Energy and carbon reporting

Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)

We recognise that climate change is one of the most important issues facing every one of us today. As architects, our members play a crucial role in the reduction of carbon emissions through sustainable design and RIBA aims to help the profession contribute towards the UK net zero carbon target and mitigate climate change more generally.

In light of this, we believe it is important that RIBA is transparent about its own carbon emissions. Whilst not legally required to do so, we are voluntarily reporting our energy and carbon emissions in compliance with The Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018. This requires an annual report on greenhouse gas emissions from UK energy use and business vehicles travel.

The table below summarises emissions in the year.

The carbon footprint for the year ended 31 December 2023 was 419.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions (2022, 543 tCO2e), which represents a carbon intensity of 1.68 tCO2e per full time equivalent employee (2022, 1.70 tCO2e).

Locations	Quantity (KWh) Dec 2023	Carbon Footprint (CO2e) Dec 2023
Electricity, 66 Portland Place, London, Mann Island, Liverpool, and the Piper Centre, London	889,866	184.3
Gas, 66 Portland Place, London and the Piper Centre, London	1,198,339	219.2
Total Quantity	2,088,205	403.5

Methodology

Our reporting methodology is based on the UK Government’s 2019 Environmental Reporting Guidelines and these carbon footprints have been calculated using the UK government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting for 2022. Energy use data was collected from energy bills. We have excluded all managed offices where we do not receive a separate charge for energy (which includes the Group’s overseas offices).

All of the electricity at the three sites is from renewable sources. However, in compliance with reporting standards, the carbon saving this creates is not included in the standardised carbon footprint reported above.

Whilst the Institution does not own any vehicles and thus does not purchase any vehicle fuel directly, UK staff and volunteers do sometimes use their own cars for the Institution’s business. Due to a lack of data to date, it is not possible to voluntarily disclose this, or business travel metrics, in the information above.

Longer term environmental sustainability

RIBA is committed to the improvement of its environmental performance. The management of resources is an important issue for the Charity. RIBA is operating within the constraint that the 66 Portland Place building has listed status and requires comprehensive renovation, to improve its energy efficiency and energy use. The new House of Architecture programme will help RIBA improve its energy efficiency, rationalise the number of Collection sites in use, and eliminate the use of gas consumption at 66 Portland Place site.

In the meantime, RIBA has a number of measures in place to recycle paper, minimise paper use, minimise environmental waste, and reduce the carbon footprint from work–related travel.