Methods and systems for automating carbon footprinting

• US 9,524,463 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Walker, David Joseph, ter Kuile, Robert Christian, Meinrenken, Christoph Johannes, Lackner, Klaus S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hill, Stanley K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Traktovenko, Ilya
• Application Number:
  US13/578,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20130191313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]

Abstract

Methods and systems for automating carbon footprinting are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include a plurality of steps. In some embodiments, related to predetermined resources associated with an item from predetermined data sources is obtained. Then, estimated emission factors are calculated for each of the resourced. Next, a contributory uncertainty of the data and of the emission factors is determined. Then, a user is guided based on a comparison of the respective contributory uncertainty of data related to the resources or emission factors Next, both data related to the resources and the estimated emission factors of the resources are utilized to determine a carbon footprint of the item.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer storage media encoded with computer program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computer device to perform operations for determining the carbon footprint of an item, said operations comprising:

obtaining data related to predetermined resources associated with an item from predetermined data sources;

categorizing each of said predetermined resources in a predetermined cluster of similar resources;

obtaining an average estimated emission factor (EF_Cluster,i) for each of said predetermined clusters;

obtaining an estimated price (Price_i) of each of said predetermined resources; and

calculating said emission factor (EF_i, estimated) for each of said predetermined resources according to the following

EF_i,estimated=a+b·

ln(EF_Cluster,i)+c·

ln(Price_i);

wherein a, b, and c are calibrated/optimized coefficients; and

utilizing both data related to said predetermined resources and said estimated emission factors of said predetermined resources to determine a carbon footprint of said item.

2. The computer storage media according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a contributory uncertainty of each of said data and a contributory uncertainty of each of said emission factors; and

guiding a user based on a comparison of said respective contributory uncertainty of each of said data and each of said emission factors.

3. The computer storage media according to claim 2, further comprising:

prompting a user to enter additional data related to said resources or emission factors of said resources based on a comparison of said respective contributory uncertainty of each of said data related to predetermined resources and each of said emission factors.

4. The computer storage media according to claim 3, further comprising:

sorting said data related to said resources and said additional data into predetermined tables of data in accordance with a uniform data structure.

5. The computer storage media according to claim 2, further comprising:

automatically obtaining or generating additional data related to said resources or emission factors of said resources based on a comparison of said respective contributory uncertainty of each of said data related to predetermined resources and each of said emission factors;

determining a contributory uncertainty of each of said additional data;

utilizing each of said additional data to determine a carbon footprint based on a comparison of said contributory uncertainty of each of said data related to predetermined resources and said contributory uncertainty of each of said additional data.

6. The computer storage media according to claim 1, wherein said item is a product or service.

7. The computer storage media according to claim 1, wherein said resources are materials and activities.

8. The computer storage media according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing predetermined emission factors for a portion of said resources; and

utilizing data related to said resources, said estimated emission factors of said resources, and predetermined emission factors for a portion of said resources to determine a carbon footprint of said item.

9. The computer storage media according to claim 8, further comprising:

sorting said data related to said resources and said predetermined emission factors for a portion of said resources into predetermined tables of data in accordance with a uniform data structure.

10. The computer storage media according to claim 1, further comprising:

mapping automated data feeds to an enterprise resource planning program database, wherein said automated data feeds are at least one of said predetermined data sources.

11. The computer storage media according to claim 10, further comprising:

calculating said emission factors of said resources using said data obtained by said automated data feeds.

12. The computer storage media according to claim 10, wherein mapping automated data feeds includes using fuzzy logic to identify particular data in said enterprise resource planning program database.

13. The computer storage media according to claim 1, further comprising:

sorting said data obtained into predetermined tables of data in accordance with a uniform data structure.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for estimating an emission factor for a resource, said instructions comprising:

categorizing a resource in a predetermined cluster of similar resources;

obtaining an average estimated emission factor (EF_Cluster,i) for said cluster;

obtaining an estimated price (Price_i) of said resource; and

calculating said emission factor (EF_i,estimated) for said resource according to the following

EF_i,estimated=a+b·

ln(EF_Cluster,i)+c·

ln(Price_i);

wherein a, b, and c are calibrated/optimized coefficients.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein said resource is a material or activity.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein one or more of said Price_i and data used to identify said EF_Cluster,i are automatically obtained from an enterprise resource planning program database.