Abigroup captures its emissions data with reporting system

In search of a simple yet effective software system to improve effective capturing of emissions data, and driven by the added responsibility of reporting emissions under legislative requirements recently imposed under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulations 2008, national contractor Abigroup has implemented Ndevr’s Greenhouse Emissions Reporting Solution.

The concept of sustainability is a powerful driver influencing the direction of Australia’s infrastructure industry. Abigroup is responding by integrating the principles of sustainability into the planning and delivery of our projects, said Sarah Marshall, National Environment and Sustainability Manager, Abigroup.

“An ongoing challenge Abigroup faces is to accurately measure our carbon footprint across our diverse range of businesses and projects. In conjunction with Ndevr, we have adopted a smarter system for data collection and analysis which will allow us to monitor performance and implement strategies that avoid impacts and maximise opportunities.”

The Ndevr Greenhouse Emissions Reporting solution is a fully integrated module within Abigroup’s existing JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software, enabling the company to track its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through its financial/ERP systems.

The solution enables us to capture data from multiple sites and projects to generate one seamless report and, because the data tracking is all done from our financial invoices, it makes it very simple to capture emissions that were previously very difficult to measure, commented Marshall.

Choosing and implementing the solution involved three different Abigroup business groups: environment, information systems and finance.

The new NGER dashboard tool presents data in tables and forms that are designed to capture the basic information as it is presented by a standard accounts payable invoice (eg, gas, electricity or waste). This data is then transformed by backend calculations into a volume of CO₂ emissions, which can be broken into business units, or by item (eg, electricity versus water). The data is stored and auditable and, as it is part of the financial system, it is totally secure with rights and access management and backed up nightly, said Alison Woodward, Group Manager, Information Systems, Abigroup.

“The most positive part of the project and the biggest unforeseen benefit is the reaction we have received from the staff. Initially, the administrators and data entry staff were concerned that this solution would mean extra work. After only one training session, the staff did a 360-degree turnaround when they understood what was involved, which is simply entering one more number per column when they enter financial data. Further, when we explained the environmental outcomes behind the solution the staff really got on board and some staff members have begun incorporating other green initiatives within their own work groups,” said Marshall.