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Translink drives down CO2

The business issue

Translink is the main provider of integrated bus and rail services across Northern Ireland and cross border into the South of Ireland. As one of the largest companies in Northern Ireland with around 4000 employees, Translink is committed to providing integrated travel solutions that are attractive, sustainable and good value in order to attract more users to public transport thereby reducing the use of the private car and helping tackle carbon emissions.

Translink as an energy intensive operation has long recognised the moral, financial and legislative requirement to manage energy consumption, thus reduce carbon emissions from their own building and vehicle operations.

What Translink did

Translink’s Corporate Vision is that “We will provide integrated travel solutions that are attractive, sustainable and good value”. This vision immediately puts ‘sustainability’ at the head of the strategy. Through this strategy Translink has:

Improved corporate image through PR and public affairs;
Installed automatic idle shutdown in over 400 vehicles;
Improved staff awareness and engagement; and
Increased passengers and revenue in line with Government targets

An energy efficiency strategy is implemented and encompasses the procurement of energy, buildings, vehicles, and energy using equipment, through to communication/marketing campaigns along with monitoring & targeting, auditing and reporting.

Translink has committed 5% of the annual facility energy spend to energy related projects. In 2009/10 this included:

Installed automatic meters at all locations;
Replacing an aging compressor;
Conversion from gas oil to natural gas at one location; and
Installation of sub-metering

Translink has established strategic partnerships with the Carbon Trust, Energy Savings Trust and Northern Ireland Energy Agency. These partnerships have helped to provide a greater understanding of climate change – both for the business and the environment as a whole.

Impact

In 2008/09 Translink used 3.8% less energy (excluding vehicle use) compared to 2007/08
Train Care Facility managed to reduce electricity consumption by 8.4% since 2006/07
From October 2009, all electricity used by Translink is from renewable sources

Russell McFadden, General Manager, Transformation with Bombardier; John Heaslip, BITC, David Lowry, Technical Engineer, Translink

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