Carbon Footprinting

What it is

Carbon footprinting is the measurement of the amount of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (TCO2e) an organization emits over a time period. The expression is used interchangeably with Green House Gas (GHG) Footprint.

Why Carbon Footprint?

This can be for a number of reasons but typically falls under one or more the following:

Compliance concerns over upcoming legislation and regulation
The use of carbon footprint reductions as a key part of corporate image
A view it can serve as a useful tool in reducing energy costs
A mandate

What is involved?

This all depends on the reason for footprinting. Typically, if the reason is solely a regulatory compliance check, the task is comparatively straight forward. Organizations who wish to use their footprint as measurement tool for marketing and/or cost saving reasons will require a more rigorous footprinting exercise.

Some organizations start carbon footprinting from the bottom up. A carbon accounting methodology and maybe a software tools are selected and the laborious task of collecting records begins. It can be many months, some time even years before the final answer is established. In many cases such a granular approach is not necessary, certainly not at the start, and in some cases, never.

The Axiom Methods approach is to start from the top. From experience we can rapidly establish a carbon footprint of any organization from a mixture of publicly available records and a few telephone calls into the organization for clarification. This footprint is of sufficient accuracy to enable us to show the organization what the GHG emissions are likely to be, and what the legislative/regulatory implications are. Probably more importantly, this moves the debate immediately on from the technicalities of carbon footprinting to considering the strategic issues of compliance, reduction and messaging options.

Carbon Accounting Systems

Implementing a centralized carbon accounting system in a large organization can be involved. Deciding on accounting methodologies, software packages and training plans should not be the first steps in carbon footprinting See above. Axiom Methods can help with Methodology and software tool selection. We are familiar with ICLEI, GRIP, ISO 14064, Climate Registry, and WRI protocols and can also help organizations develop their own hybrid methodologies where necessary. We have first hand experience in using five different types of carbon accounting software excluding Excel which may be ideal in some applications.

Axiom Methods Footprinting Experience

We have had considerable experience in footprinting organizations ranging from simple offices to multisite industrial companies with complex emission profiles. We have also modeled the State of Virginia GHG footprint by Census district.