Preparing Condominiums for Scope 3 Emissions Reporting: Choosing Suppliers Wisely
Executive Mat Service
Bringing safety, health, and environmental solutions to Canadian businesses.
When discussing sustainability efforts and emission reductions, the first entities that come to mind are often businesses and large companies. However, with Canada’s growing population, driven by newcomers and immigrants choosing to stay, condominiums have begun to operate similarly to businesses. These properties, equipped with amenities like fitness centers, meeting rooms, game spaces, and guest areas, now function as full- facilities. They cater to many people, including tenants and property/strata management professionals, and offer residents the convenience of living fully without needing to step outside.
This shift brings various responsibilities, particularly environmental ones, which increase the demands on strata and property managers. Recently, the Canadian government implemented new regulations requiring major suppliers to report their greenhouse gas emissions, set reduction goals, and use low-carbon concrete. These actions, once voluntary, have become mandatory due to insufficient efforts by suppliers. Similarly, the City of Toronto has introduced legislation requiring owners of large buildings to report their energy and water usage annually. This reporting and benchmarking initiative aims to help building owners improve their environmental performance, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and lower operating costs. As a result, property managers and strata boards now face additional responsibilities. It seems likely that other provinces will soon implement similar regulations, so we must be prepared.
In light of carbon net-zero efforts, property management professionals must consider what they can do as a condominium to reduce their carbon emissions. The government now views condos as businesses responsible for reporting their emissions.
In global sustainability efforts, much attention has been focused on reducing direct emissions—those generated on-site by commercial properties or from purchased electricity. However, the full environmental impact of a property extends far beyond these direct emissions. Scope 3 emissions are often overlooked but can significantly affect a building’s overall carbon footprint.
What Are Scope 3 Emissions?
Scope 3 emissions are the indirect emissions from your suppliers, often comprising up to 90% of your carbon footprint. Examples include Purchased Goods and Services, Transportation and Distribution, Business Travel, Rental Items, Furniture and Appliances, Waste Disposal, Outsourced Services, and End-of-Life Emissions. With more regulations on carbon emissions reporting approaching, it's a good idea to start choosing your suppliers wisely.
Instead of focusing solely on reducing energy consumption, consider other actions that can further reduce your emissions. Reducing Scope 3 emissions requires thorough research into your supply chain, so use the checklist below to brainstorm with your strata.
Waste Reduction Within the Building
Less waste means less frequent service from your waste management company. Educate residents on reducing waste by promoting reusable items. Placing a basket full of reusable bags at the building’s entrance could help reduce plastic bag usage. Many people often leave their reusable bags on the shoe rack when they are leaving their homes, so providing these bags to residents can encourage them to reduce their plastic bag consumption. Remember, change starts with the smallest link in the chain.
Educating residents on recycling practices is another excellent way to reduce Scope 3 emissions. Canada receives thousands of newcomers each year, and while recycling is familiar to most residents, new immigrants may not be accustomed to it. Each recycling bin should have clear, distinct labels. Properly tagged bins encourage residents to sort their waste correctly. Use clear and descriptive stickers on each container, ensuring the labels are easy to understand, even for those unfamiliar with recycling practices. Including brief explanations and pictures can help prevent confusion, especially in communities with diverse backgrounds.
Clarifying bins with simple stickers will reduce the energy and human effort required for recycling by the company that picks up your waste, which will also impact your Scope 3 emissions.
Waste Management
The emissions from disposing of waste generated by residents, such as recycling, composting, and landfill waste, are also considered Scope 3 emissions. This includes transporting waste to processing facilities. Have you calculated the service frequency needed to optimize waste collection schedules? For example, if you receive service twice a week before all the bins are full, it adds to your Scope 3 emissions. Instead, determine your actual service frequency needs and avoid unnecessary pickups. A truck picking up your waste doesn’t just affect your monthly bill; the energy consumption of that truck should also be a concern.
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Sustainable Purchases and Rental Items
Do you closely examine the purchases and rental items you use within the property? Switching to eco-friendly products made from recycled or biodegradable materials can significantly reduce waste and emissions. How do you manage purchases within the building? Do you prefer buying toilet paper and paper towels as needed, or do you make bulk purchases? While choosing bulk packaging can minimize waste, it can also lower delivery and transportation efforts, all linked to fuel consumption.
Floor mats are becoming increasingly common in condos. Mats at entrances and exits, mail rooms, fitness centers, elevators, and hallways prevent slips and falls—if they are of high quality—and enhance cleanliness by trapping dirt, water, and salt. But the critical question is how you acquire your floor mats. Purchasing them means replacing them every few months because they are challenging to clean. Vacuuming and washing them is difficult, so the only option is to throw them away and buy new ones, leading to more waste in landfills.
With a mat rental program, sanitized mats rotate among other customers using the same type and size as yours. Not having to clean them yourself is a significant benefit, and you’re not throwing them away to buy new ones.
Executive Mat Service has implemented a three-step approach to enhance delivery efficiency and environmental sustainability:
Additionally, our CDF technology represents a major leap in sustainability. By employing innovative dry cleaning methods, this system reduces carbon emissions by over 90% compared to traditional cleaning processes and recycles 100% of the water used, drastically cutting down on water consumption.
Promote a Sustainable Future
Encourage residents to donate or sell their items instead of throwing them away. Placing second hand clothing or item bins in the building could promote a sustainable future. Not everyone realizes that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
Does the culture of repairing and fixing still exist? In Germany, ranked eighth among the world’s greenest countries—a report by InterNations in 2020—repairing old items on Sundays is a tradition passed down to younger generations. When I was interning in Berlin, the couple I lived with repaired their old electronics, shoes, furniture, etc., instead of buying new ones. This was one of the most impressive things I witnessed in Germany. Turning this into a culture in Canada shouldn’t be too difficult, starting with elementary schools.
Incorporate a repair workshop into your event schedule and encourage tenants to continue using their old items instead of discarding them.
In Conclusion
Every decision regarding purchases and rental items within your condominium impacts the environment. By consciously choosing sustainable products and services, you contribute to reducing Scope 3 emissions and demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship. These efforts not only help lower your building’s carbon footprint but also set a positive example for residents and other property managers. Embracing sustainability in your procurement and rental choices is a powerful step toward creating a more eco-friendly and cost-effective living environment.
McClelland, B. (2024, April 26). The world’s greenest countries 2024: Greenmatch. GreenMatch.co.uk. https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/greenest-countries