Introduction: Accurate carbon reporting is vital for any organization's sustainability goals, but there are times when specific energy use data might not be available for every location. In such cases, our platform offers powerful tools to estimate energy consumption, ensuring that your carbon footprint calculations remain accurate and comprehensive.
Why Estimations Matter: Energy consumption is one of the primary contributors to carbon emissions. When direct data isn't available, estimating energy use based on reliable benchmarks ensures that you can still maintain a full picture of your environmental impact.
Methods for Estimating Energy Use: You can estimate energy consumption using the following key metrics:
Building Size (m²): Energy consumption is often directly related to the size of the building. We use industry benchmarks that typically range from 100-150 kWh/m²/year for office buildings in Europe.
Number of Employees: For offices, energy use can also be estimated based on the number of employees, with average consumption rates tailored to specific sectors and geographical locations.
Carbon Emission Factors: Once energy consumption is estimated, our platform calculates the associated carbon emissions using regional carbon intensity factors. For example, the average carbon intensity of electricity in Europe is about 0.233 kg CO₂/kWh, but this can vary based on the local energy mix.
Example Calculation: For an office of 1,000 m² with no direct energy use data:
Estimated Energy Use: 100,000 - 150,000 kWh/year
Estimated Carbon Emissions: 23.3 - 34.95 metric tons of CO₂/year
Data resources
Europe: For detailed benchmarks and regional factors, you can refer to the European Environment Agency’s reports on electricity carbon intensity.
USA: The US Environmental Protection Agency provides an annual inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks, which includes data broken down by sector, including commercial and residential buildings.
Conclusion: By leveraging our platform’s estimation tools, you can ensure that all aspects of your energy use are accounted for in your carbon footprint calculations, even when specific data is missing. This helps you maintain accurate reporting, crucial for sustainability goals and regulatory compliance.
Contact support@keyesg.com for further support and guidance.