1. Continuous Evaluation of Our Environmental Policies and Procedures
Environmental Sustainability Team
In 2007, Hbc’s Strategic Energy and Environment Committee met monthly to review the Company’s energy and waste consumption, and to develop programs and policies to help reduce energy use, waste, packaging and emissions. This committee reports directly to Hbc’s senior management team regularly.
In the Field
Hbc’s Strategic Energy and Environment Committee conducts annual audits of the Company’s operations to determine the amount of materials and energy the Company consumes. In 2007, these audits covered the following areas:
- Amount of waste diverted from landfill from head offices and seven stores
- Amount of packaging in Hbc private label products
- Amount of PVC in Hbc private label products
- Energy consumption by store
Rechargeable Battery Recycling
Through Hbc’s partnership with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) Call2Recycle™ program, Hbc collected over 467 kg or 1,073 lbs of rechargeable batteries and cell phones. By doing so, we provided our customers with the means to keep potentially toxic materials out of our nation’s landfills, and helped to preserve natural resources.
Recycling and Solid Waste*
| Total Solid Waste Tonnes / Million Sq. Ft. | Percentage of Recycled Waste | Percentage of Landfill Waste | Total Diversion Rate** | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1,276 | 53% | 46% | 54% |
| 2004 | 1,321 | 52% | 47% | 53% |
| 2005 | 1,293 | 52% | 47% | 53% |
| 2006 | 1,180 | 55% | 44% | 56% |
| 2007 | 1,258 | 57% | 43% | 57% |
* Zellers stores only
** Total diversion rate is percentage of waste material not sent to landfill = corrugated cardboard and plastics as well as other materials sent for recycling.
As a result of Hbc’s continuing program to renovate, close or expand Zellers stores, there was an increase in the amount of waste in 2004.
Hbc Private Label Packaging
In 2007, Hbc conducted an audit of the amount of packaging used in hundreds of private label products, as well as the amount of environmentally harmful PVCs. Our goal is to reduce the amount of packaging and eliminate all PVCs used in it. To support this goal, Hbc began using new analytical software called PackNet, which allows the Company to collect data on materials required for packaging products and our merchants to plan more effectively. This in time will allow us to reduce GHG emissions created by the production and transportation of excess packaging.
Monitoring Energy Consumption in Our Stores
Hbc continues to retrofit its stores with energy-efficient lighting and building automation systems (BAS). BAS are store-level energy control systems connected to a central web-based monitoring and tracking station. Through this station, we can monitor daily consumption and equipment failures, and work with individual stores to minimize our energy use.
Tracking GHG Emissions
We monitor our annual GHG emissions across six sources:
- Natural gas
- Propane
- Transportation (truck fleet)
- Oil
- Electricity
- Steam
From its 2000 baseline year, Hbc reduced its emissions by 19 percent by the end of 2007. The cumulative reduction in emissions since 2000 totals 286,980 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This reduction came as a result of retrofits to existing stores, construction of energy-efficient new stores and the use of innovative technologies such as deep-lake water cooling. Emissions are also influenced by each year’s different heating and cooling demands.
GHG Emissions
| tCO2e* | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | % Change from Baseline Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct | |||||||||
| Natural Gas | 69,602 | 58,849 | 60,807 | 63,711 | 58,374 | 56,481 | 53,221 | 56,967 | -18.2% |
| Oil | 969 | 832 | 822 | 700 | 563 | 612 | 509 | 423 | -56.4% |
| Propane | 2,147 | 2,022 | 1,751 | 1,511 | 1,643 | 1,607 | 1,251 | 1,628 | -24.2% |
| Transportation (Truck Fleet) | 25,431 | 24,311 | 25,231 | 26,422 | 30,857 | 32,878 | 30,989 | 31,232 | 22.8% |
| Indirect | |||||||||
| Electricity | 254,071 | 248,256 | 221,199 | 257,488 | 192,942 | 196,627 | 198,974 | 195,129 | -23.2% |
| Steam | 1,552 | 1,552 | 1,552 | 1,923 | 1,853 | 1,746 | 1,250 | 1,500 | -3.4% |
| Chilled water | 67 | 72 | |||||||
| Total | 353,771 | 335,822 | 311,363 | 351,755 | 286,233 | 289,951 | 286,261 | 286,950 | -18.9% |
| Intensity | 6.92 | 6.47 | 5.97 | 6.64 | 5.43 | 5.54 | 5.44 | 5.50 | -20.5% |
* tCO2e = tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent
GHG emission totals differ from previous years due to changes in data collection and emission calculation. Energy consumption for each source was recalculated for each year to eliminate estimated data, where possible, and to fill in data gaps. Electricity emissions have been recalculated using the emission factors detailed in Canada’s National Inventory Report, 1990–2005, Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks.