Carbon Footprinting: Data Collection and Calculations

How are carbon footprints calculated? What data is needed? How do you even collect that data?

This course on carbon footprinting will explore all of these questions, and more. There are many greenhouse gas inventory tools to assist with the footprint calculations, but the result is only as good as the data you enter. An inventory data set must be both complete and accurate for your baseline and tracking calculations.

In this 4-hour virtual course, we will explain the data collection and calculations that go into calculating a carbon footprint. This course will explore the following topics:

• Key concepts for data collection, including system boundaries and scopes
• Overview of the data collection and processing for all scope 1 (on-site direct emissions) and scope 2 (purchased utilities) sources, with some select scope 3 (indirect emissions) sources
• How the footprinting calculations work for all scope 1 sources, all scope 2 sources, and select scope 3 sources
• Recommendations for reviewing your inventory data set and your results for accuracy

This data-focused course will provide the basic information you need to collect and process a data set for a carbon footprint. We will also explain how the calculations “behind the scenes” work in greenhouse gas inventory tools. We will demonstrate these concepts using SIMAP (www.unhsimap.org), a carbon and nitrogen footprint tool that is hosted by the UNH Sustainability Institute.

This course will include presentations from the instructors, breakout group discussions, hands-on data exercises in breakout groups, and Q&A sessions. We recommend that you take “Introduction to Carbon Footprinting” before this course. If you’d like to take this course first, please contact the instructors.

This course is offered free of charge to current UNH students. Please reach out to Jennifer Andrews for details jennifer.andrews@unh.edu.

This program is offered in partnership with the UNH Sustainability Institute