British Consulate in San Francisco Develops Strategic Sustainability Plan

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 26, 2010 — The British Consulate-General – San Francisco’s (BCGSF) leadership is dedicated to exploring ways to improve its sustainability performance. The strategic sustainability vision of the BCGSF is set to lead the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) by example utilizing industry best practices to become the first “carbon neutral” British Consulate by June 2011. With the help of Verdafero Inc. (https://www.verdafero.com/), the San Francisco office developed a comprehensive sustainability plan with projects divided into 3 timeframes: those completed to date, those for near-term consideration and those that are long-term. The Verdafero team provided independent audit and analytical data that benefited the sustainability committee.

“It was very valuable to have an independent evaluation and systematic audit of our energy usage and carbon footprint. The report confirmed some opportunities for cost savings and reducing our carbon footprint. We now have the data and the business analysis to improve our level of sustainability and lower our carbon footprint. Data, and the insights we gained from it, now directly drive our sustainability initiatives,” said Julian Evans, British Consul General.

“The British Consulate is a leader in sustainable business practices for organizations in an office setting. They are on track to reduce energy use and air travel targets well below the FCO draft goals. Key metrics for the BCGSF to track include air miles both long-haul and short-haul, electrical energy consumption as determined by annually sub-metering the office, and waste stream diversion,” said Verdafero CEO Merc Martinelli.