GHG Emissions
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
ANSER is committed to transparency in the tracking and reporting of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We continuously work to reduce our environmental impact in all facets of our business. Below is a summary of our FY23 (1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023) base year GHG emissions, which we calculated using the methodology in The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. Our emissions are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1. FY23 Emissions
| Facility | Scope | Emissions (mtCO2-e) |
| All | 1 | 0.6 |
| Headquarters | 2 | 26.8 |
| Total | 27.4 | |
Organizational Boundary
We defined our organizational boundary using an operational control approach. ANSER maintains operational control of our four leased facilities, which total 85,802 sq. ft. In February 2023, ANSER divested from Advanced Technology International (ATI). We do not include any ATI facilities in our organizational boundary.
Direct emissions from sources ANSER controls or operates are categorized as Scope 1. Indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity are categorized as Scope 2. All other Indirect emissions are categorized as Scope 3, which we do not include in our inventory.
Operational Boundary
Scope 1: Direct Emissions
Refrigeration and Chiller Equipment
All refrigeration units are post-2010. One of our chillers uses R-22 (HCFC-22) and has a capacity of 0.85 kg. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are ozone-depleting gases that are regulated internationally and excluded from GHG inventories.
To calculate our emissions, we used the Screening Method in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator. See Table 2 for ANSER’s Scope 1 refrigeration and chiller equipment data and emissions.
Table 2. Scope 1 Refrigeration and Chiller Equipment Data and Emissions
| Type of Equipment | # of Units | Gas | Emissions (mtCO2-e) |
| Operating Refrigerator | 8 | HFC-134a | 0.008 |
| Disposed Refrigerator | 1 | HFC-134a | 0.0412 |
| Operating Chiller | 1 | R-410A | 0.5544 |
| Total Scope 1 Emissions (All Facilities) | 0.6 | ||
Fire Suppression Equipment
ANSER owns one fixed fire suppression system. Since this system uses water, there are no GHG emissions to report.
Scope 2: Indirect Emissions
Emissions from Purchased Electricity
For ANSER Headquarters, we collected utility invoices for October 2022 to September 2023. For our other facilities, the utilities are included in the base rent and are not invoiced separately. We are reporting Scope 2 emissions for ANSER Headquarters only.
To calculate our emissions, we used the EPA’s Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator, which uses both the location- and market-based methods to quantify Scope 2 emissions. We used the 2021 Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) SRVC (SERC Virginia/Carolina) subregion. Since we do not have any market-based emission factors, the Calculator used the eGRID SRVC subregion emission factors, making the emissions calculated using the market-based method the same as the emissions calculated with the location-based method. See Table 3 for our Scope 2 purchased electricity data and emissions.
Table 3. Scope 2 Purchased Electricity Data and Emissions
|
Purchased Electricity (kWh) |
GHG |
Emissions Factor (lb/kWh) |
Emissions (lb) |
Global Warming Potential (GWP) |
Emissions (mtCO2-e) |
| 91,896 | CO2 | 639.7 | 58,785.6 | 1 | 26.66 |
| CH4 | 0.052 | 4.8 | 25 | 0.054 | |
| N2O | 0.007 | 0.6 | 298 | 0.087 | |
| Total Scope 2 Emissions (Headquarters only) | 26.8 | ||||
Reducing our GHG emissions
Figure 1. New ANSER Headquarters. Photo Credit: Clark Construction.
New ANSER Headquarters
In 2024, ANSER Headquarters will move from Falls Church to Arlington, VA, which will decrease our corporate footprint by 37%. Our new facility is in a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building. See Figure 1. The materials used, installed, and generated in the construction of our new Headquarters comply with 2017 DC Green Construction Code and current applicable codes for green construction compliance (IGCC).
Our new Headquarters is within walking distance of the Ballston Metro station. ANSER offers a mass transit benefit, and for employees with electric vehicles, our new location has a public Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations with 8 EVSE Ports.
Sources
Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG). “Explore Green Buildings.” GBIG. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.gbig.org/
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations.” DOE. Accessed November 24, 2023. https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html#/station/167046
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Center for Corporate Climate Leadership. "Emission Factors for Greenhouse Gas Inventories." EPA. Last modified September 12, 2023. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-03/ghg_emission_factors_hub.pdf
U.S. EPA. “Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator.” EPA. Last modified June 6, 2023. https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/simplified-ghg-emissions-calculator
World Resources Institute (WRI). GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance: An Amendment to the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. Washington, DC: WRI, 2015. https://ghgprotocol.org/scope-2-guidance
WRI and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, Revised edition. Conches-Geneva and Washington, DC: WRI and WBCSD, 2004. https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/2022-12/Categorizing%20GHG%20Emissions%20from%20Leased%20Assets.pdf