System and method for tracking emissions

• US 20060020544A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Kaveski, Joseph G.
• Application Number:
  US10/898,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/90 Financial instruments for climate change mitigation, e.g. environmental taxes, subsidies or financing

Abstract

A system for estimating emissions based on bills paid through a bill paying service. The system includes a bill payment processor configured to receive a bill for an external entity and arrange for a payment based on the bill, an emission estimation engine configured to generate an emissions estimate based on the bill, and a reporting engine configured to provide the emission estimate.

Claims

1. A system for estimating emissions based on bills paid through a bill paying service, comprising:

a bill payment processor configured to receive a bill for an external entity and arrange for a payment based on the bill;

an emission estimation engine configured to generate an emissions estimate based on the bill; and

a reporting engine configured to provide the emission estimate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bill is based on an amount of a consumable resource provided to a location.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the emissions estimate is generated by multiplying an emissions factor with the amount of the consumable resource provided to the location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the emissions factor is based on one or more characteristics of the location.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the emissions factor is based on the type of the consumable resource.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the emissions factor is an amount of greenhouse gases produced for every unit of the consumable resource that is consumed.

7. The system of claim 1, where the reporting engine includes a web-based interface configured to display the emissions estimate.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the emissions estimation engine is further configured to generate a baseline value based on the emission estimate.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the emissions estimation engine is further configured to generate a comparison between the emissions estimate and a baseline.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the emissions estimation engine is further configured to generate a reduction goal based on the emissions estimate and a baseline.

11. A method for generating an emissions estimate based on a bill paid through a bill paying service, comprising:

receiving a bill at a bill paying service;

arranging for payment of the bill; and

generating an emissions estimate based on the bill.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bill is based on an amount of a consumable resource provided to a location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the emissions estimate is generated by multiplying an emissions factor with the amount of the consumable resource provided to the location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the emissions factor is based on one or more characteristics of the location.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the emissions factor is based on the type of the consumable resource.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the emissions factor is an amount of greenhouse gases produced for every unit of the consumable resource that is consumed.

17. The method of claim 11, further including generating a baseline value based on the emission estimate.

18. The method of claim 17, further including generating a comparison between the emissions estimate and a baseline.

19. The method of claim 17, further including generating a reduction goal based on the emissions estimate and a baseline.

20. A system for estimating emissions based on bills paid through a bill paying service, comprising:

a bill payment means configured to receive a bill for an external entity and arrange for a payment based on the bill;

an emission estimation means configured to generate an emission estimate based on the bill; and

a reporting means configured to provide the emission estimate.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the bill is based on an amount of a consumable resource provided to a location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the emissions estimate is generated by multiplying an emissions factor with the amount of the consumable resource provided to the location.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the emissions factor is based on one or more characteristics of the location.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the emissions factor is based on the type of the consumable resource.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the emissions factor is an amount of greenhouse gases produced for every unit of the consumable resource that is consumed.

26. The system of claim 20, where the reporting means includes a web-based interface configured to display the emissions estimate.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the emissions estimation mean is further configured to generate a baseline value based on the emission estimate.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the emissions estimation means is further configured to generate a comparison between the emissions estimate and a baseline.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the emissions estimation means is further configured to generate a reduction goal based on the emissions estimate and a baseline.