ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT 2017
This report is an update of data corresponding to the period January – December 2017 Based on Regulation 1221/2009 and Regulation 2017/1505
In 2009, CosmoCaixa , the Science Museum of the "la Caixa" Foundation, underscored its engagement with environmental protection by certifying its Environmental Management System (EMS), adopted in line with the ISO14001 standard and the European EMAS III regulation. Aware how important it is to protect the environment, CosmoCaixa management decided to go one step further and made a commitment to continuous improvement towards sustainable development. In this context, the EMS provides us with an effective environmental self-assessment tool which will ensure this continuous improvement through the undertaking and motivation of everyone involved in the institution, from visitors and users to staff and suppliers. The EMS enables us to assess the environmental impacts associated with our activity, and awareness of these impacts helps us conduct a process of continued improvement in our day-to-day work. Our goal is to minimise these impacts and establish self-control mechanisms that guarantee the smooth operation of the system’s entire structure.
Page 2 of 32 Contents
Our environment and energy policy 4
Activity at the Museum 5 The Environmental Management System 6 Compliance with environmental regulations 7 Stakeholder training and awareness -raising 9
Identification and evaluation of significant environmental aspects 11
Environmental programme 12 Environmental impact indicators 16 Water management 16 Energy management 21 Renewable energies 23 Energy efficiency 23 Generation of waste 24 Atmospheric emissions 26 Wastewater disposal 28 Noise 29 Consumption of materials 29 Biodiversity 30 Emergency situations 30 Table of indicators 31 Next validation 32
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Our environment and energy policy
At CosmoCaixa Barcelona, the Science Museum of the ”la Caixa” Foundation, we base our actions on a strategic Lluís Noguera plan consistent with our Corporate Social Responsibility policy. Protecting the environment, preventing climate May 2016 change and meeting the need for policies aimed at environmental conservation are essential aspects of this strategy.
The Museum is therefore pleased to announce that we have introduced an Environmental and Energy Management System. With this initiative we have made a commitment to work with the utmost respect for our surroundings, devoting particular care and sensitivity towards protecting the environment. Aware of the importance of this issue, we will meet the challenge of the future and undertake to:
- Adapt the Museum’s Environmental and Energy Management to our current reality and organisational culture by implementing the procedures required to ensure the continued improvement of our environmental and energy performance. - Adopt the measures necessary to guarantee compliance with all environmental protection regulations and those related to energy use, consumption and efficiency, as applicable to the Museum's work (at local but also regional, state and European levels). This includes all conventions and/or agreements entered into by the Foundation through CosmoCaixa Barcelona. - Define and regularly review the goals and milestones established to comply with our environment and energy policy. - Train, engage and raise the awareness of each worker, actively involving them in environmental and energy management while passing on our guidelines for the environment and the rational use of energy, energy saving and energy efficiency to our suppliers and subcontractors. - Protect the environment and prevent contamination by promoting the sustainable management of natural resources and efficient use of water and energy, and by encouraging practices that reduce, re- use and recycle waste. - Strengthen energy-saving and optimise energy efficiency in our facilities and activities while proceeding with the acquisition of energy-efficient products, services and equipment. - Encourage communication based on criteria of transparency and informing all stakeholders (employees, clients, suppliers, subcontractors, institutions, etc.) in order to familiarise them with our environment and energy policy and to develop cooperative relations with them.
Through CosmoCaixa Barcelona, at ”la Caixa” Foundation our aim is to help improve the environment and prevent climate change, for the benefit and enjoyment of the whole of society.
OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST: Name: COSMOCAIXA Barcelona Address: Isaac Newton 26 – 08022 - Barcelona Telephone / Fax: 93 212 60 50 / 93 253 74 73 NIF: G-58899998 (”la Caixa” Banking Foundation) E-mail: [email protected] Web: https://obrasocial.lacaixa.es CCAE 09: 9102 – Museum activities NACE 09: 9102 - Museum activities EMAS Register: ES-CAT-000312 Person responsible for the environmental management system: Lluís Noguera (Director)
Page 4 of 32 Activity at the
Museum
CosmoCaixa, the Science Museum of ”la Caixa” Foundation, opened its doors on 25 September 2004. The Museum was created by refurbishing and expanding the building that had been home to Spain’s first Interactive Science Museum, inaugurated in 1981. This expansion enabled the space devoted to science to be increased from 8,100 m 2 to its current total of 33,700 m 2. CosmoCaixa presents a permanent museum offering that features fragments of reality: experiments, objects, animals and plants, and so on. The temporary exhibitions address the burning topics of the day as well as subjects of a more general, social nature. A programme which includes guided tours, lecture series, debates and other activities is specifically designed for each exhibition. These are intended to be enjoyed by young and old alike. There are family activities in Touch Touch!, and activities for children in the Bubble Planetarium, Clik, Creactivity, Top Science and the Antarctic Base. The Digital Planetarium offers a presentation that appeals to people of all ages, and in 2012 was equipped with the latest 3D stereo technology, the most modern and state-of-the-art, not just in Europe but worldwide. The Museum produces its own extensive programme of educational activities and scientific dissemination that reaches out to all audiences and includes courses, lectures, symposiums, workshops and so on, while also hosting events organised in collaboration with other institutions. The full programme of activities can be viewed on our website. CosmoCaixa is an open door to the world of science for all those who have a longing to know and to understand, and who never cease to wonder about the whys and wherefores of things.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION ED FOREST In 2006, CosmoCaixa was distinguished with the European Museum of the An exact replica of flooded forest from the Brazilian Amazon jungle Year Award by the European Museum Forum, under the auspices of the covering an area of more than 1,000 m 2, where it is possible to see not Council of Europe, “for its innovative spirit, creativity and beauty”. only the part which is flooded but also its relationship with dry land, CosmoCaixa stands out as one of the most modern centres of scientific including underground and aerial views and complete with flora and fauna dissemination in Europe. native to the zone. The Science Museum team travelled specifically to the Moreover, in 2016 CosmoCaixa also won the Club EMAS Award for the best state of Pará, in Brazil, to make moulds and faithful reproductions of its Environmental Statement. huge trees. Up to 100 indigenous species of vegetation are on display, in addition to caimans, capybaras, land birds, anacondas, leaf-cutter ants, poisonous frogs and so on. The
Page 5 of 32 Environmental Management System
CosmoCaixa’s Environmental Management System (EMS) is based on ISO 14001 and the European regulation EMAS III, which allows companies to voluntarily adhere to an EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The scope of the EMS includes “management of the museum activity and management and maintenance of the facilities”. This involves a system of continuous improvement implemented in the overall operation of CosmoCaixa. Consequently, routine analysis is carried out based on our environment policy and examining environmental aspects related to the Museum’s activity (consumptions of energy, water, paper, chemical products, etc.) and to its visitors, users and suppliers, and goals are set with a view to reducing the impact of our activity. Regular monitoring is conducted to safeguard the proper functioning of the system. The person responsible for environmental issues is Lluís Noguera, CosmoCaixa’s Director. Additionally, an Environment Committee has been created made up of Heads of Department and coordinated by Gaston Mercader, which meets regularly to address matters related to the Museum’s environmental performance. CosmoCaixa can call upon its own staff to carry out all of the Museum’s management and administrative functions, and on outsourced service providers to maintain and clean the facilities, conduct certain activities and manage ticket sales, among other tasks.
Responsibilities related to the Environmental Management System are summarised in the following organisation chart:
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Compliance with environmental regulations
The Museum constantly monitors applicable environmental legislation to guarantee its compliance. Additionally, it regularly assesses all legal requirements to which it is subjected and updates procedures accordingly.
Several regulations applicable to the activity of CosmoCaixa were published during 2017. These have been added to the list and the actions necessary to implement them have been taken.
All relevant regulations published in 2017:
Royal Decree 513/2017, of 22 May, approving the Regulation for fire protection facilities. Law 16/2017, of 1 August, on climate change (pending approval of the implementing decree). Royal Decree 773/2017, of 28 July, amending various royal decrees on industrial products and emissions (not directly applicable). Royal Decree 115/2017, of 17 February, regulating the marketing and handling of fluorinated gases and equipment based on them, as well as the certification of the professionals who use them and laying down the technical requirements for Installations which carry out activities that emit fluorinated gases. Order FOM/588/2017 of 15 June, modifying the core document on energy saving (DB-HE) and the core document on health (DB-HS) from the Spanish Building Code (CTE) approved by Royal Decree 314/2006 of 17 March. Royal Decree 564/2017, of 2 June, amending Royal Decree 235/2013, of 5 April, approving the basic procedure to certify the energy performance of buildings. European Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1505 of 28 August amending Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EC) Nº 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). Decree 152/2017, of 17 October, on the classification, codification and management of waste in Catalonia. Royal Decree 20/2017, of 20 January, on end-of-life vehicles.
The Museum has a contract with the engineering company COMSA to ensure compliance with the maintenance and inspection requirements of its facilities. This company conducts all necessary maintenance activities, including compulsory inspections and such preventive maintenance as is considered necessary to preserve the Museum facilities at their best possible level.
The initiation of periodical reviews required for our three environmental licences (Museum, car park and restaurant) was set for 2015. However, with the publication of Law 20/2009 on Environmental Prevention and Control of Activities, the Museum and its car park are now classified under Annex II.2 and the review of their activities is therefore scheduled for 2019 (and updated in the Register of Legal Requirements).
Review of the licence for the restaurant, which falls within the scope of Decree 112/2010 (approving the Regulation of Public Entertainment and Leisure Activities), was carried out on 27/10/2014 with a negative result. Measures required to address the deficiencies were taken and the control body finally issued a favourable report in April 2016.
The actions taken in 2017 are shown in the table below.
Compulsory technical inspections :
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Action Condition 19/06/2017 Compulsory inspection of the high-voltage installation (requirement: every three years) 19/05/2014 Compulsory inspection of the low-voltage installation (requirement: every five years) 12/01/2017 Thermal Installations in Buildings Regulation (RITE) annual (requirement: annually, through maintenance certificate Veolia) 28/10/2017 Air Conditioning units have been Registration of new air conditioning units (ITE) replaced, resolving the deficiency detected in the ITE conducted in 2015 14/11/2017 (requirement: every 3, 6 and 12 Compulsory inspection of pressure equipment years) (levels A, B and C) Inspection dates are monitored through the R-LEG-01_01 format 23/06/2016 Compulsory inspection of lifting appliances (requirement: every two years) 18/06/2014 Compulsory inspection of diesel tank (requirement: every 10 years) 25/02/2015 Inspection of natural gas installation (requirement: every five years)
Restaurant (annex III): periodic review on 27/10/2014 (negative Periodic reviews of environmental licences result). Deficiencies were corrected and a favourable report issued in 04/2016 14/11/2017 Compulsory disinfection against Legionnaires' disease (requirement: every year)
In addition to these measures, inspections are also made of the lightning conductor, air compressor and lifelines.
Preventive maintenance operations programmed internally to optimise the condition of equipment and installations:
• Preventive maintenance of low-voltage installation. • Preventive maintenance of air conditioning equipment. • Six-monthly preventive maintenance of diesel generators. • Monitoring programme for the presence of Legionnaires' disease
Besides these operations, preventive maintenance is also carried out on the uninterruptible power sources (UPS), automatic doors, water softeners, and reverse osmosis and compressed air equipment.
The Self-Protection Plan (SPP) dating from 2011 was revised and updated and registered on the HERMES platform on 19 February 2016, with notification of its approval being received on 14 September 2016. Training with the SPP is conducted annually.
The last SPP emergency drill was carried out on 18 September 2017, with a simulated bomb-threat involving full evacuation. A report of the drill was drawn up containing detailed conclusions.
CosmoCaixa currently has a contract with an authorised company for the maintenance of fire protection
Page 8 of 32 systems and equipment.
The Museum has an assigned waste producer code for matters regarding waste management, an area which is managed through an authorised external company (CESPA). CosmoCaixa is exempt from submission of a minimisation of hazardous waste study, as it annually produces fewer than 10 tons of hazardous waste.
As regards legislation concerning the use of animals, their welfare and documentation is the subject of a contract between the Museum and an outsourced company. CosmoCaixa is the holder of Animal Welfare Certificate B-2500510. It also possesses all necessary documentation relating to the corresponding animals: veterinary records, animal transfer documents, permits to keep, exhibit and capture animals, civil liability insurance policy, and so on.
Stakeholder training and awareness-raising
Staff training and awareness-raising
Museum staff training and environmental awareness is key to the success of the environmental management system, and CosmoCaixa carries out various actions with its employees to ensure the effectiveness of its EMS. All training activities that had been planned were carried out in 2017, as well as those programmed for new recruits. The CosmoCaixa Environmental Statement is available to all stakeholders through the ”la Caixa” Banking Foundation website. The practice of regularly sending emails (bimonthly or half-yearly, as required) was maintained in 2017, aimed at informing employees and raising their awareness and engagement with regard to the CosmoCaixa environmental management system. These messages contain clear, comprehensible information about the Museum’s environmental performance.
Raising public awareness
Raising public environmental awareness is essential for CosmoCaixa. Consequently, of particular relevance in this
respect is the Museum’s permanent exhibition, which offers the possibility to take a captivating journey tracing the evolution of matter and life on our planet through experiments, real exhibits and living beings. The culmination of this exhibition is the Flooded Forest, an area of Amazonian jungle covering some 1,000 m 2 which enables visitors to observe the animals and plants that live in the rainforest and allows them to better appreciate the complexity and fragility of natural ecosystems.
Page 9 of 32 Among the awareness-raising activities carried out in 2017 we would highlight the following:
Visitor Awareness The environment and energy policy approved by the Museum’s current management is available at the reception desk for the information of all visitors. The environmental policy is also posted on the Museum website, together with environmental statements from 2009 to 2016. Sapiens. Understand to create Talking Brains Top Science Eat the museum up La Laia festival (Saint Eulalia) Easter at CosmoCaixa Explore Science in family (Creactivity, Clik, Bubble Planetarium, Touch-Touch) Various laboratories Museum nights Superweekend Summer at CosmoCaixa Cosmo film nights Digital Planetarium Tyrannosaurus rex A Mercè with ingenuity Youth night Science Week FICMA (International Environmental Film Festival) Christmas at CosmoCaixa Activity: the urban garden Activity: Tuga’s garden
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Identification and evaluation of significant environmental aspects
Every year CosmoCaixa identifies all environmental aspects directly related to its own activity and to that of third parties which affect the life of the centre. An annual evaluation is carried out to determine which of these are significant and thus enable action to be taken to reduce their impact.
The system of evaluating environmental aspects was modified in 2016, and at the same time the perspective of life-cycle analysis was introduced, a new requirement of the ISO 14001:2015 standard.
This new mathematical method is based upon three parameters: nature, scale and environmental impacts of the activities, products and services in normal, abnormal and emergency situations. The environmental aspects evaluated as significant in 2017 and for which action plans have been set in motion are the following:
Environmental Type Action plan aspect Water consumption from Increased consumption due to external climatic watering the N/D (*) factors. Mediterranean Garden Monitoring of paper consumption is conducted through paper purchases, which are centralised. Paper consumption (non- N/D (*) recycled) Nonetheless, CosmoCaixa will continue to encourage the use of recycled paper. (*) Normal/Direct
The Museum conducts regular controls over significant environmental aspects, monitoring the consumption of natural resources and of materials employed in maintaining and cleaning its facilities, as well as the general waste produced both by internal employees and outsourced companies. CosmoCaixa strives unceasingly to ensure that everyone is aware of the environmental impact of these elements. Efforts continued throughout 2017 for each significant environmental aspect to have an associated goal or action plan, which would then enable us to reduce its significance. CosmoCaixa has all the means of control and inspection necessary over the remaining, less significant, aspects and has not therefore considered setting any goal related to them.
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Environmental Programme
An Environmental Programme for CosmoCaixa Barcelona was drawn up in the first quarter of 2017. The monitoring of this Programme throughout the year is presented below.
GOAL1: Reduction in overall electricity consumption bywith 3% respect to the baseline (see ISO 50001)
Indicator (kWh/year) Reference Goal Nº 1 Milestones Target value Achieved Comments value (–3% with respect value (baseline) to the baseline) Total consumption in 2017 was 8,056,168 kWh/year, which represents a 5.76% reduction 1.1 Conclusion of project to replace 3 Reduction in with respect to 2016 consumption; and 9.85% current Cooling Units with more overall electricity with respect to the baseline. efficient models consumption by Lighting in the cafeteria, dressing rooms and a 1.2 Optimisation of the building cooling 8,936,101 8,668,018 8,056,168 3% with respect to good deal of floor -2 has been replaced with system operating timetable the baseline (see LEDs. 1.3 Gradual replacement of lighting with ISO 50001) Management is studying the project for LEDs installation of a photovoltaic system, which has been carried forward to future years.
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GOAL2: Reduction in overall water consumption by 13.05%th respectwi to 2016 (return to 2014 values)
Indicator (m 3/year) Goal Nº 2 Milestones Reference Target Achieved Comments value (2016) value value Work is ongoing to identify building-related water consumptions with a view to finding areas for improvement. The meters have now been installed on the general water main and consumption data has been available for use as from May 2017. Analysis conducted on metered consumption at 1.1 Identification of building-related the close of 2017: consumptions to detect possible December 2017 opportunities for improvement. Reduction in When compared with the data of the general 1.2 Strengthening of the monitoring and overall water meter : control of water consumption and consumption by 2015: 30,711 m 3 possible incidents. 13.05% with 25,612 22,670 27,248 2016: 25,612 m 3 1.3 Installation of new meters in the respect to 2016 general water main. 2017: 27,248 m 3 (return to 2014 1.4 Definition of new monitoring values) indicators (operational control) and With respect to 2016, overall water consumption monitoring of the general water has increased by 6.39% through the general meter, main. and by 14.35% for the building total, which includes consumption by the toilets. This increase is due to the growth in Museum visitor numbers, which have risen by 16.82%. This represents an increase of 29.19% with respect to the target value (22,670); thus , the goal has not yet been entirely achieved and remains pending for 2018.
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GOAL3: Adaptation of the current system to the new regulatory requirements
Indicator (yes/no) Goal Nº 3 Milestones Reference Target Achieved Comments value value value 1.1 Definition of the processes; identification 100% of the goal achieved. The audit was of the internal and external context; successfully passed, and we now have the ISO Achieve identification of risks and opportunities 14001:2015 certificate. certification (SWOT). NO YES YES under the new 1.2 Identification of the stakeholders and ISO 14001:2015 their needs and expectations. 1.3 Pass the certification audit.
GOAL4: Increase biodiversity in the surroundings of CosmoCaixa
Indicator (yes/no) Goal Nº 4 Milestones Reference Target Achieved Comments value value value 75% of the goal achieved: Increase - The urban kitchen garden has been Installation of a green wall. biodiversity in installed and is hosting activities. Installation of an urban kitchen garden. NO YES YES the surroundings - An insectarium project has been defined Definition of an insectarium project. of CosmoCaixa and is pending for 2018. As at the close of 2017, the green wall is pending.
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Improvement actions Responsible Resources Costs Start date Expected date of execution Real date of execution 1.1. Improvement of selective waste collection from the cafeteria Facility Manager – Environmental Own --- June 2016 December 2016 Concluded June 16 Coordinator December 16 Waste collection process in the
Monitoring • May 2014: Proposal made to Environmental Committee that selective waste collection should be introduced in the cafeteria . Mònica Rico says that she will look for elements with the appropriate design for selective collection that do not clash with the Modernist building. • In 2015, Cristina Smandia occupies the place of Mònica Rico as person responsible for activities and this point is postponed until 2015. • March 2015: During the Environment and Energy Committee meeting, José Luis Alba from EMTE undertakes to find elements for selective collection. • June 2015: No action taken to date. • December 2015: The action is maintained for 2016 (03/2016). • December 2016: Pending conclusion of works in the cafeteria. • December 2017 : Selective waste collection has now been introduced in the cafeteria, and this improvement action is therefore considered concluded.
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Environmental
impact indicators
CosmoCaixa regularly monitors the most significant environmental aspects of its activity, employing indicators that provide information which enables comparisons to be made between different periods of time. These environmental indicators are calculated on the basis of numbers of visitors, employees, meals served in the restaurant and square metres occupied. The evolution of these indicators up to 2017was the following:
Historical average Variation with Variation with 2014 2015 2016 2017 (2015-2017) 2016 historical average Number of visitors 739,656 733,778 757,245.0 884,636 791,886.3 16.82% 11.71% Number of meals 50,496 55,426 78,578.0 104,158 83,671 32.55% 24.49% Number of employees 136 136 136 136 136 ------
The table shows that the number of visitors increased by 16.82% with respect to the previous year, and by 11.71% in comparison to the historical average, while the number of meals served in the restaurant rose by 32.55% with respect to 2016 and 24.49% when compared with the historical average.
This increase in the number of meals served over the figure for 2016 is a consequence of including dishes prepared in the cafeteria, inputs which were not considered in this study until 2017.
The number of employees has remained constant in recent years.
Water management
A. Source of the water
CosmoCaixa’s main supplier of water is the Agbar water distribution company.
Some of the water from the Flooded Forest is also reused to water the Mediterranean Garden.
One general meter and a total of 15 internal meters are used to monitor consumption and detect leaks and other incidents that affect total water usage of the facilities.
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B. Main uses
The main uses of water in CosmoCaixa are:
Museum and office toilets, as well as employees’ changing rooms Restaurant kitchen Flooded Forest (use and maintenance) Watering of garden areas Pond (use and maintenance) Other uses (Museum activities, etc.)
C. Water consumption
Total water consumption in CosmoCaixa in 2017 was 27,248 m 3, the equivalent of some 11 Olympic swimming pools , considering about 2,500 m 3 of water is needed to fill just one. .
The most significant water consumption data are summarised in the following table:
Variation with Variation with the 2015 2016 2017 Historical average (2015-2017) 2016 average
Total consumption m3 30,711 25,612 27,248 27,857 6.39 % –2.19 %
3 Building consumption m 19,749 12,378 14,154 15,427 14.35 % –8.25 % Restaurant consumption m3 1,476 1,511 1,420 1,469 –6.02 % –3.34 % Flooded Forest consumption m3 7,425 9,236 9,162 8,608 –0.80 % 6.44 % Science Plaza consumption m3 2,052 2,482 2,486 2,340 0.16 % 6.24 % Med. Garden consumption m3 9 18 26 18 44.44 % 47.17 % Building consumption per visitor m3/visitor 0.336 0.203 0.017 0.185 –91.41 % –90.60 % Total consumption by area m3/m 2 0.911 0.760 0.813 0.828 7.02 % –1.78 % Restnt. consumption per meal m3/meal 0.266 0.235 0.014 0.172 –94.00 % –91.79 %
As may be observed, in 2017 total water consumption in CosmoCaixa rose by 6.39% with respect to 2016. Part of this increase is linked to the growth in the number of visitors to the Museum.
At CosmoCaixa water from the Flooded Forest is reused to irrigate the Mediterranean Garden. In recent years an average of 3,500 m 3 of water has been recycled annually for this purpose.
Reuse of water to irrigate the Mediterranean Garden 3.820 3.677 3067 Evolution of water reuse to irrigate the Mediterranean Garden, in m3 m3 2015 201 6 2017
Page 17 of 32 The analysis of water consumption by use is as follows:
As may be observed, total water consumption experienced a reduction of 16.60% in 2016 with respect to 2015, but failed to achieve the goal that CosmoCaixa had proposed.
In 2017, work will continue on completing consumption monitoring so that leaks can be identified as soon as possible and excessive water consumption avoided.
Reduced consumption in the building is directly related to the fact that leaks which occurred in 2015 were not repeated in 2016.
Nonetheless, CosmoCaixa expects that more proactive action to reduce such leaks will be possible once full monitoring begins of all water consumptions in the building.
The graph below shows that water consumption in the building increased in 2017 compared to 2016 and thus the goal proposed by CosmoCaixa was not achieved.
All other consumption remained more stable.
In 2017, work was completed on monitoring water consumption in order to quickly identify leaks and avoid wastage.
The monitoring of consumption by sectors is shown in the following table:
19,749 12,378 14,154 0.027 0.023 0.0197
m3 2015 2016 2017 m3 / visitor 2015 2016 2017
The graph shows that water consumption in the building increased by 14.35% in 2017 compared to 2016 and thus the goal proposed by CosmoCaixa was not achieved.
This increase is linked to the growth in the number of visitors to the Museum (up 16.82% with respect to 2016), as water consumption in the building includes the toilets.
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7,425 9,236 9,162
3 m3 m 2015 2016 2017
Water consumption is related to the Flooded Forest’s maintenance and cleaning operations as well as to the number and type of animal species living there. Consequently, in this case the absolute value of annual consumption will continue to be used, though the monthly operational monitoring will be maintained, as it enables possible incidents affecting water consumption to be detected.
Restaurant Evolution of water
consumption in the restaurant in m 3 and 1,476 1,511 1,420 0.266 0.235 of the indicator of 0.166 3 3 m3/meal served m 2015 2016 2017 m / visitor 2015 2016 2017
Water consumption in the restaurant decreased slightly in absolute terms with respect to the two previous years. The m 3/meal-served indicator presents a more significant reduction because in 2017 dishes prepared in the cafeteria were included under this heading and, at the same time, there was a large increase in the number of visitors to the Museum.
Watering of the Plaza Evolution of consumption 2,052 2,482 2,486 watering the Science m3 2015 201 6 2017 Plaza, in m3
In theory, this consumption is directly related to the zone’s climate and, more specifically, its rainfall. Consumption will continue to be monitored to determine its evolution and identify possible opportunities for improvement.
It was discovered in 2017 that consumption under this heading also included water flowing into the Science Plaza pond. In 2018 the two consumptions will be considered separately in order to detect opportunities for improvement.
Page 19 of 32 Med. Garden watering Evolution of consumption for 9 18 26 watering the Med. 3 2015 201 6 2017 3 m Garden, in m
The consumption of water for watering the Mediterranean Garden is related both to the climate as well as to the availability of reused water from the Flooded Forest.
Consequently, the increase with respect to 2016 is not deemed significant within the organisation as a whole.
D. Internal management
Monitoring water consumptions has enabled us to react swiftly to any incident that has been detected.
Three leaks were detected in 2017, which were quickly located and managed, thus avoiding greater consumption of water.
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En ergy consumption
A. Source of the energy
The Nexus distribution company provides CosmoCaixa with its electrical energy, some 95.4% of which comes from renewable sources, according to a report from the Spanish National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC).
This means that for every kWh consumed, emissions amount to 0.02 kg CO 2.
B. Main uses
- Lighting of all spaces in CosmoCaixa: Museum, offices, restaurant, car park, shop, activity halls, etc.
-Lighting of all spaces in CosmoCaixa: Museum, offices, restaurant, car park, shop, activity halls, etc.
Instal·lacions i maquinària existents a CosmoCaixa.
Electricity consumption
Electricity consumption is monitored on a monthly basis by maintenance staff. There are two meters, which have provided the following data:
Restaurant consumption Overall Museum consumption
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In general terms , overall electricity consumption fell during 2017 by 5.76% with respect to the previous year. Thus, the behaviour of energy consumption maintains levels far below those of 2014 and 2015. This is mainly fruit of the investment CosmoCaixa is making into the progressive substitution of old light fittings with more efficient devices (LEDs) and the replacement of air-conditioning units.
Evolution of overall
electricity 0.222 0.199 consumption in MWh 0.211 and of the indicator in 2015 2016 2017 2 2015 2016 2017 MWh/m 2 MWh MWh / m
The following graph shows that electricity consumption of the kitchen fell with respect to the previous year. Furthermore, the indicator of consumption per meal served in the restaurant also presents a reduction. As has already been mentioned, the method of counting meals has changed. The current system is far more accurate and shows a significant increase in the number of meals served in comparison.
Evolution of electricity Evolució del consum consumption in the
elèctric del bar- bar-restaurant, in restaurant en MWh i MWh, and of the de l'indicador en 287.60 285.61 269.21 indicator, in MWh/meal MWh/menú MWhMWh 20142015 20152016 20120167 MWh / menú 2015 2016 2017 MWh / meal
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Fuel consumption
Diesel is solely consumed in abnormal operating conditions to fuel the emergency generators, which are only employed during power cuts or for maintenance tasks of the generators themselves and other equipment. Diesel consumption is regularly monitored by maintenance staff. Consumption in recent years has been the following:
2015 2016 2017 Diesel consumption Litres 2,380 3,030 680
Gas consumption
Natural gas is only used by the restaurant kitchen. CosmoCaixa monitors its consumption through meter readings. The most significant gas consumption data are summarised in the following table:
Historical average Variation with Variation with 2015 2016 2017 (2015-2017) 2016 averag e Consumption m3 4,810 4,972 4,692 4,825 –5.67 % –2.75 %
Consumption per meal served m3/meal 0.867 0.774 0.55 0.73 –28.90 % –24.67 %
The absolute value of gas consumption has reduced with respect to 2016.
The indicator fell because in 2017 other concepts, such as lunch, late lunch, etc., were counted within what we refer to as “meals served”, which substantially increased the overall number of meals and thus lowered the indicator.
Renewable energies
The Museum has no renewable-energy-source installation, but is studying the possibility of installing photovoltaic panels.
Energy efficiency
The overall energy consumption of CosmoCaixa in 2017 was as follows:
Indicator Indicator 2016 MWh/emp. 2017 MWh/emp. Interannual variation Total electricity –5.74 % (MWh) 8,548.12 62.85 8,056.17 59.24
Natural gas (MWh) 67.97 0.50 64.14 0.47 –5.67 % Diesel (MWh) 33.40 0.25 7.50 0.055 –78.00 % TOTAL 8,649.49 63.60 8,127.81f 59.77 –6.02 % Conversion factors used (Source: Spanish Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving, IDAE): Natural Gas: 910 m3 = 12.44 MWh Diesel: 1,181 Litres = 13.02 MWh
Page 23 of 32 Generation of waste
A. Main forms of waste The day-to-day activity at CosmoCaixa generates a remarkable quantity of waste, most of which is non- hazardous:
Ordinary waste Paper and cardboard Packaging (plastic, Tetrabriks, etc.) Glass containers Bulky waste from exhibitions Vegetable oils from the restaurant
With respect to waste which is non-hazardous or similar to municipal waste, the following graph shows the selective collection and its evolution from 2015 to 2017:
Volume of non- hazardous waste in tonnes
The most significant waste data are summarised in the following table:
2016 2017 interannual v ariation Ordinary waste tonnes 149.51 147.5 –1.34 % Paper and cardboard tonnes 47.34 47.27 –0.15 % Packaging tonnes 17.78 25.18 41.62 % Glass tonnes 1.2 5.3 341.67 % Bulky waste tonnes 26.58 30.04 13.02 % Toners tonnes 0.055 0 –100 % Batteries tonnes 0.01 0 –100 % Fluorescent lamps tonnes 0 0 -- Contaminated absorbents tonnes 0.031 0 -- Chemical products tonnes 0.228 0.093 –59.21 % Aerosols tonnes 0.005 0.004 –20.00 % Vegetable oils tonnes 1.04 1.245 19.71% Dead animals tonnes 0.027 0.025 –7.41 % Coffee capsules from the tonnes 1.480 1.467 –0.088 restaurant
In general, the following points should be noted: • There has been a slight reduction in ordinary waste with respect to 2016, though the tendency of generation remains the same. • Paper and cardboard waste has also fallen slightly with respect to 2016. • Packaging and glass waste has increased considerably compared to 2016, due to the increase in visitors to the Museum, which is linked, in turn, to customer demand in the restaurant. • Bulky waste is the waste generated when cleaning storerooms and in the assembling and disassembling of exhibitions. There has been an increase with respect to 2016, no doubt because Page 24 of 32 there have been more exhibitions. The Museum continues to work with the Faculty Manager and the waste management company on the possibility of installing new containers that enable improvement in the separation of this type of waste. • Vegetable oils are generated in the restaurant and their volume depends upon it activity. As in the case of waste produced by maintenance, it is difficult to determine the cause of their fluctuation, but this may be justified by the fact that restaurant activity has increased. • Dead animals: a record is kept of the animals that have to be removed, which are frozen in a container and disposed of when justified by their quantity, an event which occurs with no predetermined frequency. • Coffee capsules are a product of the restaurant and their volume depends on the number of customers. The management of this waste includes a process prioritising assessment of the possibility of their recycling.
The collection of hazardous waste such as toners, batteries, absorbent material and fluorescent lamps, scheduled for early 2018, has not yet taken place and thus no data is available.
Other waste managed during 2017
Otros residuos 2017 Tm Rubble 23,28 Contamined containers 0,004 Non-halogenated solvents 0,076 Left over paint 0,009 WEEE equipment 0,22 Computer material 0,21
In general terms, waste generation has risen, in terms of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Specifically:
2015 2016 2017 Interannual variation Hazardous waste tonnes 1.850 0.534 1.039 94.57 % Non-hazardous waste tonnes 263.88 243.54 267.81 9.97 %
The significant increase in hazardous waste in 2017 is due to the replacement of the Museum’s air conditioning units.
B. Internal management
CosmoCaixa possesses the means necessary to properly segregate all the waste it produces, both in the offices as well as in the rest of the facilities.
It should be highlighted that the segregation of waste produced in the offices was improved towards the end of 2017; individual waste-paper bins were eliminated and replaced by containers for the collection of packaging, paper and cardboard, ordinary waste and organic material.
Work continued in 2017 on monitoring selective collection, especially by outsourced companies working in the Museum facilities. Subcontracted companies are also required to properly separate any hazardous waste they may generate, for which a specific storage area is set aside.
The waste generated annually is monitored and controlled in the Waste Register, where all outgoing shipments of waste are recorded, along with any relevant observations.
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Atmospheric emissions A. Origin
The main sources of direct atmospheric emissions are:
- Electricity consumption - Consumption of combustibles (natural gas and diesel) - Refrigerant gas (in the event o leaks) - Waste production (refuse, plastic, paper and cardboard and glass) - Water consumption
B. CO 2 equivalence
At CosmoCaixa CO 2 emissions calculations are made for the sources indicated above. A new development for 2017 was the inclusion in these calculations of emissions from the generation of waste and water consumption (not previously considered).
This calculation enables the real impact to be estimated in tonnes of CO 2 equivalent emissions into the atmosphere. Emissions linked to electricity consumption are:
Variació 2015 2016 2017 interanual
CO 2 by total electricity consumption Equivalent tonnes 179,70 170,96 161,12 -5,75%
Emissions per visitor Equivalent tonnes /visitor 0,00024 0,00292 0,00021 -92,72%
Emissions per m 2 Equivalent tonnes /m 2 0,0053 0,0051 0,0048 -5,75%
Emissions with respect to gas consumption in the restaurant:
With respect to emissions deriving from diesel consumption, some 680 litres of diesel were acquired in
2017 which, if fully consumed, would be equivalent to 1.92 tonnes of CO 2.
Interannual 2015 2016 2017 variation
CO 2 by diesel consumption Equivalent tonnes 6,63 8,44 1,92 -77,20%
Emissions per visitor Equivalent tonnes /visitor 9,03532E-06 1,11465E-05 2,17536E-06 -80,48%
Emissions per m 2 Equivalent tonnes /m 2 0,000198 0,000252 0,000057 -77,20%
Emissions with respect to the generation of waste are:
Page 26 of 32 Internanual 2015 2016 2017 variation 2016-2017
CO 2 by generation of waste Equivalent tonnes 93,06 96,88 96,61 -0,27%
Emissions per visitor Equivalent tonnes /visitor 0,00013 0,00013 0,00011 -14,64%
2 2 Emissions per m Equivalent tonnes /m 0,0028 0,0029 0,0029 -0,27%
The calculation of these emissions included ordinary waste, plastic, glass and paper and cardboard.
Emissions with respect to water consumption are:
Interannual variation 2015 2016 2017 2016-2017
CO by water 2 Equivalent tonnes 12,13 10,12 10,76 6,39% consumption
Emissions per visitor Equivalent tonnes / visitor 0,00002 0,00001 0,00001 -8,93%
Emissions per m 2 Equivalent tonnes /m 2 0,0004 0,0003 0,0003 6,39%
Thus, in 2017, total CO2 equivalent emissions derived from the consumption of natural gas, diesel and electricity, water and the generation of waste were 280.50 tonnes.
The breakdown of emissions is presented in the following table:
2017 summary table CO 2 equivalence in tonnes %
Electricity 161.12 57.44
Natural gas 10.08 3.59
Diesel 1.92 0.69
Refrigerant gases 0 0
Generation of waste 96.61 34.44
Water consumption 10.76 3.84
Total 280.50 100 %
The impact on the carbon footprint of CosmoCaixa’s landscaped areas must also be taken into account. Thanks to the existence of these zones, this impact is calculated to be some 7,506 kg CO2 per year (data taken from the study conducted in 2016).
Page 27 of 32 Wastewater disposal
The sources of the Museum’s wastewater discharge in normal conditions are:
Kitchen and restaurant Toilets and changing rooms Cleaning of the facilities Re-used water from the Flooded Forest Water from the osmosis process Rainwater
CosmoCaixa holds an authorisation to discharge wastewater, renewed in 2016 and valid until 2024.
The wastewater discharged is similar to domestic wastewater. Nonetheless, our discharge authorisation requires us to perform an annual analysis at different points of the system and to report the results, to confirm that the discharged water characteristics comply with established regulatory limits.
The analysis performed in 2017 produced the following results:
Analysis performed in Parameters / Limits August 2017 C. d’ Isaac Newton C. del Cister C. dels Quatre Camins pH 6.00 - 10.00 8.64 7.08 7.30 MIS (matter in suspn.) (mg/l) 750.00 23.00 4.00 12.00 COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) (mg/l) 1,500.00 525.00 24.00 128.00
Chlorides (mg/l) 2,500.00 226.94 156.02 170.21 Conductivity at 25°C 6,000.00 1,326.00 822.50 1,239.00 (µS/cm) Total phosphorus (mg/l) 50.00 21.00 0.90 6.50 NTK (Total nitrogen) (mg/l) 90.00 183.00 4.90 82.00 Inhibiting matter 25.00 22.00 <2.00 <2.00 (Equitox)
Ammonia (mg/l) 60.00 52.00 0.69 24.00 Anionic surfactants 6.00 0.61 <0.10 0.11 (mg/l) Oils and fats (mg/l) 250.00 130.00 10.00 2.50
Sulphates (mg/l) 1,000.00 90.00 80.00 70.00
Total sulphurs (mg/l) 1.00 5.00 <0.50 <0.50
The analysis performed in August detected non-compliance with the total nitrogen (NTK) and total sulphurs parameters, which frequently occurs in domestic sanitary wastewater .
The source of the nitrogen in this case is the ammonia found in faecal water coming from the Museum toilets. The sulphurs come from the biological reduction of sulphates and the decomposition of organic matter, usual in this type of wastewater.
As a preventive measure, regular cleaning is carried out of the entire collection network and in particular of the catchment sumps to prevent stagnation of the wastewater which leads to chemical reactions and thus increases the nitrogen and sulphur content of discharged water.
The analysis of the Quatre Camins discharge point was repeated in September to confirm the compliance of parameters that were previously excessive:
Page 28 of 32 Analysis performed in Parameters/limits September 2017 (*) C. dels Quatre Camins
NTK (mg/l) 90.00 30.00
Total sulphurs (mg/l) 1.00 0.80 (*) parameters measured again with a new analysis to confirm compliance with applicable limits
It is considered that the earlier results may have been the consequence of a year with little rainfall, causing stagnant water to collect in the catchment sumps and thus skewing the final outcomes. As previously mentioned, CosmoCaixa regularly cleans the sumps to prevent water stagnation.
Noise
The noise generated by CosmoCaixa in normal conditions is due to its day-to-day museum activity, installed machinery and the maintenance operations undertaken in the facilities. During the initial monitoring of the Museum the level of noise was found to be minimal and thus no analysis has been performed to assess emission levels.
Consumption of materials
With respect to materials, the consumption of paper and toner in offices is monitored and controlled as is that of the main cleaning and maintenance products.
2016 2017 Interannual variation
White paper kilograms 149.69 199.58 33.33 %
Recycled paper kilograms 548.86 424.12 –22.73 %
Toners kilograms 110 45 –59.09 %
Solvents litres 675 750 11.11 %
Paints, varnishes etc . kilograms 8,555 3,670 –57.10 %
Cleaning products litres 2,211 2,789 26.14 %
Light bulbs, building units 1,387 1,299 –6.34 %
White paper/employee kilograms/employee 1.10 1.47 33.33 %
Recycled paper/employee kilograms/employee 4.04 3.12 –22.73 %
Toners/employee kilograms/employee 0.81 0.33 –59.09 %
Solvents/employee litres/employee 4.96 5.51 11.11 %
Paints/employee kilograms/employee 62.90 26.99 –57.10 %
Cleaning products /employee litres/employee 0.04 0.003 –91.66 %
Light bulbs/visitor Units/visitor 0.0237 0.00 –100 % (*) In the consumption of materials, we have taken into account all those for which we have weight data: white paper, recycled paper, toners, paints and solvents.
The table above shows the evolution of consumption in 2017 with respect to 2015 and 2016, about which we would make the following comments:
- White paper: consumption in 2017 increased by 33.33% with respect to the previous year. CosmoCaixa will continue to actively encourage the use of recycled paper. - Recycled paper: a reduction of 22.73% was produced, possibly due both to the application of Page 29 of 32 good environmental practices in the offices and the existence of stock from the previous year. - Toners: consumption was also reduced in comparison to 2016. We would emphasise that priority is given to performing administrative tasks and communications digitally. - Light bulbs, solvents, paint, varnishes, etc.: these are materials typically employed in maintenance activities; their consumption therefore responds strictly to the needs of the building. Nonetheless, companies are informed that the application of green purchasing practices would be beneficial in their selection of products. The continuous process of conversion of light bulbs to LEDs remains ongoing. - Cleaning products: their consumption increased with respect to the previous period, linked to the increased number of visitors to the Museum.
Biodiversity
CosmoCaixa is situated on urban land, occupying an area of some 25,300 m 2, of which 5,000 m 2 are gardens, and with a total built area of 33,700 m 2. It is located on the side of Tibidabo Mountain and at the edge of Collserola Natural Park, from which it is separated by a very busy road, the Ronda de Dalt (Barcelona’s upper ring road). The park zone nearest the Museum is made up of lowland ruderal communities (scrub and brambles) which alternate with woodland and exotic shrubs introduced as a result of the significant presence of private houses with large gardens. In addition and through development of its museum activity, CosmoCaixa can now boast a broad diversity of plant and animal species. In 2017 there were 181 species, of which most were to be found in the Flooded Forest installation and the permanent exhibition, while others formed part of the Touch- Touch! activity or were in reserve or quarantine. Following the agreement signed in 2014 between CosmoCaixa and World Nature, in 2015 five bird nests and two bird feeders were installed in the Museum grounds. As part of our commitment to improve the biodiversity that surrounds the Museum, in 2018 CosmoCaixa proposes to complete the construction of a green wall and to install an insectarium and a green roof.
Emergency situations
In terms of safety measures, CosmoCaixa is equipped with approved extinguishers and hydrants, all of which are regularly checked, with servicing being carried out on a quarterly and annual basis respectively. Absorbent minerals (sepiolite) are on hand and easily accessible to all employees in places where the risk of hazardous spillage is highest. The last emergency drill (a requirement of the self-protection plan, or PAU) was conducted on 18 September 2017 and took the form of a bomb-threat involving full evacuation. A report of the drill was drawn up containing detailed conclusions. The environmental emergency simulation was planned for November 2017, but just before it was due to begin a real emergency occurred. There was an incident involving the escalators which resulted in the glass panel being broken. The incident was registered and the environmental aspects affected identified, in order to carry out full and proper repairs.
Page 30 of 32 Table of indicators
In the presentation of data for this Environmental Statement we have employed indicators that enable us to make a more realistic and understandable analysis of the Museum’s environmental performance. However, to comply with the European reference regulation EMAS III we set out below the list of indicators based on the size of the Museum (number of employees) for 2017.
Nº Absolute value employees Indicator Energy efficiency 8,056.17 MWh 136 59.24 MWh/emp.
Efficiency in the consumption of materials (*) 9.36 tonnes 136 0.07 t/emp.
3 3 Water consumption 27,248 m 136 200.36 m /emp. Total waste 268.05 tonnes 136 1.97 t/emp. Hazardous waste 1.039 tonnes 136 0.008 t/emp.
CO2 emissions 280.50 tonnes CO 2 136 2.06 t CO 2/emp.
2 136 2 Biodiversity 33,700 m 247.79 m /emp.
Page 31 of 32 Next validation
This Environmental Statement is valid for one year from the validation date. It was approved by:
SGS ICS Ibérica, S.A. on the date of ......
SGS ICS Ibérica S.A. is accredited by the Spanish National Accreditation Body (ENAC) as an Environmental Verifier with number ES-V-0009, and is approved by the Directorate General for Environmental Quality of the Government of Catalonia, with number 034-V-EMAS-R
Lluís Noguera
Director and head of the Environment Area
Process conducted with the assistance in an advisory capacity of :
Avinguda Diagonal, 482, 1ª planta 08006 Barcelona Tel. +34 93 363 03 35 Fax +34 93 415 57 77
Design : lapageoriginal.com
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