Energy and Environmental Management

Energy and Environmental Management

 Energy

In terms of energy use, our primary energy sources are externally purchased electricity and company cars (gasoline). We have implemented ISO standards to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve energy management practices, aiming to optimize energy utilization and achieve tangible energy-saving outcomes. In 2023, our per capita electricity consumption was 4.33 (GJ/person), marking a 5.45% reduction from the baseline of 4.58 (GJ/person); and gasoline consumption per capita was 2.58 (GJ/person), showing a decrease of approximately 15.27% from the baseline of 3.045 (GJ/person). These reductions demonstrate the ongoing positive impact of our energy-saving initiatives. We will continue to monitor various energy consumption metrics and performance indicators, compiling annual performance statistics. By analyzing trends over the years, we aim to enhance operational energy efficiency. These results will guide the formulation of relevant policies and serve as a reference for setting carbon reduction and energy-saving goals, thereby progressively realizing our vision for low-carbon development.

Energy usage
Scope boundary Energy type Unit 2021 2022 2023  Scale of increase/ decrease comparing
with the reference value (%) (Note 3)
Headquarters/ Operations Office Externally purchased electricity (non-renewable energy) kWh 97,142 155,582.7 158,794.0 -
Gigajoule(GJ) 349.71 560.10 571.65
Electricity consumption per capita (Note 1) GJ/  capita 4.11 5.05 4.33 -5.45%
Company
car		 Petrol l 39,460.39 27,619.50 30,443.5 -
Gigajoule(GJ) 1,286.57 900.51 992.59
Petrol consumption per capita (Note 1) GJ/ capita 3.77 2.32 2.58 -15.27%
  • Note 1:   The conversion factors for energy heating values are referenced from the "Energy Product Heating Value Table" provided by the Energy Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The heating value for electricity and automotive gasoline are 860 Cal/kWh and 7,800 Cal/L, respectively.
  • Note 2:  The baseline is defined as the average usage for the previous two years to reduce potential bias caused by selecting a single data point.
  • Note 3:  The increase in total gasoline usage resulted from the increase in the number of projects in 2023, requiring personnel to travel back and forth between work locations. However, gasoline consumption per capita decreased by 15.27%.

01

Power Consumption
  • Purchase products with a green mark, energy-saving label, and high EER value.
  • Switch off the computer8
  • after finishing work; turn off and unplug the power.
  • Set printers and fax machines to energy-saving mode.
  • Set water dispensers to energy-saving mode.
  • Turn off the lights for an hour during the lunch break.
  • Set the air conditioner temperature at 26°.

02

Lighting
  • Adopt T5 lamps and zone control measures; switch off lights in areas without the need for lighting.
  • During working hours, turn off or partially turn on lights that are not in use or unnecessary.
  • The employee who leaves the office work area last should turn off the lights. Employees who work overtime during holidays are only eligible to turn on the lights in their respective work areas.
  • Review the lighting needs and enhance lighting performance.

03

Air-Conditioning System
  • Set the air-conditioning temperature at 26° to 28° in the office.
  • At 17:30 PM (the end of the workday), turn off the air-conditioning system for the entire area. Employees who need to work overtime should request to turn on the air-conditioning system in their respective work areas.
  • With doors and windows closed, separate the air-conditioned areas from the outside air to reduce cold air leakage or prevent the intrusion of hot air.
  • Install curtains to reduce direct sunlight and minimize the use of the air-conditioning system.

Environmental Management System

To master broader and macro environmental trends, Acter has introduced the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems under multifaceted environmental considerations. Following the PDCA management cycle, Acter has adopted an integrated management approach to ensure consistency between environmental protection goals and implementation strategy, while establishing mechanisms for pollution prevention and improvement. The Q&A and Safety Department, serving as the dedicated management unit, has implemented the “Procedures Governing Environmental Operations Control” across departments. Acter commits to environmental protection in the ESH policy statements, including regularly conducting environmental control planning, supervision procedures, and internal audits at both Acter’s headquarters and selected construction sites, as well as having a third-party certification unit conduct external audits. Apart from committing to environmental protection and sustainable development, Acter also requires suppliers to comply with the same commitment, aspiring for our value chain partners to move towards sustainable development together. Up to 2023, Acter has not recorded any instances of environmental pollution for 9 consecutive years, demonstrating Acter’s efforts.

Environmental Protection Policies
Performance in 2022 2022年作為
Legal Compliance Zero violation and zero penalty Comply with environmental protection and EHS regulations and other requirements, and actively participate in international green environmental protection and zero-disaster activities.
Green Design Environmental protection as the priority Implement green energy-saving engineering techniques, enhance green procurement, and adopt green management practices to fulfill our commitment to environmental protection.
Educational Trainings The completion rate of EHS training for new employees was 100%. Enhance EHS education and training programs for all staff to raise their awareness of energy conservation, resource utilization, and promote the Company's recycling and reutilization policy. The objectives are to cherish the earth's natural resources, ensure labor safety and health, and prevent diseases and workplace hazards.
Sustainable improvements on the energy resources management system Already completed ISO 14064-1:2018 (annual GHG inventory), obtained third-party certifications for ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2018, and conducted semi-annual office CO2 concentration testing. Continue to improve the management system, including ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2018, to enhance energy and resource use efficiency. Identify the Company's major energy consumption areas and improvement opportunities based on a comprehensive energy review. Adopt the PDCA management cycle to strategically reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency, and lower energy expenditure to achieve the energy-saving and carbon reduction targets.



Air Pollution

Acter always promotes and educates on-site personnel about relevant regulations of the Air Pollution Control Act before construction begins, ensuring that our personnel understand the air pollutant emissions standards they must comply with. Regarding inevitable events within legal limits, such as temporary emissions during construction or trial runs that may affect the neighborhood's living quality or cause environmental impacts, Acter always proactively notifies the neighborhood about the emission times and circumstances. Moreover, we prohibit any activities, such as open-sky burning, material transmission, or other operations, that may result in particulate pollutants affecting human health and natural ecology. In the event of a sudden incident leading to a significant emission of air pollutants, the responsible person at the construction site will implement emergency response measures and promptly notify the local competent authority within the legally prescribed timeframe. The relevant control measures are as follows:
 

Content Objectives Approach
Spray paint and solvent Avoid the dispersion of air pollutants and their impact on human health and the ecological environment - Indoor operations are allowed only within a space with control equipment.
- Operations must not be carried out when the weather is bad
- It is a must to set up ventilation and washing equipment
Vehicle transportation and cleaning Avoid dust flying and falling, which can affect the air quality
  • - All vehicles and machines must pass the car wash pool and be washed with water pipes before leaving the work area.
  • - Upon completion of loading, the bucket must be tightly covered.
  • - When driving in or through the construction site, it is a must to abide by the rules of the construction site and follow the commands of the person in charge.
 

Noises

 

Construction noise management is an important aspect of environmental safety. To maintain the health and safety of personnel and ensure construction quality, Acter prioritizes the use of low-noise construction machinery, equipment, vehicles, and instruments. In case of receiving complaints from the neighborhood about noise pollution caused by scheduled construction, Acter responds promptly and provides the complainant with an official report on the action plan or results. Additionally, all complaints are summarized and reviewed by the project manager for continuous tracking and inspection. Other measures for noise pollution prevention and control are as follows:
 

-   Adopt low-noise construction machines, equipment, and vehicles as a priority.
  • -   Adjust our construction methods or complete operations that can create significant noise in a prefabricated factory and then transfer them to the site. Where the high-noise issue cannot be eliminated or avoided, it is a must to install sound insulation or adopt anti-vibration measures as required.
  • -   Avoid working during early morning or at night.

 Water Resources Management

Grounded in water resource protection and corporate sustainability, our headquarters autonomously inventories water resources. The water for our headquarters' building is directly supplied by the Taiwan Water Corporation, without using any groundwater or water obtained through other methods. Furthermore, all water is strictly reserved for our employees and visitors, ensuring minimal environmental impact. Wastewater is processed and discharged into rivers and oceans through sewers. To enhance water resource management and achieve reduction goals, we have installed automatic sensing devices on faucets, promote water-saving slogans, and send environmental protection e-newsletters to employees to raise awareness about conserving water resources. In 2023, the total tap water usage at our headquarters increased compared to the baseline due to office expansion and increased floor area. Moving forward, we will continue promoting water conservation policies to achieve per capita reduction targets.

Scope boundary Water consumption Unit 2021年
 2022年 2023年 Scale of increase/ decrease
Headquarter Office Tap water consumption (Note 1) 1,000 l 759 743 831 +10.65%
Water use intensity (Note 2) 1,000 l / Ping 1.37 1.34 1.5 +10.7%
Water consumption per capita 1,000 l / No. of people 8.93 8.16 8.7 +1.8%
  • Note 1: The use of water resources at each construction site is determined based on the respective engineering contract. Water resources may be allocated differently, shared by parallel contractors, or entirely covered by the customer. Due to the complexity of these arrangements, the water resources consumption for each construction site is not disclosed
  • Note 2: Water consumption, water use intensity, and water consumption per capita are calculated based on the water bills issued by Taiwan Water Corporation, the surface area of the headquarters (Unit: Ping), and the number of employees working at the headquarters.
  • Note 3: The reference value represents the average usage of the previous two years. The adoption of an average value aims to prevent errors that may arise from relying on a single data point.

 Nature and Biodiversity

In recent years, “loss of biodiversity” has gradually become a concern for stakeholders. None of Acter’s operational sites around the world are located within environmentally protected areas, biologically diverse areas, restored habitats, or natural forest lands that contain any precious plants, renowned trees, or endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List or national conservation lists. Simultaneously, Acter conducts environmental impact assessments in accordance with local regulations to prevent our operational activities from adversely affecting biodiversity conservation. We adopt eco-friendly techniques to proactively minimize pollution. Through continuous improvement of our practices and services, we promote natural and biodiversity conservation approaches to mitigate the ecological impact of our operations. Within our enterprise, we engage with value chain partners and operational sites to prevent excessive deforestation, aiming to continually avoid and mitigate impacts and proactively contribute to global conservation goals.