The ACT could reduce emissions by more than 90,000 tonnes a year if it reduced floor space ratios in its public service offices to 10 square metres per person.

The reshuffle would force significant work to move staff, with potential building consolidation and adjusted fit-outs.

But a report on scope three emissions prepared by the office of commissioner for sustainability and the environment recommended the ACT government cut floor space ratios further.

The report said public service staff density should be slashed from about 14 square metres per person to seven square metres, in line with commercial best practice.

However, the ACT government has no plans to cut the size allocated for its workplaces.

Scope three emissions come from activities or assets outside the ACT, including the emissions associated with products and services bought by the territory.

The report, tabled earlier this month in the Legislative Assembly, recommended the ACT government develop scope three emissions targets.

Scope three emissions will become an important aspect of the ACT's greenhouse gas reduction targets, because the territory has little heavy industry of its own and relies on products and services produced elsewhere.

"Most ACT government scope 3 emissions come from buildings and leased assets, and the remainder from goods and services," the report said.

"These contributions could be reduced through targeted sustainable procurement, reductions in office space, setting carbon performance targets in buildings, and estimating and reducing the carbon footprint of proposed ACT infrastructure."

The report found 60 per cent of the ACT's scope three emissions came from buildings and leased assets.

"Achieving a move towards 10 square metres per person would result in a total emissions mitigation in excess of 90,000 tonnes of carbon equivalent across property rental, operating costs, fit-out and maintenance costs," the report said.

"It would also save on cost and has the potential to improve employee experiences through enhancing work/life balance. The option to work from home also saves travel time and emissions. In summary, a more efficient space for work would provide social, environmental and economic benefits."

The report said the ACT should develop embodied carbon performance targets for all new and replacement building, fit-out and infrastructure works.

The targets could be expressed as a maximum number of kilograms of carbon dioxide per square metre of functional area.

The ACT government will formally respond to the report's recommendations next year.

A spokeswoman for the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate said the current allocation of space in workplaces was not expected to change in the next five years.

"For office-based ACT public service employees, each desk or work point is allocated an average of 12 square metres across the net lettable area of the leased space," the spokeswoman said.

"This includes new builds post January 1, 2016 such as the new Dickson and Civic office blocks. Buildings built or fitted out prior to 2016 have a target of 14.3 square metres per employee."

MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:

The spokeswoman said office-based staff were moving to an activity-based work model, which meant staff could hot-desk and there would be eight desks allocated for every 10 employees.

"Occupancy surveys consistently demonstrate that the 8:10 ratio and 12 square metre average across net lettable area is effective because all [ACT public service] employees are not in the office at all times for varying reasons including annual leave, personal leave or working from home," she said.

"[ACT public service] working arrangements including space allocated per employee will continue to be assessed to ensure the health and safety of staff and members of the community."

Public servants in the ACT's new state-of-the-art office buildings in Civic and Dickson were struggling to secure a desk each day earlier this year, when 40 per cent of workstations were cordoned off as part of COVID-19 social distancing efforts.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: