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Sustainability Program Tracking

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Organizations are challenged with identifying the least costly and most effective ways of meeting sustainability targets, such as carbon reduction, energy conservation, water reduction, and reduction of supply chain emissions. With the Sustainability Program Tracking module, you can compare the potential cost savings and emissions savings of candidate projects and choose the projects that are best equipped to meet your targets. After you select the project to initiate, you can track and manage the project by using the module.

In Sustainability Program Tracking, actions or projects can be organized in a simple two-tier structure, where you define a program and add actions to programs. Alternatively, you can use a more complex structure three-tier structure with programs, action plans, and actions.

Figure 1 displays the makeup of a three-tier structure.
Figure 1. Three-tier programs
An example of a two tier structure of programs.
The example shows an energy audit program. A separate action plan is created for the Chatswood Albert St location and the Western Community Center location. In Chatswood, separate actions are created to adjust lighting controllers, install a fan coil, and upgrade the HVAC system. In Western Community Center, a solar panel will be installed to conserve energy.
Figure 2 displays an example of a two-tier program for East Creek Shopping Center.
Figure 2. Two-tier programs
An example of a two tier structure of programs.
The example shows an energy audit program at the East Creek shopping center. Separate actions are created to replace the chiller and upgrade the lighting in the car park.
Figure 3 shows the structure of hybrid programs.
Figure 3. Hybrid programs
An example of a two tier structure of programs.
In the hybrid structure, some programs include action plans and actions and others include actions only.

In Sustainability Program Tracking, each action is associated with a data type, for example, the lighting adjustment action is associated with Electricity [kWh]. The action might be introduced to reduce the cost of electricity, the amount of electricity consumed, or the emissions from electricity.

For each action or project, you determine how many savings you expect to gain from the project before you create the project in Sustainability Program Tracking. The key costs and savings that you estimate in advance for each action or project include:
  • Annual cost savings
  • Annual unit savings
  • Implementation costs
Sustainability Program Tracking can automatically calculate the expected CO2e savings for the project by using emission factors based on the expected annual unit savings, the data type, and the location. Alternatively, if you do not enable the automatic calculation of emission savings, you can calculate your expected emissions savings and add the value when you create an action.

When you track your projects in Sustainability Program Tracking, you can customize how to represent your projects either by customizing the existing field names and values or by adding new fields.

Sustainability Program Tracking can serve as a data repository for your projects. As well as tracking candidate and active projects, you can keep a record of those sustainability projects that were not approved because of implementation costs or poor potential savings.

You can distribute the task of data capture for projects across your base of IBM® ESG Suite users. Each user can log in to Sustainability Program Tracking and capture the project data for their locations or sites. Each user can see the projects that are associated with their location only.

Several reports are available to help you project the expected emissions, energy, and cost savings that are associated with your projects. You can use a scenario modelling tool to see the potential impact of each project on financial performance and sustainability performance into the future. The reports help you model possible scenarios and determine which projects are worth your investment.