NRG 173: Carbon Footprints for Climate Action in Complex Organizations Spring Term 2011 Class 7 of 20 April 19, 2011 Kelly Hoell Good Company Eugene, OR

overview GHG inventory review data collection calculate emissions Note: Almost all carbon footprint and climate action plan assignments were turned in… Looking good so far!

objectives explore what tools are available stay organized during data collection learn to conduct and check others’ calculations

activity take out a sheet of paper write your name at the top write as many reasons as you can think of why a business would want to conduct a carbon footprint turn your paper into Kelly

carbon footprints: why bother? understand your climate risk –impending regulation –impending non-regulatory risk (e.g., supply chain) –potential disruption to your business model or practices live up to institutional commitments –US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement –American College & Univ. Presidents Climate Commit. proactively manage a challenge that might matter to stakeholders –develop sense of scale of your emissions –prioritize emissions reduction opportunities –save money it might also be the right thing to do! GHG inventory overview

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) GHG inventory overview

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) protocols and tools

remember: protocol ≠ tool protocol –“code of correct conduct” –“rules for determining data format and transmission” tool –“an implement used in the practice of a vocation” –“the means whereby some act is accomplished” protocols and tools ≠

inventory protocols general application –World Resources Institute (WRI) / World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Greenhouse Gas Protocol ( –The Climate Registry (TCR), General Reporting Protocol –Council on Environmental Quality: Guidance on Federal GHG Reporting and Accounting (expanded boundaries) specific application –TCR / CCAR / CARB / ICLEI: Local Government Operations –The Climate Registry (TCR): Electric Power Sector –California Climate Action Registry (CCAR): industry specific protocols for cement, forestry, power/utilities –Climate Action Registry: GHG offset protocols for livestock, landfill, forest and urban forest emissions reduction projects protocols and tools

calculation tools – look at boundaries! on-line calculation tools from registries –The Climate Registry Information System (CRIS) must be a member of The Climate Registry –Climate Action Registry Reporting Online Tool (CARROT) must be a member of the California Climate Action Registry other inventory calculation tools –Seattle Climate Partnership Carbon Calculator public domain, spreadsheets –Clean Air-Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator™ public domain for higher education institutions, spreadsheets –ICLEI Clean Air and Climate Protection Software must be an ICLEI member, software program –ODEQ’s Oregon Carbon Calculator public domain, household scale calculator –Good Company’s Carbon Calculator (G3C) can be purchased by public or private clients protocols and tools

Clean Air – Cool Planet: boundaries Who built it? Restrictions on use? What is included? Not included? Benefits/drawbacks of the tool? Intended user? protocols and tools

Seattle Climate Partnership: boundaries Who built it? Restrictions on use? What is included? Not included? Benefits/drawbacks of the tool? Intended user? protocols and tools

What do you measure? Kyoto gases and Global Warming Potential (GWP) carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO 2 e) GHG inventory overview

Pop Quiz GHG inventory overview What percentage of global GHGs does CO 2 represent?

global GHG emissions by gas type Source: Vattenfall GHG inventory overview

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) boundaries

setting boundaries: think emissions sources… Source: World Resources Institute boundaries

…and locations / facility types boundaries

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) data collection

data collection process 1.establish inventory year 2.identify relevant emissions sources and locations 3.identify desired units of measure 4.identify internal / external data sources/contacts 5.collect and organize data records 6.review data and identify holes 7.collect more data to fill data gaps data collection

identify units of measure building energy –therms / cubic feet, kWh / MWh, gallons fleet / business travel information –gallons, miles, dollars spent refrigerants –pounds solid waste –cubic yards, pounds / tons embodied emissions in purchases –dollars spent employee commute –miles traveled by mode data collection Note: Use your carbon calculator or available emissions factors as a guide!

identify data sources / contacts building energy –source: bills (electric, gas), invoices (other fuel), spreadsheet –contact: accounting department, facility manager, landlord, utility company fleet / business travel information –source: financial records, operation records, fleet spreadsheets, frequent flyer records –contact: fleet manager, travel agency, accounting department, commute surveys refrigerants –source: invoices, maintenance logs, equipment –contact: maintenance department, service company data collection

identify data sources / contacts (continued) solid waste –source: financial or operational records –contact: accounting department, maintenance department, waste hauler employee commute –source: employee survey –contact: alternative commute program coordinator embodied emissions in purchases –source: financial records of purchases by commodity –contact: accounting department data collection

typical issues 1.data don’t exist (no collection system) 2.data are incomplete/partial 3.data aren’t provided in the right units to accurately calculate GHGs 4.data don’t come in a useable format 5.data aren’t granular enough to inform emissions reduction projects 6.data can’t always be collected easily, cost effectively, or on a short time-frame data collection

collect and organize data - use an audit trail! data collection determine file type (data source, calculation, reference) assign a call number using inventory year and file type

audit trail basics audit trail: table of contents to organize inventory data data collection NOTE: START YOUR AUDIT TRAIL FROM THE BEGINNING!

You are responsible for conducting a GHG inventory for a bubble gum factory. Jack Flash, who works for an external travel agency, provided all flight itineraries for trips taken by company employees on business travel. The file he sent on March 24, 2010 was titled “x16a.pdf”. Since receiving the itineraries, you have entered each flight into the online mileage calculator MileMarker (created by WebFlyer and found at to calculate passenger miles. The following information was taken from Mr. Flash’s signature line. Use the information above to fill in the account logs. calculate emissions Activity: audit trail

calculate emissions Activity: audit trail

calculate emissions Activity: audit trail

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) revisit boundaries

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) finish data collection

conducting a GHG Inventory – an overview 1.identify relevant protocols and tools 2.set inventory boundaries 3.collect data 4.revisit inventory boundaries 5.finish data collection 6.calculate emissions 7.write report 8.share results with stakeholders 9.develop climate action plan (Plan as much as reasonable. Be ready for loops.) calculate emissions

business activity (driving owned fleet) GHG emissions (CO 2 e) unit (gallons of gas) understanding calculations: math is fun! other math emissions factor (CO 2 / gallon gas) calculate emissions

calculate emissions - it’s as easy as 1,2,3! 1.activity data (kWh, therms, gallons, etc.) 2.emissions factors for each activity 3.unit conversion factors calculate emissions

where to find emissions factors Source: The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol, Version 1.1, May 2008, page 93 calculate emissions

business activity (driving owned fleet) GHG emissions (CO 2 e) unit (gallons of gas) understanding calculations: math is fun! other math emissions factor (CO 2 / gallon gas) calculate emissions

A bubble gum manufacturing plant in the northwest used 10,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas in HVAC units and in manufacturing processes in Using this data and the information in the tables below calculate the CO 2 emissions in metric tons (MT) from the natural gas consumption. calculate emissions Activity: calculate emissions

A bubble gum manufacturing plant in the northwest used 10,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas in HVAC units and in manufacturing processes. Using this data and the information in the tables below calculate the CO 2 e emissions in metric tons (MT) from the natural gas consumption. calculate emissions Activity: calculate emissions

Feel free to contact me: Kelly Hoell (541) 341-GOOD (4663), ext. 217 See you Thursday!