METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATING CARBON FOOTPRINTING

• US 20130191313A1
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Published: 07/25/2013
• 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: Lackner, Klaus S., Meinrenken, Christoph Johannes, Walker, David Joseph, Ter Kuile, Robert Christian
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/46
• 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 the following: obtaining data related to predetermined resources associated with an item from predetermined data sources; calculating estimated emission factors for each of the resources; determining a contributory uncertainty of the data and of the emission factors; guiding a user based on a comparison of the respective contributory uncertainty of data related to the resources or emission factors; and utilizing both data related to the resources and the estimated emission factors of the resources to determine a carbon footprint of the item.

Claims

1. A method for determining the carbon footprint of an item, said method comprising:

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

calculating estimated emission factors for each of said resources; and

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

2. The method 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 method 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 method 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.

5. The method 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.

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

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said resources are materials and activities.

8. The method 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 method 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 method 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 method according to claim 10, further comprising:

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

12. The method 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 method according to claim 1, further comprising:

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

14. A 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,1)+c·

ln(Price_i);

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

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

16. The 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.

17. A system for determining the carbon footprint of an item, said system comprising:

a data automation module including means for obtaining data related to predetermined resources associated with an item from predetermined data sources;

an emission factor estimator module including means for calculating estimated emission factors for each of said resources; and

a calculation module including means for utilizing both data related to said resources and said estimated emission factors of said resources to determine a carbon footprint of said item.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a user guidance module including means for determining a contributory uncertainty of each of said data and a contributory uncertainty of each of said emission factors and for prompting a user to enter 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 and each of said emission factors.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said item is a product or service.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said resources are materials and activities.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said data automation module further comprises an automated data feed mapped to an enterprise resource planning program database, wherein said automated data feed is at least one of said predetermined data sources.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said data obtained by said automated data feed include data required by said emission factor estimator module for calculating said emission factors of said resources.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said data obtained by said data automation module is sorted into predetermined tables of data in accordance with a uniform data structure.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein a portion of at least one of said data obtained by said data automation module and said emission factors of said resources is generated via an estimate based on data and emission factors related to similar materials and activities.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said estimate includes averaging data and emission factors related to similar materials and activities.