Carp, S; (2007) BS EN ISO 14001: 2004: A critical review. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This report reviews BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 to assess its use in making offices more energy efficient and generally more sustainable. It uses the implementation of the standard into the architects' practice, Aukett Fitzroy Robinson, as a case study as well as interviews with accredited assessors and other organisations who have been certified. ISO 14001: 2004 is an international standard detailing how to set up an environmental management system, BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 being the UK ratified version. It is possible but not necessary to be independently certified. Any body can provide certification but there are accredited certifiers, accredited for specific organization types and in specific countries. Existing UK accreditation certificates are available on the UKAS website. Architecture is covered under the 'construction' type. To qualify for certification, an organisation needs to have: an environmental policy, a register of environmental aspects, a register of applicable legal requirements, a list of objectives and targets and a framework for implementing, monitoring, reviewing, correcting and updating the above under the responsibility of a senior manager. There is limited guidance in the standard about setting the aspects and extensive knowledge of environmental issues is needed to determine them. To quantify significant aspects in relation to the casestudy's office activities, an audit was carried out. The intention is to carry out this audit annually. The results of the first audit for building energy, water and waste were all higher than typical and some excessively. Table 2 at the end of Part 4 used the information from the audit to set objectives and targets for each one and identifies how these are to be monitored and measured to indicate improvement. The targets are set deliberately low for the first year so that resources can be spent on assisting and improving implementation across the office. The next step is to appoint the accredited auditor and carry out a gap analysis with the intention of going for full certification in the new year, 2008. The standard does offer a comprehensive system, with the exception of social sustainability issues, but suffers from being so generic that it requires expert help to implement for those with little environmental knowledge. A certified system, supported by an accredited auditor, should give clients confidence that an organisation is doing its best to improve environmental impacts but this would depend on the competence of the auditor to both advise on implementation and monitor that it is being carried out. Finally, the current low cost of carbon trading could affect take up. Currently it would be cheaper to pay to offset all AFR's carbon emissions than implement the system. This should sort itself out in time as the price of carbon trading reaches a more meaningful level. For the standard to be easily used by small businesses, there needs to be country and organisation type specific information for all the managed elements of the standard available in a recognised location at low or no cost.

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