Past Tense

Faced with the knowledge that almost every facility gives out some type of greenhouse gas, a carbon footprint calculator has come into its’ own, to help organizations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The calculator allows them to more easily recognize the problem, put in place measures to reduce emissions and then gauge their progress.

Within the past several years, there have been many efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Among them are the U.S. Clean Air Act and The Climate Registry, which is a nonprofit agency that sets uniform standards for calculating, verifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions. Membership in The Climate Registry is voluntary, however most North American states, provinces, territories and native sovereign nations are participating.

A carbon footprint calculator allows data about daily facility operations to be entered and processed, with the expectation that this will contribute greatly to greenhouse gas emission reduction. Several major areas play a role in harmful gas emissions — energy use, waste generation, purchased materials and transportation, to be specific.

Harmful gases are thought to remain in our atmosphere for hundreds of years following their emission. As the future health of our planet depends on reduction, it is imperative that businesses measure their carbon footprint accordingly. Research has shown that certain gases deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming.

Immediate action is required to stop the damaging effects of certain greenhouse gases. A carbon footprint calculator measures emissions of the primary gases – hydrochlorofluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. It is perceived that these gases contribute to extreme heat waves, to rising sea levels, to warming in general and over a period of time can cause considerable harm to all minor of life on the planet.

A carbon footprint calculator enables a business of any size to, among other things, identify the extent of their greenhouse gas emissions, create an inventory management plan, establish goals and report their emissions as outlined under EPA requirements. A calculator is of particular importance to companies with multiple buildings or locations.

A carbon footprint calculator uses data to calculate emission amounts from all direct and indirect sources. Direct emissions are those from equipment or other sources owned or operated by a company, such as commercial refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) systems or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Indirect emissions are used by a company during daily operations, but are supplied by another source, such as the use of electricity or heat.

The task of monitoring, tracking and reporting greenhouse gas emissions is a somewhat cumbersome and tedious one. Companies are required to input complex data into a carbon footprint calculator so many companies who use HVAC systems in stores, warehouses, offices or hospitals are turning to computerized refrigerant management programs to help them achieve the task.