The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is currently seeking re-accreditation of the Carbon Trust Triple Standard to include Carbon, Water, and Waste. SCTS was the third public body in Scotland to receive this prestigious award.
Carbon Accreditation
The Scottish Courts Service first achieved Carbon Trust Standard certification in 2008, and SCTS was last recertified in 2017.
The Standard represents the world's first carbon certificate for organisations measuring, managing and reducing their carbon emissions year-on-year and we were one of the first public bodies in Scotland to earn the award.
The certification recognises significant carbon reductions and a commitment to continued progress.
Once the Standard is met, an organisation must show an ongoing commitment to continued reductions in order to recertify. Reductions have been achieved by investing in new energy efficient services or attaching energy saving devices to older systems. Recent investments include:
- LED lighting
- energy saving inverter drive electric motors
- high efficiency heating boilers
- double and secondary glazing, also additional insulation in lofts and walls along with draught proofing works
- Solar PV installations
- Fuel efficient vehicles.
New controls have also been put in place including:
- lighting that automatically switches off in corridors and court rooms
- programmed systems that control heating and ventilation
Water Accreditation
The Scottish Court Service was awarded the Carbon Trust Water Standard in 2014, and SCTS was recertified in 2017.
This accreditation, like the Carbon Accreditation, recognises reductions in water consumption over the past four years and SCTS's commitment to additional improvements across its building estate. These improvements include further significant reductions in water consumption and planned investment that
includes:
- water monitoring systems
- conservation measures such as urinal controls
- push operated taps
- tap flow restrictors.
Waste Accreditation
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service was awarded the new Carbon Trust Waste Standard in 2017, and is seeking re-accreditation for the first time.
This accreditation recognises improvements in waste management over the past three years and SCTS's commitment to additional improvements across the building estate. This focuses on both reduction of waste, and movement of waste up the waste hierarchy; for example recycling instead of going to landfill. Examples of these improvements include:
- New waste consoles and recycling stations
- Improved signage
- Staff engagement