual NABERS Energy ratings for leased properties with a Net Lettable area of >1,000m2, to measure progress against achieving a minimum 5.5-star rating. |
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| Undertake Energy Audits at facilities that are identified as having high energy intensity, with the audits used to identify energy efficiency solutions for implementation. |
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| Utilise timer functions on boiled/chilled water units This action is a recommendation from the Energy audit conducted in 2024 at the Treasury building |
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| Optimise thermostat set points in communication rooms This action is a recommendation from the Energy audit conducted in 2024 at The Treasury building |
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| Upgrade all lighting to high efficiency LED, coupled with lighting control sensors such as daylight sensors and occupancy sensors for new leases or refurbishments (where applicable). |
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| Replace low efficiency kitchen appliances with high efficiency appliances, supporting reuse and recycling, to reduce landfill. |
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| Retire old ICT equipment and replace with new high efficiency systems at end of life. |
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| Where possible within tenancies, transition to cloud-based servers to reduce energy consumption associated with server rooms. |
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| Maintain existing end of journey facilities for cyclists and investigate opportunities to improve end of journey facilities to support low/no emissions staff commute. |
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| Integrate sustainability education programs for all APSC employees through a range of mediums including: induction training and newsletters |
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| Continue to investigate new and emerging technologies that support APSC’s transition to net zero buildings, as they become available and viable. |
|
Electricity
| Action | By Who |
|---|---|
| Consult with the Department of Finance to ensure participation in Whole of Australian Government electricity procurement as per the Strategy, and replace electricity contracts with renewable electricity. |
|
Fleet
| Action | By Who |
|---|---|
| Not Applicable The Commission’s fleet vehicle included in 2023-23 baseline emissions reporting has been removed from service. There are no plans to purchase further fleet vehicles for the Commission. |
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[1] APSC tenancies at Old Parliament House, Newcastle University and James Cook University tenancies were not able to be included in the 2022-23 baseline emissions.