Calor Sustainability Report

Page 1

Sustainability Report 2012



contents

............................................................ 9. SHV Energy A Note on LPG  free initiative  Company Profile  rural energy  Report Parameters

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19. Environment LPG versus Home Heating Oil  premises  operational sites

.............................. 29. Customers

bulk tank improvements  national retrofit programme

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37. Health and Safety health and safety at operational depots

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45. micro combined heat and power bio-propane

.............................. 51. Employee Learning and Development

Want to enjoy all the benefits of Gas, wherever you live? Now You Can

great place to work initiative  Health Initiatives

.............................. 59. Community

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Calor Sustainability Report 2012  3


At a glance ....................................................

Preparing an environmental policy indicating our KPIs (emissions, water, building upgrades, etc)

“ In order to achieve our long-term business targets, we have put sustainability at the heart of what we do.”

Increasing product range for our customers

New modern customer contact centre

Michael Kossack CEO Calor Ireland Management Board Member SHV Energy

Our aim is for a better future

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Rainwater harvesting system in Long Mile Road premises National retrofit programme

At Calor, we are on a journey to transform our organisation into the leading supplier of cleaner, highly efficient energy solutions for rural Ireland. By introducing a range of measures, such as harvesting water, reducing the number of kilometres travelled through efficient fleet planning, and by upgrading our facilities, we aim to improve our sustainability. By focusing on our staff and their continuing development, we aim to help our people to realise their true potential.

Reducing carbon emissions by 5% from 2009-2010

By developing energy saving solutions, facilitating the implementation of new technology and advising our customers on policing their energy consumption, we will make Ireland a better place to live.

Employee development

In this report, you’ll find details on all the measures we’re happily undertaking   to ensure a long, successful and sustainable future. We hope you join us on the way. Regards, Michael Kossack and the team at Calor

All premises to be upgraded ahead of schedule (end 2012) Great Place to Work scheme

“In the current economic climate we are increasing our sustainability efforts, because advising our customers to reduce energy consumption is helping our customers to save money.”

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  5


Working together, we can plan the sustainable solutions that benefit your business and the wider community.

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  7


noW you Can We provide off the Grid enerGy solutions that, up until noW, you may not have thouGht possible.

shv enerGy Calor is part of sHv energy, which is a global organisation  specialising in lower carbon and renewable energy solutions.

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sHv energy focuses on operating  sHv – A JourNey witH eNerGy   companies that provide ‘off the creation of sHv energy is part of a  natural gas grid’ energy applications,  journey that started over 100 years ago.  in 1896, the founding fathers of sHv  services and advice for domestic  formed the company with the aim of  and commercial customers.

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sHv energy is committed to continually  developing energy solutions for this group  of customers, to enable them to benefi t  from the latest applications in some of  the more remote parts of the world. sHv energy is the leading supplier of LPG  in the world and this is its core business.  this form of energy is the cleanest  available fossil fuel for consumers situated  beyond the natural gas grid. when heating  oil is replaced by LPG, substantial carbon  savings can be made. sHv energy is also an investor in LNG,  biomass distribution, co-generation  technology and small scale solar technology.

ensuring a safe, secure and affordable  source of energy for their customers.  At that time, the energy choices for  homes and businesses were more limited,  and coal was still the backbone of the  energy market throughout europe.  the business expanded through acquisition,  organic growth, developing innovative  practices and by putting the needs of the  customer at the heart of everything. sHv  energy also diversifi ed into a number of  other market sectors - most notably the  wholesale business. by the latter half of the 20th century,  people were moving away from coal for  a number of reasons, including its high  carbon content and other polluting  emissions that were becoming less  acceptable to consumers and to society as  a whole. this is when sHv decided to  put the expertise gained within the coal  distribution market to good use and  invest in LPG. source: www.shvenergy.com

Calor sustainability report 2012  9


A Note on LPG

FREE Initiative

Liquefied Petroleum Gas – versatile, environmentally friendly and perfectly suited for commercial and domestic purposes.

The FREE initiative is launched and funded by SHV Energy.

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Calor Ireland provides LPG for domestic and commercial use.

................................................................ The company has also broadened its   services with energy consulting and   delivering energy solutions. LPG is obtained from the processing of natural gas (60%) and also from the refining of crude oil (40%). In both processes, LPG   is considered a by-product. 200 million  tonnes of LPG were produced in 2010,   accounting for approximately 2-3% of   primary energy consumption worldwide. Compared to other fossil fuels, LPG is an environmentally friendly source of energy with a wide range of uses. For households which are not connected to the natural

gas network, it is the alternative for heating and cooking. In addition, propane is used in recreation, construction, agriculture, industry and as automotive fuel. 80% of LPG is supplied either in cylinders or tanks, including traditional small to large bulk tanks for individual or industrial consumers, automotive tanks for the ’autogas’ market, and large bulk tanks ensuring supply to piped networks. Cylinders and tanks are of various capacities, ranging from 2 to 50kg for cylinders, and from 200kg to 25 tonnes for tanks. Calor invests heavily in tanks and cylinders at customer sites. The company owns all its cylinders and tanks, all of which are subject to a rigorous maintenance schedule.

300%

% Excess Emissions over LPG

250%

CO2 Emissions

200% 150%

A large proportion of Europe’s population lives in rural communities. They provide a significant proportion of employment and a major contribution to their economies.

................................................................ The welfare of rural communities is a central government priority, particularly the creation of new jobs, new rural industry and the continued reverse of the trend towards urbanisation. Farmers, and agriculture in general, remain extremely important culturally, politically and economically. European rural communities are too important to be ignored on energy (and any other) issue. The Future of Rural Energy in Europe (FREE) initiative gives a voice to all those who believe that rural energy needs are important issues, both for those who live in the countryside and for European society as a whole. We want to make sure that policymakers acknowledge that the above is true and plan accordingly.

The FREE initiative is launched and funded by SHV Energy. In Europe, SHV Gas fuels the homes, businesses and cars of tens of millions of customers, most of whom live in rural, off-mains communities. FREE is supported by a wide variety of groups committed to improving the lot, and realising the potential, of rural communities through greater energy choice.

100% 50% 0%

LPG

Electricity

Heating Fuel Comparisons

10  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Home Heating Oil

Kerosene

Heavy Fuel Oil

Smokeless Fuel

Source: Carbon Footprints 2012, Eric P. Johnson

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  11


Company profile

rural enerGy

Calor ireland was established in 1937 and is the leading  supplier and distributor of LPG in ireland.

As the requirements of our customers in rural ireland have evolved,  Calor has been at the forefront of innovative energy solutions.

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Calor is part of sHv energy,  the largest dedicated global  LPG distributor in the market,  with a turnover of 8 billion.  sHv energy operates in 27  countries, employs 16,000 people  and supplies LPG to tens of  millions of customers worldwide.

................................................................ key oPerAtioNAL sites:  • GROUP HEAD OFFICE: lonG mile road, dublin 12 • NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE: airport road West, sydenham, belfast bt3 9ee • DISTRIBUTION AND PRODUCTION SITES: • WhiteGate fillinG plant, CorK (ConneCted to refinery) • Gas import and storaGe terminal, tivoli, CorK • Gas import and storaGe terminal, tolKa Quay, dublin • Gas import and storaGe terminal, belfast • pts – Cylinder refurbishment faCility, belfast • 4 Gas distribution Centres at Claremorris, athlone, sliGo and Co. derry

12  Calor sustainability report 2012

we design and implement bulk and  cylinder energy solutions for residential,  industrial and commercial customers  who want to enjoy everything that this  exceptional energy source has to offer,  but who aren’t on the natural gas pipeline.  with more than 70 years’ experience in the  gas business, we pride ourselves on our  unmatched expertise in the safe supply of  butane and propane to our customers.

As the leading distributor of LPG on the  island of ireland, Calor can also offer the  reassuring security of a fuel supply which  doesn’t have to rely on middle eastern or  russian imports. 25% of our LPG is sourced  from the whitegate refi nery in Co. Cork,  with the remainder sourced within europe. by choosing Calor Gas, rural dwellers can  have gas delivered to a bulk storage tank  at their home. the tank can now even  be placed underground as required. this  means that rural homeowners can have gas  regardless of where they live. in the past, switching heating systems  was a diffi cult process. However, our  easy switching service means that with  just one phone call, Calor will organise  every step, from site survey and safe  removal and disposal of the existing oil  tank and boiler, to installation and testing  of the new Calor system. this service  is designed to make it as stress-free as  possible for the homeowner.

Calor customers can choose to have their  tank automatically topped up throughout  the year, giving the customer the peace of  mind that comes with never running out of  gas. in addition, all new Calor installations  are now fi tted with an automated  telemetry system. this technology notifi es  Calor when a customer’s supply is running  low and Calor can organise a refi ll. At Calor, we have been delivering  innovative energy solutions for over 70  years. our team can deliver a complete  tailor-made energy solution for customers’  needs. by working with manufacturers  of energy effi cient technologies, we stay  at the cutting edge of developments  in the energy industry. Accordingly, we  recommend the most energy effi cient  solutions for customers, allowing them  to keep pace with changing building  regulations and reduce Co2 emissions.

Calor has introduced the one-stop-shop  switching service, which we hope will  incentivise homeowners to make the  switch to cleaner, more effi cient LPG.

Calor sustainability report 2012  13


Report Parameters The information provided in this document addresses the year 2011 and it is part of our commitment to communicate to our stakeholders on an annual basis.

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The aim of this report is to provide a range of indicators to provide readers with sufficient information on Calor Gas’s sustainability performance. We maintain an ongoing dialogue and engagement at multiple levels with our key stakeholders, in addition to our shareholders.

Stakeholders* Class

Entities

Concerns

Nature of Responses Code of ethics

Employees and   Service Providers

Customers

Staff, contractors   and suppliers

Domestic,   commercial   sectors

Fair employment and   a prospering business Development   opportunities

Price and quality   of service

Dialogue with   employees over   health and safety People development initiatives Arrangements for   fuel-poor customers Timely responses   to queries Promotions

Policymakers

Govt officials, SEAI,   advisory groups, UK HSE, Health and Safety Authority

Energy supply,   climate policy

Continued strategy review

Regulators

RGII, Gas Safe,   UK Consumer Council

Compliance with   operating licences

Reports and dialogue

Public   Representatives

Local politicians,   community   organisations

Business   development plans

Communication   and dialogue

*In addition to our shareholders.

14  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  15


Our nationwide delivery network means that wherever you are, we are too.

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  17


sustain -ability Calor aim to reduCe our emissions by 25% by 2020. the Good neWs is, We’re Well on the Way.

environment As a supplier of a hugely benefi cial natural resource, we are keen to ensure  that we act in a responsible and respectful way to the world around us.

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GLobAL CLimAte

CALor ireLANd’s Aim

Global warming and climate change refer to  an increase in average global temperatures.  Natural events and human activities are  believed to be contributing to an increase in  average global temperatures. this is caused  primarily by increases in “greenhouse” gases  such as Carbon dioxide (Co2).

by 2016, Calor should be well recognised  as a company acting responsibly in relation  to the environment. our commitment to  the reduction of Co2 and other emissions  will be credible, self-challenging and  long-term. this will meet the expectations  of all our stakeholders and will be a  motivation for staff.

international negotiations on climate  change were commenced at Cancun,  mexico, in december 2010. this was  followed by the Climate Conference in  durban, south Africa in January 2012. these  conferences were preceded by the kyoto  Protocol in 1997. Calor continues to pursue the key climate  objectives of our corporate strategy in  relation to generating emissions.

stArtiNG PoiNt

GreeNiNG CALor teAm in 2011, Calor Gas made signifi cant  progress in adhering to its environmental  policy and in addressing the agreed  areas of priority. the Greening Calor  team was established. it consists of six  members, with representation from  across the organisation, to measure,  manage, coordinate and communicate  actions to comply with our statement of  environmental Priorities.

As part of our current and future strategy,  Calor has defi ned that it will actively  pursue opportunities in the area of  renewables and energy services. this is in  line with the recent change of sHv Gas to  sHv energy which will lead to a stronger  involvement in products and services  “beyond LPG”.

Calor sustainability report 2012  19


environment

environment

In 2011, Calor Greening Team was formed to collect ideas,   prioritise and propose actions to the management team. They will be responsible for implementing the agreed action plans.

Our commitment to the reduction of CO2 and other   emissions is self-challenging and long-term.

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Greening Calor KPIs: We have defined an initial set of KPIs which will be reviewed on a regular basis: • Reduce Calor’s CO2 emissions by 25% by 2020 • Reduce grid water consumption of Calor sites by 30% by 2015 • Have all Calor buildings energetically upgraded by the end of 2013. Calor is committed to an overall   reduction of CO2 emissions of 25% by 2020 – exceeding targets set out by the EU. In 2010, as part of our quest to become

more environmentally sustainable, Calor commissioned an external carbon assessor, The Carbon Neutral company, to analyse our carbon footprint for 2009, 2010 and 2011. This allowed us to set a benchmark for carbon reduction going forward. The results of the assessment showed that in 2009 the total carbon emissions of the company were 4981tCO2e. This was reduced to 4747tCO2e in 2010, leading to an overall emissions reduction of 4.69%.  Increase in 2011 came partly due to increased activity in early 2011 and more accurate data.

Third-Party Hauliers

Premises

Business Travel

2009 tCO2e 2010 tCO2e 2011 tCO2e

2009 tCO2e 2010 tCO2e 2011 tCO2e

2009 tCO2e 2010 tCO2e 2011 tCO2e

2009 tCO2e 2010 tCO2e 2011 tCO2e

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Carbon Emissions in tCO2e

Carbon Emissions over a 3-Year Period

Source: Annual External Carbon Data Audit

MWh Units

6,000

Emissions tCO2

CompanyOwned Vehicles

MWh Energy Consumed

13,500

5,000 Actual Recorded CO2 Emissions

4,000 25% CO2 Reduction

3,000

11,000 8,500 6,000

2,000

1,000

2009

MWh Energy Consumption

2010

2011 Source: Annual External Carbon Data Audit

0

Year

2009

Calor’s Emissions – Actual vs Target

20  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

2020 Source: Annual External Carbon Data Audit

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  21


environment

LPG versus Home Heating Oil

Both of these diagrams break down the areas from which   our carbon emissions are derived.

For Irish homes without access to the natural gas grid, the main   fuels-of-choice for heating are heating oil and LPG.

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Fuel Expenditure

How do the carbon footprints   of heating oil and LPG compare?

2,023 tCO²e

Electricity Usage

................................................................

695 tCO²e

Servicing the Business

2,297 tCO²e

0

500

1,000

Scope of Calor’s Emissions

1,500

2,000

2,500

Source: Annual External Carbon Data Audit 2011

2009 Benchmark by External Audit % km Driven per mT Bulk Gas Delivered

2010*

New residential heating systems fuelled by LPG are 20% lower carbon, and 15% lower overall environmental-impact, than those fuelled by heating oil. An LPG system’s environmental impact is about the same as that of a bio-heating oil system fuelled by 100% rape-seed methyl ester, Europe’s predominant biofuel. Moreover, an LPG heating system generates a 15% smaller footprint than a bio-oil system using a 20:80 blend with conventional heating oil. The final finding is that fuel switching can pay off in carbon terms. If a new LPG heating system replaces an ageing oil-fired one for the final five years of its service life, the carbon footprint of the system’s final five years is reduced by more than 50%. (Source: Carbon footprints of heating oil and LPG   heating systems 2012, Eric P. Johnson)

2011

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

100 102

In 2010, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) found that LPG is the cleanest off-mains fossil fuel available. In comparison to gas or oil, LPG produces 29% less CO2 emissions. What’s more, there is an even larger carbon saving to be made compared to electricity.

“Customers switching from oil to LPG boilers can reduce their carbon footprint.”

% km Driven per mT Bulk Gas Delivered

Kilometres Driven – Gas Delivered

Source: Carbon Footprints 2012, Eric P. Johnson

Maura Donoghue Calor Sales Rep of the Year, 2012

This allows Calor Gas to concentrate on the vital areas to target if we want to reduce our total emissions by 25% by the year 2020. *Very cold winter 2010 resulted in higher tonnage and therefore lower emissions per tonne sold.

22  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  23


LPG versus Charcoal BarbeCue

Premises

LPG also emits less CO2 than any other fossil fuel when measured through the total fuel cycle. In its five main applications – automotive, cooking, heating, power and barbecues – LPG’s carbon footprint is at the lower end of the range compared to other fossil fuels.

In 2009, Calor started a complete refurbishment of our offices and plants with the aim of creating a more environmentally sustainable and efficient work space.

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Cooking on a BBQ for an Hour

Work included the installation of state of the art energy monitoring systems, along with an environmentally-friendly lighting system, among other measures.

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150%

Calor’s offices in Dublin Port and at Head Office have been fitted with Micro Combined Heat and Power (Micro CHP) systems. With this system, electricity is generated locally and fed back to the grid, reducing carbon emissions by 7,000kgCO2. These systems even meet all the hot water requirements for both sites, generating 6kW of heat and 1kW of electricity.

100%

Also in our Dublin Head Office, Calor installed Air Handling Units which were retrofitted with high-efficiency condensing boilers. Each unit contains thermal wheels which suck cool air in before heating it for the office environment. This equates to a heat recovery of 70%, and a highly efficient heating system.

50%

0% CO2 emissions from charcoal BBQ

CO2 emissions from LPG BBQ

Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In 2011/2012, major renovations will be completed in our filling plants in Whitegate and Belfast. We are investing significantly to completely overhaul the heating systems in both buildings, and are implementing an

insulation plan to improve heat retention.   In both plants, boilers have been upgraded   to improve efficiency by up to 90% . This will reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 50,000kgCO2e. Our new Water Harvesting System enables a reduced dependency on water consumption from the grid. This ties in with Calor’s KPIs in relation to reducing water usage from the national grid by 30% by 2015. In addition, water meters have been installed at all our filling plants to enable better monitoring of our water usage.

Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting • Reduce water bills, including city storm sewer charges • Alleviate demand on public systems

CO2 benefits of renovations at selected sites Whitegate   Filling Plant

Dublin   Filling Plant

CO2 savings per year   using PVC double   glazing (kg)

3,530

2,083

CO2 savings per year for heating upgrade (kg)

21,000

20,040

Total CO2 savings per year (kg)

24,350

24,970

62%

33%

Percentage reduction in CO2 production per year

24  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  25


Operational Sites Investments in filling plants and logistics reduce   Calor’s CO2 footprint.

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Calor installed a new electronic carousel in our Belfast filling plant in October 2011.

................................................................ The new carousel has electronic scales and offers greater filling accuracy. It also enables more cylinder types to be filled, giving greater flexibility to the cylinder filling operation in Belfast. The new carousel also reduces energy consumption per cylinder filled due to higher efficiency. Calor Gas has also invested significantly in our digital logistics systems in recent times. This is to ensure that the company keeps improving its delivery standards all the

time. Digital logistics allows for a paperless method of route planning and scheduling. The fleet routing system enables Calor to optimise the routes for its deliveries on a daily basis. The schedulers in the depot can plan, using digital logistics and the silicon telemetry units on each customer tank, what size of load to send out to each customer. This system ensures a reduction on mileage travelled by our fleet, as well as a reduction on annual fuel consumption. Each vehicle is built to the current ADR requirements and to the highest build quality standards. They are equipped with an anti-drive away system and an emergency shutdown system to increase safety when delivering.

100

CO2e per mT Gas Sold

90

2009 benchmark tCO2e per mT sales

80

tCO2e per mT Sold

70 60

We provide renewable solutions for living. That begins at our own premises.

50 40 30 20 10 0

Year

2010

Calor’s Emissions vs Sales

26  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

2011

Source: Annual External Carbon Data Audit

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  27


our Customers Calor pride ourselves not only on the produCts We provide, but on the Customer serviCe and adviCe that We offer alonGside them.

Customers during 2011, Calor undertook several initiatives to communicate the  sustainability measures we are taking as a company to our customers.

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it also gave us the opportunity to  •   Calor Gas offered all customers a free  engage with an enthused audience  energy audit of their home/business  to demonstrate the effi ciency of  and offer initiatives/advice to  their current system, and what  help customers themselves  improvements they could make to  become more sustainable. become more sustainable. these  are outlined below.  eNerGy survey softwAre

................................................................ iNitiAtives/AdviCe •   in all welcome packs sent out to  customers in 2011, an energy effi ciency  booklet was included, advising  customers on how to conserve energy  around the home. •   At any events where Calor exhibited   in 2011, we included carbon emissions  information about LPG compared to  other fuel types, showing customers  how they can become energy effi cient  by switching to gas for their fuel supply. •   Calor Gas exhibited at the following  events, showcasing the various  applications of Calor as a sustainable  fuel for homes and businesses:

one of the core competencies of  Calor is developing complete, custommade energy solutions. our skills in  recommending the right appliances and  systems enables sports clubs to become  more energy effi cient - and ultimately,  more cost effective. we developed energy survey software,  with which we can carry out a complete  energy survey for sporting or other  organisations. this provides an immediate  report on the energy effi ciency of the  organisation’s facilities, and outlines a list  of suggested tailored recommendations.

•  the energy show •  the sustainable building show •   the National Ploughing  Championships

Calor sustainability report 2012  29


Customers

Customers

Calor meets the needs of a wide variety of industries, and while their needs may vary, our dedication to customer service does not.

At Calor, we aim to improve customer experiences by exploring and exploiting new Information Technology advancements.

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Hospitality Industry Calor has been working with the hospitality sector to provide customised energy packages that are both cost efficient and sustainable for businesses over the longer term. Calor LPG has been the fuel of choice for chefs all over Ireland for many years because of its versatility. Many in the hospitality sector are turning to LPG because it is the cleaner, high efficiency fuel for their business.

Industrial Customers Calor helps businesses by providing   tailored energy solutions using best-in-  class environmental practice. We deliver this service through a professional, highly skilled and knowledgeable sales team. Our Energy Advisors are supported by a dedicated Customer Support Team and 24-hour technical and safety support all over Ireland, and being part of SHV Energy, the world’s leading LPG distributor, means that our customers benefit from secure and reliable supplies of LPG. One of the great benefits of LPG is its versatility; many applications can run off the same supply of Calor LPG, including water heating, catering and space heating.

The enhanced reliability also ensures reduced equipment downtime, maximising production and efficiency. What’s more, businesses never have to worry about gas running out, due to Calor’s unique telemetry system, ensuring the tanks are automatically filled before they get too low. Each business also enjoys environmental advantages, with reduced CO2 emissions, compared to oil, and the reassurance that any risk of contamination or oil spillage, whether within or outside the premises, has been eliminated.

“Calor strives for customer service excellence through innovation and employee training.”

Calor aims to be contactable for customers at any time. Recently we extended the opening hours of our customer service centre.

................................................................ Our web portal, mycalorgas.com, offers customers online access to their account and payment options 24/7. We now offer customers a paperless billing option. By setting a flag on their account, we will suspend printing the customers’ Statements, Invoices and Credit Notes. We will notify them by SMS and email whenever any of the above documents are posted to their account. The customer can view the documents by signing into their ‘mycalorgas’ account. Calor strives to improve the customer experience year-on-year, by using data compiled annually from the Customer   Satisfaction Analysis and Calor’s   Complaint Management. Data is based on overall satisfaction, staff attitudes towards customers and Calor’s online account facility. Our Net Promoter Score also takes on customer opinions by referring Calor to friends.

Colm Daly Group Customer   Care Manager

30  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  31


Bulk Tank Improvements

National Retrofit Programme

We are currently working through a process of introducing   Nano-painted tanks into our bulk tank stock.

Calor can provide sustainable solutions for business premises   of all sizes, ages and locations.

.................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

Nano is an innovative paint which has an additive that gives it particular properties or special effects similar to what is known   as the ‘Lotus Effect.’

................................................................ These effects simply mean that the Nanopainted tank surface has added protection   against dirt and corrosion. This should reduce the amount of washing and unplanned maintenance. Ultimately we will have a better quality   finish on our bulk tanks and the aim is   that all new customers using tank capacities of up to 2-tonne will be given Nano-painted tanks. We are currently purchasing all new bulk vessels with this special paint on them   and working towards integrating the paint into our refurbishment process for recycled tanks. This technology has been exclusively developed by Calor in collaboration with an international partner.

There are approximately one million buildings in Ireland that would benefit from some form of energy efficiency retrofit which could generate future energy savings worth €16 billion, along with additional health and wellbeing benefits.

................................................................ To date, efficiency upgrades have been completed in over 33,000 homes this year, and over 96,000 homes since the programme commenced in 2009. In total, the estimated energy savings achieved are 529 Gigawatt hours or just over €33 million.

There are still obstacles that can create barriers to realising the full technical and economic potential for energy efficiency at the moment. These barriers include a lack of knowledge of the benefits of energy efficiency measures; a lack of access to capital; and high costs of capital. One of the ways in which this is being addressed is by energy suppliers signing up to voluntary agreements as part of Better Energy: The National Upgrade Programme, to deliver competitive energy savings upgrades to homes and businesses across the country. Calor, as a responsible energy supplier, has signed this agreement. We are consulting with home

32  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

and commercial customers to ensure that a sustainable and efficient heating system can be designed which will reduce dependency on highcarbon heating fuels and lower heating costs. To view the full document, please visit the website of The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Commercial Energy Survey Application Calor has developed a tool to assist our sales team in offering energy saving advice in terms of cost savings and CO2 emissions, relating to commercial LPG solutions. The energy survey application can be used in any commercial premises requiring or using space heating, water heating, catering or laundry. The application is installed on iPads, making it portable and enabling the team to complete energy surveys while at customer premises. A four-page report is generated, detailing the customer’s current energy use, benchmarking information and improvement recommendations. Calor’s motivation for developing and using the new application is to help reduce our customers’ fuel bills and impact on the environment.   The report details LPG solutions that offer a cleaner and more environmentally friendly option to rural customers. Source: Department of Communications,   Energy and Natural Resources

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  33


Our innovative solutions offer customers a choice of gas storage solutions for domestic cooking and heating.

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  35


health & safety by its nature, Gas and its supply need to be treated With partiCular Care to ensure the Continued safety of everyone.

health and safety in order to remain certifi ed partners of Calor, we always ensure our  service providers have the most up-to-date systems and continue to  provide the highest level of service to our customers.

.................................................................................................................

As an energy company, Calor is  committed to safety policies that  ensure our customers, employees  and the general public are well  protected from any potential  harm arising from our business.

................................................................ A number of initiatives were introduced  in 2011 as a means to ensure that our  continuing safety programme in the LPG  market remains of paramount importance  to Calor as a company. the specifi c  initiatives undertaken are detailed below:

sub-CoNtrACtors ANNuAL  meetiNG ANd sAfety  meetings took place during 2011 to discuss  any relevant safety issues that needed  to be addressed, along with any new  initiatives that could be introduced to  ensure maximum safety.

boiLer trAiNiNG  training was provided to registered Gas  installers to ensure that regular services  are carried out effectively for customers  to ensure maximum safety and reduced  health issues.

LiQuid/vAPour trAiNiNG for  CoNtrACtors   training in both these areas was provided  for the practical and written guidance on  how to safely work with LPG and, in the  event of any problems arising, how to deal  with them in a quick, effi cient manner  to bring the situation under control.  there were several training sessions held  throughout 2011.

Calor sustainability report 2012  37


health and safety

health and safety

To help avoid incidents and accidents involving LPG, Calor regularly communicates health and safety updates to our customers.

Calor maintains a state of the art fleet to ensure the best possible level   of service and the safest means of transport for our customers.

.................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

Product Information  Evenings Calor invited contractors and installers to participate in product information evenings around the country where issues such as safety were discussed, as were new legislations and regulations being introduced and highlighted. Questions and answers were part of these meetings, along with any new ideas that may benefit the safety of LPG.

or maintained. Anything that burns with a flame can potentially emit Carbon Monoxide. In addition to getting appliances serviced annually by a qualified engineer, you should also use a Carbon Monoxide alarm. We recommend the following two models: 1. EI Electronics EI 204EN Alarm; and  2. Honeywell SF450EN Alarm.

Carbon Monoxide Detection Carbon Monoxide can be released by appliances as part of the combustion of all carbon fuels (oil/gas/solid fuel/ wood) if they are not properly installed

38  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

................................................................ The following is a list of these features   and equipment.

1. Drive Away Inhibit – vehicle will not release handbrake unless hose is rolled up and rear door closed.

Communication to  customers Boiler Service Letter (Domestic Central Heating and Metered Customers); Butane Safety Alert; Cooker Safety Alert. These letters were sent to remind customers of the importance of having their boiler serviced periodically to ensure it is running efficiently and safely. Also, the importance of ventilation, handling, storage and setup when using gas cookers is continually highlighted to customers.

The Calor tanker is a unique and sophisticated piece of equipment; it contains several safety features designed to eliminate accidents which may be caused by human error or other outside factors.

2. Emergency Shutdown – remote control (zapper) or three push buttons on vehicle. Consumer Incidents Market Segment

Number of Incidents

Cylinders

1

Bulk

0

Autogas

0

Total

0

3. Deadman Shutdown – if driver does   not communicate with the remote control every two minutes while   pumping, the emergency shutdown   will occur automatically. 4. Fire Extinguishers.

Vehicle accident per 1,000,000km per annum Number Gas distribution

0.7

Cars

0

5. First Aid Kit. Category

6. Wheel Chocks.

Explosion

0

Fire

0

7. Eye Wash Station.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

0

8. Anti-Trip Placards.

Falling Objects

0

9. Earth Reel.

Asphyxiation

0

Categories for Gas Distribution Accidents Only Tanker Roll-over

0

Tanker Overfilled

0

Collision with Other Vehicles

0.7

Other

0

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  39


health and safety Health and Safety records are regularly reported, recorded and analysed to maintain the highest possible safety standards.

.................................................................................................................

Health and Safety at Operational Depots Calor has achieved the ISO 9001 certification for health and safety.   The ISO 9001 is certified by an accredited certification body and shows commitment   to quality, customers, and a willingness to work towards improving efficiency.   It demonstrates the existence of an effective quality management system   that satisfies the rigours of an independent, external audit.

.................................................................................................................

Employee Health and Safety, 1st Jan - 31st Dec 2011 Categories

Calor has prepared and submitted a safety report for each of our depots. These safety reports have been approved by the Health and Safety Authority. The Health and Safety Authority also carry out annual inspections of each depot which include a review of the documentation of our Health and Safety management system and a walk around inspection of the site. Following these inspections, a report of inspection is given and any corrective actions are agreed.

Explosion/Fire

0

Collapse of building/structure

0

Failure of or leakage from on-site LPG vessels/pipework

0

Other

0

Total Number of Property/Equipment Damage

0

Gas escape from cylinder

1

Gas escape from bulk vessel

0

Collision (vehicles on site)

0

Electrical fault

0

Falling objects

0

Slips, trips and falls

2

Manual Handling

0

Housekeeping

0

Slips, Trips and Falls

0.0000652

Leakage from hoses

0

Moving or Falling Objects

0

Lack of PPE

0

Burns

0

Unsafe handling

0

Road Traffic Accident

0.0000489

0

Entrapment

0

Electric Shock

0

Safeguard removed Other

40  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

annual health and safety report findings

1

Lost Time at Work 2011 per 100,000 Hours Categories

days lost in 2011

Other

0.0000161

Total Number of Days Lost

0.0001305

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  41


Underground storage offers customers a discreet way to experience all the benefits of Calor gas.

42  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  43


teChnoloGy Calor employs the latest innovations and leadinG teChnoloGy to ensure maximum effiCienCy and an onGoinG reduCtion of Carbon emissions.

miCro Combined heat and poWer the irish Government aims to reduce residential Co2 emissions by  2,436,000 mt by 2020.

.................................................................................................................

LPG has always been a low  carbon emission fuel. this not  only means that LPG has positive  environmental benefi ts, it also  makes LPG an ideal partner fuel  for renewable energies such as  solar or wind power.

................................................................ Calor is already partnering with  renewable energy providers to enable  LPG to complement these new green  technologies.

the losses associated with centralised  generation and transmission, resulting in  a far higher energy effi ciency of 80-90%.  that’s an improvement of up to 55%  in energy effi ciency. Calor LPG could  potentially play a major part in this  energy revolution through LPG micro  CHP technology. in addition, localised  power generation reduces demand on  the national grid, which in turn reduces  the requirement for imported electricity.  this could also reduce the amount of  investment required to upgrade the  national grid in the future.

reducing the emissions of rural homes  will play a signifi cant part in overall targets  to tackle climate change. we must also  consider how we can increase energy  effi ciency. Localised power generation will  form part of the solution.  typically, energy produced centrally and  transported to the end user is only 35%  effi cient when it reaches them. that is  because ireland currently operates a  centralised electricity generation system  which requires that the electricity is  transported over the national grid. by  switching the point of generation to  the point of use, we remove most of

Calor sustainability report 2012  45


Micro Combined Heat and Power

Bio-Propane

Micro combined heat and power, or Micro CHP for short,   is the process of generating both electricity and heat from the   same source - close to where it is to be used.

Bio-propane is the term commonly used to describe propane (C3H8) and other LP gases that are derived from production processes that   use biomass as the feedstock.

.................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

With a Micro CHP unit, both electricity and heat are generated through a quiet, efficient   electro-chemical reaction.

.............................................................. A number of fuel cells are combined into a fuel cell “stack”, which can generate most of the power needed by a typical Irish home in a year. The stack is integrated with a high-efficiency LPG boiler into a single wall-mountable unit which looks just like an ordinary boiler. At the back of the unit there are connections for fuel, central heating, hot water and power. Your home is also connected to the mains power grid as normal. The LPG Micro CHP boiler can be connected to existing heating controls and will supply power to the home, even working when there is a power cut.

a corresponding reduction in centralised electrical capacity of 1kW. Over time, this reduces the need for large scale capital investment in electricity distribution infrastructure. 2. It achieves energy efficiency of 80-90%, which is an improvement of up to 55% over centralised power generation. This results in a reduction in total fuel usage of 0.4 Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (TOE) per annum. 3. Potential to reduce average rural household CO2 emissions by over 40%, or   3.6 tonnes of CO2 per year. The cumulative effect of this reduction over 10 years is   a reduction in residential CO2 from rural   areas of 1,616,400 tonnes, resulting in exchequer revenue of €32,328,000 in offset carbon credits.

Benefits of the Micro   CHP Boiler

Renewable propane is an ideal biofuel. It has the same properties as petroleum-derived propane, but can be produced outside every town and city from domestic waste or unusable agricultural wastes. Biofuels - derived from renewable sources such as biomass, vegetable oils, and waste - offer an option for producing fuel that can decrease dependence on imported and non-renewable fuels and reduce upstream carbon footprint.

................................................................

New techniques being developed and commercialised can produce these gases from renewable biomass feedstock - either as the primary output or as a by-product.

Future Prospects Interest in bio-propane is growing, as it could provide a way of decarbonising or ‘greening’ LPG to combat climate change, in the same way that traditional renewable biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are helping to decarbonise conventional transport fuels. Bio-propane could also bring broader environmental, economic and energysecurity benefits. A growing number of countries around the world are introducing measures to support the production and/or use of biofuels (liquid fuels for transport) and other types of bioenergy. In general, these measures are strongest in the advanced, industrialised countries, but emerging economies dependent on imported oil are increasingly looking to biofuels to meet their rapid growth in demand for transport fuels.

Going forward, bio-propane could make a big difference in helping reduce the carbon intensity of energy in the countryside. It’s not just electricity which has the potential to be decarbonised - it’s gas as well. Biopropane can be derived from renewable sources such as biomass (sugarcane, switchgrass), vegetable oils and food waste.

1. The LPG Micro CHP boiler generates most of the power and all of the hot water and heating needed by a typical Irish home. This reduces the need to buy electricity from the national grid. Each household that switches to Fuel Cell Technology results in

LPG Micro CHP Boiler – how it works Image courtesy of Ceres Power.

46  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  47


Whatever your needs, Calor can provide a tailored energy solution for you.

48  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  49


employee learninG and development Calor launched a Graduate Programme in 2010 to assist in attracting  talent to the organisation and to help position Calor as ‘first Choice’  employer for high calibre graduates.

.................................................................................................................

employee development We plaCe a Great emphasis on the development of our staff. our Continued suCCess depends on it.

each year, in both the republic of  off-site CALor sPoNsored  Courses ireland and Northern ireland, we  •   Gas installer safety (Gis) and Gas installer take graduates in areas such as it,  domestic (Gid) – these are two courses  finance, marketing and engineering.

................................................................

training and development needs arise  from the annual employee review where  managers discuss training, development and  career progression. At this point, it may be  considered valuable for the employee to take  part in a training course to develop their skills.  this training may be provided internally or  externally, depending on the contents. there  were approximately ten external courses  completed by employees during 2011.

ACAdemiC Courses  Academic courses can also feature in an  employee’s development plan. Calor will  provide fi nancial support for third level  courses of employees where the course is  relevant to their work. during 2011, employees  completed each of the following courses:  masters, higher degree, mbA and accountancy  exams, etc. Calor also allows for study leave  and time off for employees taking exams.

iNterNAL Courses  •  A    comprehensive induction programme  run for all new employees. •  l  pG product Knowledge Course –  runs every 2 months for 2 hours,  open to all employees.

which can be taken by our engineers and  installers. Courses of this type were taken  in 2011 by our employees.

•  operations – drivers attend gas safety  courses and must renew their Adr licence.  they are also required to attend manual  handling courses. All necessary training for  relevant drivers was carried out in 2011. •  link Course – run by sHv energy.  •  C-programme – run by sHv energy.  •  external Coaching – if a manager feels  they need to develop themselves  further, challenge their strengths and  build on their management competencies,  Calor will assist by providing them with  external coaching.  this year, we have developed a management  development programme called iGNite,  based on the needs of our middlemanagement team. this course has been  highly successful to date. “in Calor, we know that when we invest in people, they will deliver results. our company is our people and therefore we strive to support them not only in their development, but in everything they do.”

Caitriona o’toole Hr manager

Calor sustainability report 2012  51


Employee Learning and Development

Great Place to work Initiative

Calor actively promotes Succession Planning within the organisation,   whereby we help develop an individual’s potential with a view to filling   key positions within the company from within.

Great Place to Work Institute Ireland has been assisting companies to become Great Places to Work for over 20 years. Each year, they create a list of Great Places to Work which is placed in the Sunday Independent.

.................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

Employee Development Plan Our focuses are: 1. Develop and invest in people –   by providing Internal Training   Courses, Voluntary Projects and Management Development.

their ongoing career. It has been a pleasure to work with our interns and we wish them every success in their future.

Great Place to Work - Mission • Recognising best workplaces and inspiring companies to become great through our Best Workplaces programmes. • Helping companies to transform their workplaces through our consulting and training services.

2. Succession Planning – Calor’s process of identifying and developing internal people with potential to fill key positions within the company.

• Sharing the knowledge, strategies and practices of the best companies through impactful events and research.

3. People movements – Calor has increased our focus on creating development opportunities for   people via movement – both internally and internationally.

“Calor has been extremely supportive in my career development. I have progressed to a level I did not expect this early. Within 18 months of joining as a Marketing Graduate, I was promoted to Segment Marketing Manager for Cylinders, with a welcome opportunity to excel and prove myself within my role.”

This year, we are also participating in the National Internship Scheme, as the company feels that it is something we would like to do as a matter of social responsibility. Therefore, we aim to help in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training, or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. To date, this scheme has provided the company with highly talented people who have gained valuable experience for

As part of our People Development Plan, the Human Resources Department is working towards Calor being recognised as a Great Place to Work. Being part of a great place to work is about more than having a range of benefits and a number of social events each year. A company that is officially recognised as a Great Place to Work is one where employees believe in the credibility of its management; one where employees feel supported both personally and professionally; and one where they are treated equally. Great Places to Work are also those wherein people take pride in their work, have camaraderie with their peers and trust   the people they work with and for.

benefits

improved organisational performance Increased Reputation, Customer   Loyalty and Profitability

Productivity • Attraction and Retention • Engagement and Loyalty • Motivation and Innovation

Costs • Labour Turnover • Hiring Costs • Absenteeism Rate

Aoife Dromey Segment Marketing Manager Cylinders (2010 Graduate Intake)

52  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  53


Health Initiatives Another initiative Calor implemented in recent times to support   staff general well-being is that a doctor and counselling service   are available to employees at all times.

.................................................................................................................

Absenteeism is recorded by Calor in percentage form, i.e. how many days lost out of the available days in each particular month, and how does this compare on a month by month basis.

................................................................ The average annual figure has declined significantly year-on-year since 2009 to the point where the average rate of absenteeism is around 0.5 days per month. This is an excellent result, especially taking into account the fact that the figures are strongly influenced by a limited number of long-term sickness cases.

regards to the basic cost of providing   the glasses, or of the new lenses where   an employee already wears glasses,   Calor contributes €60.

Employee Assistance Programme Calor offers an EAP service (Employee Assistance Programme); this is run by an external company and is a fully confidential service. The purpose of the EAP is to provide employees with easy access to confidential counselling and information services to assist in coping with work/life balance, relationships, childcare, health, debt, disability and illness, careers, workplace pressures, stress, bereavement, etc.

Employee Health Initiatives Vaccinations We provide a qualified doctor to administer the flu vaccine annually to any employee who wishes to have it. Eye test policy Open to employees who use VDU – test is carried out every 2-3 years, Calor contributes €30 towards the test. When lenses are required solely for VDUs, with

2009 2010 2011

2.74% 2.64% 2.53%

Absenteeism Record

54  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  55


With Calor, being off the grid no longer means being left in the cold. We provide gas for heating and cooking to customers right across the country.

56  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  57


Community  Calor was involved in several community initiatives during 2011,  in both Northern ireland and the republic of ireland.

.................................................................................................................

Community When you are involved With helpful initiatives in the Community, it’s not a responsibility, it’s a pleasure.

some sponsorship has been held  with Calor for many years and  other sponsorships are on a local  ad hoc basis each year.

Calor recently presented the environmental  restaurant Award 2011 to radisson blu  Hotel, dublin Airport at the irish restaurant  Awards in the burlington Hotel, dublin.  the event is the irish restaurant industry’s  largest and most prestigious event.

Calor is also involved in initiatives with  local communities and the company  supports employees in giving back to  the community.

in conjunction with the GAA social  initiative, we sponsored the theatrical  production of shane Connaughton’s  play ‘the Pitch’ (Nov ’11 to Jan ’12).  we are currently sponsoring seamus  o’rourke’s play, ‘victor’s dung’. the  production is usually held in GAA clubs  and it brings people together for a night’s  entertainment, as well as allowing the  club to fundraise.

................................................................

some of the sponsorships and initiatives  are outlined below; however, as most  are local, they are grouped into ad hoc  sponsorships, which include sponsorship  of GAA Clubs, Golf Classics, Charity events,  Local schools, Cookery demos, etc.

examples of Calor sponsorships westmeath Hospice

€3,000

taste of offaly

€1,000

taste of monaghan

€2,500

irish Hotels federation

€3,000

rally of the Lakes killarney

€1,800

Ni Poultry Conference

£500

Hospitality exchange

£1,000

eddie irvine sports

£3,000

Ad Hoc sponsorships

the village of the year competition is a  celebration of rural communities in ireland  and of local people’s contribution to their  communities. Communities are judged  on fi ve categories, consisting of building  Community Life, business, young People,  older People and environment. the winner  receives not just the title of village of the  year but also a cash prize. Cash prizes are  also awarded to the winners of the fi ve  individual categories.

€43,000

Calor sustainability report 2012  59


Notes .................................................................................................................

60  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  61


Notes .................................................................................................................

62  Calor Sustainability Report 2012

Calor Sustainability Report 2012  63


Calor Gas Head Office, Longmile Road, Dublin 12 1850 812 450 info@calorgas.ie Calorgas.ie/sustainability



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