Energy efficiency and climate protection

For the LLB Group and its stakeholder groups, sustainability means ensuring long-term corporate success, accepting responsibility and using resources in a conscious way. Fossil energy sources, which are essential to modern industrial society, are finite. For both ecological and economic reasons, scarce resources must be used responsibly. This guiding principle applies equally to LLB in Liechtenstein, Bank Linth and LLB Österreich.

The recording of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is being continuously optimised. For the first time, we also collected data for our business location in Vienna for 2017 and retrospectively for 2016. This necessitated a revised presentation of the environmental indicators.

The LLB Group wants to contribute to climate protection by increasing energy efficiency and save costs at the same time. This is the reason why we are continuously optimising the recording of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The organisational units Security Management and Facility Management identify potential energy savings and evaluate the effect of efficiency measures. An example of this is the “Green Datacenter”.

“Green IT” data processing centre

Infrastructure and energy costs for data processing centres are a key factor in facility and IT management. Potential energy savings are high. The branch office of Liechtensteinische Landesbank in Eschen (FL) has set standards in this area for the Rhine Valley region since December 2012. The LLB data processing centre, which was built according to the American Uptime Institute’s Tier III Certification of Design, is an extremely secure data centre. This means that highly sensitive business data are perfectly protected.

Our data processing centre, however, not only has one of the highest security standards of the region, it also reflects a clear commitment to “Green IT”. All building elements – from construction, to insulation and the architectural design of the building – were carefully matched to each other in order to increase energy efficiency. Since the middle of 2013, we have reduced power consumption substantially and consequently lowered our CO2 emissions.

The power consumption of the cooling devices plays an essential part in terms of power usage effectiveness (PUE). We aim to achieve a PUE value of below 1.5, which would be half the original energy usage. By 2013, we had already achieved a PUE value of 1.54. In 2017, we achieved a PUE of 1.48 (2016: 1.40).

Energy-efficient branch offices

Sustainable construction is based on the interaction between ecology and technology and is becoming the standard. The building that houses the Eschen branch office complies with the Minergie standard. The energy-efficient design of the branch office in the data processing centre enabled the energy consumption of our buildings in Liechtenstein to be reduced substantially.

Our main buildings are responsible for the bulk of energy consumption. Since two of our business premises in Vaduz (headquarters and Haus Wuhr Ost) are equipped with photovoltaic systems, we generate a small part of our electric power in an environmentally friendly manner. In 2017, the PV systems produced 8’930 kilowatt-hours (2016: 10’170 kWh). The amount of electricity produced was lower compared to 2016 due to the sale of Haus Engel in Vaduz, which also produced solar energy, in June 2017.

Energetic renovation of buildings

We are increasing the energy efficiency of our branch offices by means of various measures. Bank Linth, for instance, has set itself the goal of refurbishing all nineteen branch offices according to its “bank of the future” concept by the year 2020 (see chapter “Retail & Corporate Banking”; “Employees”).

Whereas the Bank Linth branch offices in Pfäffikon (SZ), Kaltbrunn (SG) and Schmerikon (SG) were built in accordance with the Minergie standard, the headquarters of Bank Linth in Uznach (SG) were completely renovated in 2017. This will bring about a massive improvement in energy efficiency and a reduction in power consumption. Furthermore, an agreement has been made with the power plant in Uznach whereby half of the energy drawn must come from renewable energy.

In addition, the air-conditioning system of the Bank Linth building in Rapperswil was updated in 2017. Detailed assessments showed that when the building was constructed in 1969, materials containing asbestos had been used. In the summer of 2017, the building was completely renovated, inside and out, and the hazardous waste was disposed of properly. There was no risk to health.

In order to identify further potential for optimisation, we measure the thermal insulation values of our buildings. In 2017, we set about replacing the glass in the windows, the rubber seals and the blinds in Haus Äule. The work should be completed by early 2018.

Promotion of sustainable construction

Due to uncertainty about costs for conventional energy sources, energy and ecological considerations are becoming increasingly important for new buildings and building refurbishments. Furthermore, environmental regulatory pressure is mounting and the people living in Liechtenstein and eastern Switzerland are also becoming more ecologically aware. The LLB Group actively supports sustainable construction and provides eco mortgages and renovation mortgages that promote the efficient and sparing use of resources. Clients benefit from a preferential rate of interest for investment in new buildings that comply with the Minergie, passive house or other comparable standards for alternative energy.

Electric charging points

We want to promote electromobility by installing electric charging points. We plan to install nine electric charging points at six locations in Liechtenstein during the first quarter of 2018. The charging points will be primarily for use by our employees who drive to work in an electric car, but will also be available to our clients.

Reduction in operational CO2 emissions

Our commitment to climate protection is bearing fruit. We have made progress thanks to sustainable mobility and the energy efficiency of our IT infrastructure and buildings. The LLB Group’s investment in the promotion of the use of public transport contributed, out of all LLB employees, to 248 coming to work in Vaduz by bus, bike or on foot in 2017 (2016: 246). Efficiency measures at our data processing centre have enabled us to reduce our CO2 emissions since 2013. Group-wide CO2 emissions fell from 904 tonnes in 2015 to 885 tonnes in 2016. The figure for 2017 was 951 tonnes, whereby our business location in Vienna was also included in the data collection for the first time.

(XLS:) Download
Energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions 1,2

 

 

2017

 

2016

1)

Business locations in Liechtenstein, Vienna and Bank Linth. Our business location in Vienna was included in the data collection for the first time, whereby the data for 2017 was estimated on the basis of consumption in the previous year. As a result of the inclusion of our business location in Vienna, the key figures for 2016 were also recalculated retrospectively.

2)

The recording of data on heat consumption is partly incomplete and is being optimised.

3)

The natural gas consumption of two new rental properties in Liechtenstein was estimated on the basis of consumption in the previous year. Natural gas consumption was substantially lower in 2016 due to the refurbishment of Bank Linth’s headquarters; following its completion, consumption was significantly higher in 2017.

4)

Greenhouse gas emissions calculated using Greenhouse Gas Protocol Guidelines.

5)

Greenhouse gas emissions from own heating boilers, motor fuels and air-conditioning systems.

6)

Greenhouse gas emissions produced from production of purchased electricity and district heating.

7)

Reported using location-based approach following Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 Guidance, used as an approximation for the market-based approach.

Energy consumption (in MWh)

 

6'760

 

6'374

Electricity

 

5'080

 

4'956

District heating

 

356

 

349

Total heating fuels

 

1'156

 

875

Heating oil

 

233

 

233

Natural gas 3

 

923

 

642

Total motor fuels

 

167

 

193

Diesel (vehicles and emergency power generator testing)

 

131

 

151

Petrol (vehicles)

 

36

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

CO2 emissions (in tCO2e) 4

 

951

 

885

Scope 1 total 5

 

300

 

249

Heating fuels

 

252

 

194

Motor fuels

 

44

 

51

Volatile gases (refrigerants)

 

4

 

4

Scope 2 total 6

 

651

 

636

Electricity 7

 

572

 

558

District heating

 

79

 

78

Climate foundations

We are convinced that actions driven by sustainability and responsibility increase the value of the LLB Group and have an impact that extends beyond our own company. We promote small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that contribute to climate protection. LLB is a partner of the independent non-profit LIFE Climate Foundation Liechtenstein (since 2009) and the Swiss Climate Foundation (since 2012). The Swiss Climate Foundation has awarded CHF 575’015 to 40 SMEs in Liechtenstein from the start of the cooperation through to January 2018.

That is why LLB belongs to a group of 27 partner firms that pool their resources to promote SMEs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The companies do this in an uncomplicated and efficient manner and, through their activities, help to protect the climate. LLB refunds of CO2 contributions from Liechtenstein made to the Climate Foundation are used to support new products and technological developments that contribute to climate protection as well as energy-saving projects.

This page includes, inter alia, the following GRI standard indicator (2016 version): 102-48.
A complete list of all GRI indicators shown in the report can be found in the GRI Content Index.