What is Carbon Accounting?
Carbon accounting is the process of calculating how much greenhouse gas emissions a building, organization, or location produces during a given period. It is used to understand a building’s carbon footprint and where emissions are coming from.
The data collected during carbon accounting is used to set sustainability and decarbonization goals and can serve as a benchmark when getting started. By performing a carbon accounting study frequently, you can chart carbon emissions elimination, green impact, and make informed decisions regarding which strategies have the greatest impact.
The Scopes of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Protocol
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the most commonly used carbon accounting standard, classifies a company’s GHGs, or greenhouse gasses, into three different scopes.
Scope 1 emissions consist of direct emissions from company controlled or owned resources, such as fuel use in vehicles, equipment, and boilers.
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from electricity or steam produced by third parties, but used within the operations of the business or location.
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that occur in the supply chain of a company not covered by Scope 2, such as business travel and emissions from supply chain delivery travel.
Why Does Carbon Accounting Matter?
With the increase in regulatory initiatives and corporate sustainability goals, it’s now more important than ever to obtain a holistic view of your business’s carbon emissions through carbon accounting. Understanding what and how much GHGs you’re emitting is crucial in setting reduction goals to help offset your business’s environmental impact.
In addition, carbon accounting can also help identify areas of improvement – to help increase operational efficiencies and cost-effective processes.
Lastly, carbon accounting can be beneficial from a branding perspective. Customers and employees today are more aware of a business’s environmental impact and, therefore, sustainability efforts can positively influence their decision-making process and their perception of your brand.
Contact Energo to Get Started
Energo offers comprehensive carbon accounting services to help your business quantify your greenhouse gas emissions and implement effective reduction strategies. Whether you’re looking to reduce emissions in light of regulatory policies or to enhance your sustainability goals, calculating your emissions is the first step. Contact Energo today to get started.
