Golf Environment Organisation has confirmed that our course is taking in 82 tCO2e every year, equivalent to flying to Hong Kong 23 times! We are working with the Woodland Trust to increase the amount of carbon taken in every year throughout the plantation process throughout the facility and reviewing the areas in play.
Sustainability
Golf is part of the solution
About Commitments
For the last decade, Abbey Hill part of the BGL Group has been a leader in sustainable golf and climate action and will continue to strive towards a greener future.
Our commitments are aligned to the Sustainable Golf Themes, Action Areas, OnCourse® tracking, Annual Scorecards and 5 yearly Certification provided by GEO Foundation (Golf Environmental Organisation) for Sustainable Golf.
Our 7 Commitments
1. Planning, Policies and Procurement
2. Staff and Golfer Engagement
3. Taking Climate Action
4. Conserving Resources
5. Fostering Nature
6. Strengthening Communities
7. Tracking and Reporting
Planning, Policies and Procurement
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Staff and Golfer Engagement
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Staff and Golfer Engagement
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Conserving Resources
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Fostering Nature
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Strengthening Communities
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Tracking and Reporting
Engage staff and customers to foster their understanding, support, action and pride.
Engaging with our staff and patrons to encourage actions and suggestions to help improve our sustainability, and create a team spirit.
To use facilities management to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and implement decisions that include consideration to embedded carbon, sustainability impacts of projects, and the environmental commitments of contractors.
Where possible, influencing our patrons to help reduce environmental impacts created.
Our Course &
Natural Environment
Our courses fall within an Area of Outstanding Beauty and in June 2014 a Phase 1 Habitat Survey was conducted and mapped the various habitats identified across the site.
The survey emphasized the importance of the site due to its location and proximity to the Berks Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BB&O WT) located to the North West of the course.
GOLF CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Our facility which has 82 tCO2e (82 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) sequestration annually, has additional Natural Capital Value benefits including improving air quality, water quality, reducing air temperatures and enhancing local flood resilience in an urban landscape.
Electric Greens Mower
Electric greens mowers may be more expensive than Diesel or Hybrid however we know the benefits to the environment out weigh the cost, here’s just a few:
We are substituting diesel for zero carbon electricity – reducing operational emissions and contributing to cost savings
No hydraulic fluid which is harmful to the local habitat when absorbed into the ground
Utilise all-electric components for traction, steering, lift and cutting – enhancing cutting performance
Much quieter (for operators and neighbours)
Our Achievements
In early 2023, we undertook and energy audit highlighting the potential to reduce our consumption by over 35,000 kwh/year (approximately 12 tCO2/year), which we are now in the process of implementing the recommendations of.
Our transition to renewable energy started with an offsite Certified Renewable Energy supply that has reduced our emissions by over 51 tCO2e per year, a reduction equivalent to flying 15 times from London to Hong Kong, and 150,000 kms in a car!
Energy
Ultimately our goal is to be taking in more energy than we are emitting. Which we will calculate through our measurement and calculations of scopes 1 and 2 detailed below.
In the short term we are reviewing the potential for the installation of solar PV and the transition to a Certified Green Gas supply to further reduce consumption and emissions
5995
miles
35,000 kWh/year saved = 15 London-Hong Kong flights, emitting 3.5 tCO2e each.
93000
miles
35,000 kWh/year saved = 15 London-Hong Kong flights, emitting 3.5 tCO2e each.
Water
In 2021 we invested £350,000 to build this 12,000 meter cubed reservoir to enable us to irrigate our courses through renewable sources.
As we experience hotter, drier summers, to have the ability to irrigate our courses through sustainable sources and reduce the demands on water companies when water is needed elsewhere is extremely important to us.
Following a water resilience review started 10 years ago, water availability for turf irrigation was highlighted as a risk to our future operations. To mitigate the risk we have implemented a programme to source sustainable water and create onsite storage to avoid demand conflict with water suppliers and our community especially in times of drought.
Waste
In 2021 we invested £350,000 to build this 12,000 meter cubed reservoir to enable us to irrigate our courses through renewable sources.
As we experience hotter, drier summers, to have the ability to irrigate our courses through sustainable sources and reduce the demands on water companies when water is needed elsewhere is extremely important to us.
We work closely with our licensed waste contractors to responsibly store and dispose of hazardous materials, minimising environmental impacts and taking responsibility for the final destination.
The wider benefit of our facility contributes to varies environmental factors including: improved air and water quality, reduced urban air temperatures in heatwaves, reduced surface water runoff in heavy rainfall events, a range of managed habitats hosting a variety of protected and more common species, as well as managed footpaths allowing the public and golfers to enjoy the breath-taking scenery.
Pollution Prevention
We ensure hazardous materials are stored in bunded containers, and dispensed on a closed loop wash pad (featured in the image), containing any spills and using recycled water to wash equipment, preventing any of the cleaning materials being absorbed into the ground effecting the local habitat.
Our Carbon Summary
How is this measured?
Understanding of scopes 1, 2 and 3 will enable us to quantify our carbon taken in by the natural environment compared to what we are emitting.
Scope 1 Emissons
Scope 1 looks at fuels burnt on site, including Gas, Petrol & Diesel from owned vehicles.
Scope 2 Emissions
Understanding of scopes 1, 2 and 3 will enable us to quantify our carbon taken in by the natural environment compared to what we are emitting.
Add On’s
Scope 3 includes everything else, including:
- Supply chain – everything purchased creates emissions in manufacture, delivery, disposal
- Vehicle journeys by vehicles not owned by BGL including commuting, Customer Travel to site, AC units coolant gases escaping
- Delivery or disposal of BGL’s retail sales
Carbon Sequestration
We are on a journey to achieve net zero, as part of the process we are measuring or Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, and reviewing the carbon dioxide taken in by the land and habitats we manage.
Our Journey:
2015
Joined GEO
2018
Recertified as GEO accredited
2018
100% renewable electricity contract
2021
Recertified as GEO accredited
2022
LED’s installed
2023
New electric greens mower