We define "total energy" as the consumption of energy in our operations – contributing to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions – such as the electricity powering our buildings and data centers, the use of natural gas in our buildings and the fuel used in our corporate cars.
Our energy usage increased as our business grew - but so did our efficiency
In 2011, our total energy usage increased from 2010 levels, moving from 845 gigawatt hours (GWh) to 860 GWh, due to the growth in our business. Specific findings shed light on trends within SAP. For example, while the number of cars in our corporate fleet increased, our fuel consumption did not rise proportionately, indicating that our efficiency standards and incentive programs are working.
While our total electricity consumption stayed consistent, our electricity usage in the office declined significantly in 2011, continuing a trend of the past several years. We achieved a 7% percent reduction in electricity usage in 2009 over 2008; a 9% percent reduction in 2010 over 2009; and a 7% percent reduction in 2011 over 2010. These reductions – which we achieved through energy-efficiency projects focused on lighting, cooling, heating, and other areas - are especially noteworthy given the fact that SAP's business grew during this period.
New software and intelligent buildings: Our focus on innovation
We have continued to invest in a range of projects aimed at reducing total energy usage throughout SAP. In 2011, we began using enhanced facility management software that improved our ability to monitor our energy and carbon in our 350 facilities worldwide. On a quarterly basis, we are now able to analyze a detailed breakdown of our energy usage. For example, we can now easily compare how much energy is used by a building in Asia, with a specific size and heating system, versus one in Brazil. We have also reduced the potential for errors in our data collection and can offer managers in different regions of the world a precise picture of where they can make improvements.
Other projects reflect our focus on innovation. Now that we have completed the initial phase of energy-efficiency projects, we recognize the need to consider new approaches. One example is our evolution toward intelligent buildings, which can be understood by considering our lighting. The first stage in becoming more efficient was changing our light bulbs. Next, we changed our light fixtures, which further enhanced our efficiency. Now we are changing the controls for our lighting, so that each light fixture has an IP address, which allows the building to study our usage patterns. In this way, the building can begin automatically managing our lighting, further enhancing our efficiency.
Other efforts in 2011 included:
- Achieving LEED certification for a new building in St. Ingbert, Germany; LEED Gold certification for the SAP Labs Latin America location in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil; and LEED Platinum certification for our office near Milan, Italy, and taking occupancy of a highly energy-efficient building in Singapore.
- Piloting the implementation of the ISO 14001 standard in Italy, Israel, Bulgaria and Markdorf, Germany. This standard is important to a number of our external stakeholders, and brings important internal benefits, as it establishes a systematic framework for our programs.
Addressing challenges in 2012
We recognize several areas that need improvement. Our company car fleet increased in 2011 and will most likely continue to grow in 2012, as did our fuel consumption, underscoring the need to address more sustainable mobility options for our employees. In addition to our introduction of electric vehicles into our car fleet, we are considering other approaches, such as attractive solutions for car sharing, expanded use of public transportation, or greater flexibility to work from home.
We also see further opportunities to improve our data center efficiency. We have a four-pronged strategy to enhance our approach to green IT. Beyond addressing our own data centers, we are focusing on the design of our software products, identifying new efficiencies for our customers, and working with the broader IT community on new approaches. (For more details, see data center energy)
For more information on our environmental data, see our explanatory notes.
