Business Calculator Methodology – BEF

Business Calculator Methodology

Electricity:

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2012/c&e/cfm/pba4.php

Natural gas:

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2012/c&e/cfm/pba5.php

The average carbon dioxide coefficient of natural gas is 0.0549 kg CO2 per cubic foot (EIA 2019c). The fraction oxidized to CO2 is 100 percent (IPCC 2006) therefore .0000549 mT of CO2 per cubic foot of natural gas therefore .00549 mT per 100 cubic feet of natural gas

https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references

Fuel Oil:

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2012/c&e/cfm/c34.php

The average carbon dioxide coefficient of distillate fuel oil is 429.61 kg CO2 per 42-gallon barrel (EPA 2018). The fraction oxidized to CO2 is 100 percent (IPCC 2006) Therefore 10.227 kg of CO2 per gallon Therefore .010227 mT of CO2 per gallon.

https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references

Where data for a specific building was not available we used data for “All Buildings”.

Propane:

Emission factors by fuel type
Fuel type	Emission factor	Source
Propane/LPG	5.79	kg CO₂/gal	WRI Table 10
	0.00012771	kg CH₄/l	WRI Table 2
	2.5542E-06	kg N₂O/l	WRI Table 3

https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools#cross_sector_tools_id

Fleet Vehicles:

	Emission factors(WRI Tables 10 for CO₂ and Table 12 for CH₄ & N₂O)
Type of Vehicle	kg CO₂/gal	g CH₄/mi	g N₂O/mi
Car	8.81	0.0147	0.0079
Hybrid Car**	8.81	0.0147	0.0079
Pickup Truck/ SUV/ Van	8.81	0.0157	0.0101
Delivery Truck	10.15	0.0051	0.0048
Semi-Trailer/ Big-Rig	10.15	0.0051	0.0048

https://evtool.ucsusa.org/?utm_campaign=fbads&utm_medium=fbads&utm_source=fbads

https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10310

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=alts&path=3&year1=2017&year2=2018&vtype=Hybrid&srchtyp=newAfv
https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools#cross_sector_tools_id

Rental Cars:

The average rental car is driven 100 miles per day according to https://www.autorentalnews.com/146664/unlimited-miles-or-mileage-caps

Emissions factor is .000392 mT of CO2 per pass mile (WRI tables 12 & 16)

https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools#cross_sector_tools_id

Servers:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/toolkit-calculate-datacenter-server-power-usage/#:~:text=For%20instance%2C%20one%20server%20can,for%207%2C446%20kWh%20per%20year.

The average server uses 7466 kwH per year

Water:

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/reports/2012/water/#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20these%20buildings%20used,and%2050.1%20gallons%20per%20worker.

Air travel:

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/reporting/pdf/091013-guidelines-ghg-conversion-factors-method-paper.pdf

Greenhouse Gas Protocol & Scopes:

What is GHG Protocol?

GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains and mitigation actions.

Building on a 20-year partnership between World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), GHG Protocol works with governments, industry associations, NGOs, businesses and other organizations.

Within the Greenhouse Gas Protocols, scopes have been established for categorizing greenhouse gas emissions from businesses.

Scope 1: Direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the business

Examples include fuel for owned vehicles, natural gas use, or onsite stationary combustion such as a generator.

Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity

Scope 3: Indirect upstream and downstream emissions from sources not owned or controlled by the company

Examples include air travel, waste, purchased goods, end of life treatment of a product etc.

For more information on scopes and the Greenhouse Gas Protocols, please visit ghgprotocol.org