Green Building Skill-upgrading Training

Programme

Dr. Shauhrat S. Chopra

School of Energy and Environment

Building Carbon Footprint Assessment

Feb 4, 2023
Introduction

▪ Dealing with climate change

and its consequences for the
environment has been one of the
biggest challenges of modern life.
▪ Most current sustainable
strategies are intrinsically
associated with the intention of
reducing our overall carbon
footprint.
▪ Built environment is the
dominant sector responsible for
the total carbon footprint in our
society [1]
– because it represents the intersection
of the three main emitters: energy,
transportation, and buildings.

1. Sustainable construction: green building design and delivery

(4th edition), John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey (2016)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.2

Carbon Footprint of Buildings in Hong Kong

▪ China pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060 at the United

Nations General Assembly in September 2020
– Hong Kong announced the net-zero target by 2050

▪ In Hong Kong’s high-density built environment, activities in buildings

account for more than 90% of electricity consumption and 60% of
greenhouse gas emissions.
▪ Carbon emissions are derived from the extensive use of raw materials,
industrial processes to manufacture building products, and subsequent
transportation of these products.
▪ Additionally, a number of different daily activities also contribute to
the built environment carbon footprint, such as the type of
transportation used by people to go to work, perform home duties, or
for leisure.
▪ Mid-life refurbishment and repair also have an associated carbon
cost, as well as demolition and disposal of the building.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.3

Methodology for Carbon Footprint Assessment

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings has become an essential tool for minimizing
the environmental impacts of construction and enabling the construction sector to move
towards sustainability.
• LCA is the best-known method for evaluating the impacts related to the different
phases of a process.
• LCA does benefit the decision-making process that supports the development of
sustainable initiatives throughout the life cycle of the building
➢ including building planning, construction, operation, renovation, and deconstruction

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.4

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Buildings

▪ Life-Cycle Carbon Emission Assessment (LCCO2A), a subsection

of the traditional LCA, is receiving greater attention recently.
▪ Carbon emissions can be measured in three ways:

(1) Considering carbon dioxide alone.

(2) Including the six gases identified by Kyoto Protocol, i.e. CO2,
CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6.
(3) Including numerous GHG emissions specified by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) framework.
▪ IPCC framework is the most frequent method used.
– GHG emissions are reported considering the individual impacts
of each GHG gas by using the Global Warming Potentials
(GWP) of gases expressed in units of kilograms of carbon
dioxide equivalent (kg-CO2eq).

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.5

How is the Industry applying LCA?

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.6

Most common GHG emissions associated with building construction
and their respective GWP impacts, lifetime, and typical use.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.7

Sources of Carbon in the Whole Building Lifecycle

LETI Embodied Carbon Primer. https://www.leti.london/ecp

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.8

Embodied and Operational carbon emissions timeline

▪ Whole life carbon can be divided in two main components:

– Operational emissions generally occur while the building is occupied
– Embodied emissions occur during the design and construction stage and again post-
occupancy
▪ Operational emissions begin to contribute when the building begins to use energy,
mostly.
– possible for operational carbon emissions to be net negative, with on-site renewable
energy generation greater than the building’s energy consumption.
▪ Embodied carbon contributes to the life cycle in three distinct phases, labelled A1-A5, B4-
B5 and C, with the largest contribution during the design and construction phase.
– longer the lifespan of a building, the less embodied emissions contribute to the overall
percentage of the carbon footprint
LETI Embodied Carbon Primer. https://www.leti.london/ecp

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.9

Embodied Carbon in Buildings

▪ Embodied carbon is the total GHG emissions generated to produce a

built asset.
– A1-A4: Product- Product carbon applies directly to the extraction and processing of building
materials.
– A5: Construction- Construction carbon is the emissions during the construction phase of
the building.
– B4-B5: Use- In-use embodied carbon concerns the repair, refurbishment, and replacement
of materials and equipment used to keep the building functioning.
– C: End-of-Life- End-of-life embodied carbon emissions concern the processing of the
materials of the building when it has been decommissioned.

▪ Attaching these emissions to the building materials enables an

assessment of the environmental impact of a building.

Source: https://www.hkgreenfinance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Decarbonising-Hong-Kong-Buildings-Policy-Recommendations-and-Next-Steps.pdf

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.10

Operational Carbon in Buildings

▪ Emissions associated with the in-use operation of the building –

powering the HVAC, water, lighting, electrical equipment and vertical
transportation systems such as lifts and escalators – all require energy
from the grid.
▪ Operational emissions, in modules B1-B3 & B6-B7, have been the
focus of building codes and energy certificates.

Carbon intensity of the

local electricity grid
and the energy
efficiency of the
buildings determines
the total operational
emissions of a building
in Hong Kong

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.11

 Carbon Footprinting Schemes

▪ Carbon emission calculations often diverge in terms of boundaries, scope,

GHG units, and methodologies.
– Chau et al. reported that the use of primary or secondary energy is not always explicit
in the carbon footprint calculations
– Some studies have been focusing on particular materials, systems or processes, while
others have reported comparisons of whole building
– Life cycle carbon assessment of buildings has been simplified in several studies, such
as omitting transportation emissions for light materials and short distances, thus
providing only a general picture of GHG emissions

▪ Moreover, each project has its own characteristics, such as climate zone,
building type, and local regulations, that directly affect the total carbon
emissions for each building
– Several embodied emissions sources that may represent a significant share of the
carbon footprint of buildings, such as the transportation of tenants, are often ignored by
most studies.

▪ Comparison of GHG emissions is compromised by the lack of a clear and

consistent methodology
C. Chau, T. Leung, W. Ng. A review on life cycle assessment, life cycle energy assessment and
life cycle carbon emissions assessment on buildings. Appl Energy, 143 (2015), pp. 395-413

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.12

Life-cycle Assessment Methodologies for assessing Carbon
Footprint of Buildings
ISO 14000 environmental management
standard series implemented in the 1990's,
with the 14040-series concentrating on LCA
methodologies.
– Main contribution: four-stage framework
(1) Goal and Scope Definition:
identifies the goals and boundaries, functional
units, and main definitions
(2) Inventory Analysis
collects data about energy and material flows
for each stage of a product life-span
(3) Impact Assessment
classify, aggregate, and characterize several
midpoints and endpoint environmental
impacts by means of weighting and
normalization methodologies
(4) Interpretation
used to interpret results and assist in the
selection of environmentally-friendly products
and to provide project recommendations.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.13

Types of LCA Approaches

▪ In a broad sense, there are three types of LCA approaches:

• Process-Based: Systematic assessment that uses inputs (e.g. materials

and energy) and outputs (e.g. emissions and wastes) for each process of
a product.
– The method is highly encouraged by ISO standards due to its accuracy and detailed process
– Requires extensive data, often from multiple, disparate, and proprietary sources

▪ Economic Input-Output (EIO): This approach was developed to quantify

the direct and indirect emissions of large supply chains, linking the final
demand emissions with input-output economic data of the economic
sector.
– EIO models are generally faster, requiring less efforts and lower costs when the appropriate
databases are available.
– Use of industry averages, production technology assumptions, and outdated data
contributes uncertainty.

▪ Hybrid: combines the advantages of the Process-Based (e.g. process

specificity) and EIO approaches (e.g. completeness)
– Detailed information derived from process-based analysis, while general sector-level
information is provided by input-output methods.
– The level of its accuracy and its respective use is still an active area of research.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.14

Life-cycle Carbon Emission Assessment Standards

▪ LCA has been used to estimate a wide range of impacts based on

established midpoints associated with human health, ecosystem
quality, natural resources, and others.
▪ LCCO2A also referred to as the “carbon footprint analysis”, is a subset
of the complete LCA which focuses only on the CO2 emissions of a
product, activity or process.
▪ Several standards have been developed to increase transparency in
reporting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of products.
▪ However, there is not an internationally accepted method for
measuring, reporting, and verifying potential reductions in GHG
emissions from existing buildings in a consistent and comparable way.
▪ Main standards addressing carbon footprint analysis are PAS 2050,
ISO 14067, GHG Protocol, and the European standards.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.15

PAS 2050:2011

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.16

PAS 2080:2016

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.17

The GHG Protocol

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.18

BSI: Sustainable Contruction

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.19

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032118305069#bib6

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.20

Hong Kong’s Carbon Audit Guidelines

▪ Voluntary and self reporting

▪ Guidelines have been mapped out by

making reference to two well accepted
international protocols:
– “The Greenhouse Gas Protocol – A
Corporate Accounting and
Reporting Standard” of the World
Resources Institute/World Business
Council on Sustainable Development
– International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) 14064-1

▪ Account for emissions and removals from

buildings which are entirely used for
commercial or residential purposes

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.21

“The Greenhouse Gas Protocol – A Corporate
Accounting and Reporting Standard”

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.22

Principles

▪ The users and / or managers of buildings (the reporting entity) should

apply the Guidelines based on the following principles to ensure the
GHG emissions and removals reported are true and fair representation
of the GHG performance of the concerned buildings.

1. RELEVANCE
2. COMPLETENESS
3. CONSISTENCY
4. TRANSPARENCY
5. ACCURACY

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.23

Applicability

▪ The Guidelines are intended primarily to be applied to buildings in

Hong Kong which are entirely used for commercial (including offices,
retails, restaurants, hostels and hotels) and / or residential purposes.
▪ The Guidelines can also be applied to buildings used for institutional
purposes such as schools / universities, community centres, sports
complexes, etc.
▪ However, care should be taken when the Guidelines are applied to
buildings which have GHG emitting activities not commonly found in
normal office or residential environment.
▪ Simplified quantification methodologies and conversion factors in the
Guidelines are not intended to be used for activities associated with
industrial buildings and / or buildings for special purposes because of
the complexities of GHG emitting processes in these buildings.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.24

▪ Guidelines only cover the six types of GHG, viz
– carbon dioxide (CO2),
– methane (CH4),
– nitrous oxide (N2O),
– hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
– perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
– sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), included in the Kyoto Protocol

▪ Since SF6 is not commonly found in normal operations of building

types covered by the Guidelines, no quantification methodology
related to SF6 is provided in the Guidelines.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.25

 “Boundaries” in a GHG inventory

▪ Boundaries: Imaginary lines encompassing the emissions to include in a

company’s GHG inventory

1. Organizational boundaries
 Determine which company operations to include

2. Operational boundaries
 Determine which emissions sources to include
 Determine how to categorize emissions
Scope 3 Scope 1 Scope 1 Scope 1
GHGs GHGs GHGs GHGs

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.26

Physical Boundaries

▪ Reporting entity is encouraged to report on the whole building

concerned in totality as far as practicable.
– However, the reporting entity may elect to exclude specific parts of
the building in the accounting and reporting process because there
are real difficulties in collecting necessary information with respect
to these parts.
– In such cases, the reporting entity should separately cover GHG
emissions and removals of the communal areas of the building
(including centrally provided services and facilities such as central
air conditioning, car parks, etc.) as well as other parts of the
building which it has access to reliable data and information.
▪ Required to give details in the report on the areas, services, facilities
covered and excluded in the accounting process as well as the basis
of allocating emissions / removals

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.27

Operational Boundaries

▪ Emissions (direct and indirect) and removals in relation to the buildings

can be broadly classified into three separate scopes as below-
– Scope 1 – direct emissions and removals
– Scope 2 – energy indirect emissions
– Scope 3 – other indirect emissions

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.28

Why are Operational Boundaries Important?

▪ To determine which sources of emissions to include

▪ To classify sources to avoid double-counting

▪ To provide more useful information to stakeholders

▪ To help manage GHG risks and opportunities along the value chain

Setting Operational Boundaries

▪ Identify emissions associated with operations

▪ Classify emissions as direct or indirect

▪ Categorize the “scope” of emissions

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.29

 Direct and Indirect Emissions

 Direct: emissions from sources owned or controlled by the reporting

company

 Indirect: emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the

reporting company but occur at sources owned or controlled by
another company

Indirect Emissions Direct Emissions Indirect Emissions

Maintenance service Your factory Power plant

(owned by another company) (owned by utility company)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.30

Classifying Emissions: Scopes

Direct Scope 1

Emissions
Scope 2

Indirect
Scope 3

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.31

 Scope 1 Emissions

 Direct GHG emissions from sources a company owns or controls

 Examples:
– Generation of electricity, heat, or steam
– Physical or chemical processing
– Transportation of materials, products, waste, and employees
– Fugitive emissions
 Inclusion in GHG inventory: required
Scope 1
Indirect Emissions Direct Emissions Indirect Emissions

Maintenance service Your factory Power plant

(owned by another company) (owned by utility company)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.32

 Scope 2 Emissions

 Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, steam,

heating and cooling
– For office-based businesses Scope 2 usually most significant
– Can be reduced through energy efficiency and conservation

 Inclusion in GHG inventory: required Scope 2

Indirect Emissions Direct Emissions Indirect Emissions

Maintenance service Your factory Power plant

(owned by another company) (owned by utility company)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.33

Types of differentiated electricity products

 Supplier-specific emission rates

 Energy attribute certificates (GOs, RECs)
 Direct contracts such as power purchase agreements (PPAs), where
other instruments or energy attribute certificates do not exist
 Residual mix (e.g., the emissions rate left after the three other contractual
information items are removed from the system)

New Guidance prompted by changes in electricity markets worldwide:

• Deregulation
• Increase in consumer choice
• New purchasing options and instruments (e.g. certificates)
• More government requirements for sourcing renewable energy
• Growth of the renewable electricity markets

Accounting for purchased electricity should meet 5 GHG Protocol principles:

• Accuracy, Completeness, Consistency, Transparency and Relevance

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.34

Markets with no choice in electricity supply

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.35

Markets with consumer choice

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.36

The two scope 2 calculation methods

Location-based Market-based

What is it? Reflects the average Reflects emissions from

emissions intensity of electricity that
grids on which energy companies have
consumption occurs purposefully chosen (via
bundled or unbundled
certificates)
To which All electricity grids Markets providing
markets does consumer choice of
it apply? differentiated electricity
products or supplier-
specific data

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.37

Pros and cons of the two Scope 2 calculation methods

Pros Cons

Location- • Reflects actual • No incentive to reflect

based generation & distribution purchases or influence
method supply
• Only means of reducing
scope 2 emissions is via
consumption
• Less relevant for making
purchasing decisions
Market- • Better reflects risks & • Voluntary purchasing may
based opportunities associated not impact market (but see
method with supplier portfolios quality criteria)
• More relevant for making
purchasing decisions

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.38

 Scope 3 Emissions

 All other indirect emissions

 Examples:
– Transport in vehicles not owned/controlled by the company
– Energy consumed during customer use of company products
 Inclusion in GHG inventory: optional under Corporate Standard
– Although may be required by some programs
– Required by GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard

Scope 3
Indirect Emissions Direct Emissions Indirect Emissions

Maintenance service Your factory Power plant

(owned by another company) (owned by utility company)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.39

Scopes 1, 2 and 3

Account for and report emissions from each scope separately

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.40
 Determining Scope

 Determined by ownership or control of emission source

 NOT determined by type of emission source

The same emissions

from energy generation
counted as counted as
Scope 1 GHGs Scope 2
by the power by an
plant producing office using
the energy the energy

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.41

Scopes Across the Value Chain

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.42

 Scope 1 – Direct emissions from sources and removals
by sinks
▪ The reporting entity shall quantify and report GHG emissions from sources and
removals by sinks it controls within the physical boundary of the building
concerned.
▪ Scope 1 emissions and removals are principally resulted from the following activities
– Combustion of fuels in stationary sources (excluding electrical equipment) to generate
electricity, heat, or steam. For example: electricity generators, boilers, gas cooking
stoves, etc.
– Combustion of fuels in mobile sources (e.g. motor vehicles and ships) controlled by the
reporting entity and dedicated to the building concerned to transport materials, products,
waste and employees to and / or from the building concerned or used within the physical
boundary of the building. For example, the commuter shuttle bus services operated for
the building.
– Intentional or unintentional GHG releases from equipment and systems. For example:
HFCs and PFCs emissions during the use of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment
and other fugitive emissions.
– Assimilation of CO2 into biomass through e.g. planting of trees in addition to those
already in existence before the operation of the concerned building.
– Any other physical and chemical processing in the physical boundary which will emit or
remove GHG. For example, on-site waste or sewage processing facilities in the building.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.43

Scope 2 – Energy indirect emissions

▪ Reporting entity shall quantify and report GHG emissions from the
generation of purchased electricity and / or Towngas that is consumed
by its controlled equipment or its operations within the physical
building boundary.
▪ Scope 2 emissions include
– Electricity purchased from power companies.
– Towngas purchased from The Hong Kong and China Gas
Company (Towngas).

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.44

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.45
Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions (Optional for
reporting purposes)
▪ Reporting on indirect emissions is optional on the part of the reporting
entity
▪ Encouraged to collect information relevant to the following areas
where simple quantification methodologies have been developed for
Hong Kong situation, and to quantify and report under Scope 3 GHG
emissions
– Methane gas generation at landfill in Hong Kong due to disposal of
paper waste.
– GHG emissions due to electricity used for fresh water processing
by Water Services Department.
– GHG emissions due to electricity used for sewage processing by
Drainage Services Department (if the sewage collected within
physical boundary is treated by the Drainage Services
Department).

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.46

Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions (Optional for
reporting purposes)
▪ Other examples of GHG emissions that the reporting entity may
consider to quantify and to report on include, but not limited to,
emissions arising from the following activities
– Extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels for
sources covered in Scope 1 or for generation of electricity /
Towngas gas covered in Scope 2.
– Transportation of purchased materials or goods, fuels, products,
waste, employees, occupants and guests, to and from the
concerned buildings (other than those covered under Scope 1).
– Business travel by employees.
– Emissions from outsourced activities or other contractual
arrangements.
– Use of sold products and services.
– Waste disposal other than those covered in the above list

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.47

Steps in Identifying and Calculating Emissions

Identify Sources

Select Calculation Approach

Collect Data and Choose Emissions Factors

Apply Calculation Tools

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.48

 Emission Sources Categories

Select Calculation Collect Data & Choose

Identify Sources Apply Calculation Tools
Approach Emissions Factors

▪ Stationary combustion: fuel burned in stationary sources

– Ex: boilers and heaters

▪ Mobile combustion: fuel burned during transportation

– Ex: cars, airplanes, ships

▪ Process emissions: from physical or chemical processes

– Ex: cement calcination, aluminum smelting

▪ Fugitive emissions: intentional and unintentional releases

– Ex: equipment leaks, cooling towers, CH4 from natural gas pipelines, HFCs from air
conditioning and refrigeration

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.49

Identifying Emissions

▪ Process emissions usually only certain industry sectors

– (oil, gas, aluminum, cement, etc.)

Scope 1

▪ Almost all companies purchase electricity

Scope 2

▪ Emissions along value chain

▪ Upstream or downstream of owned operations

Scope 3

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.50

 Calculating Approaches

Select Calculation Collect Data & Choose

Identify Sources Apply Calculation Tools
Approach Emissions Factors

1. Direct measurement: monitor GHG concentration and flow rate, such

as with a filter on an exhaust pipe
– Ex: Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS)

2. Stoichiometric calculation: measure which elements enter and leave

the system
– Ex: Mass balance approach

3. Estimate emissions: multiply activity data (ex: fuel use records) by

appropriate emission factor

most common approach

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.51

Estimating Emissions: Basic Equation

Select Calculation Collect Data & Choose

Identify Sources Apply Calculation Tools
Approach Emissions Factors

=
tonnes of
activity data
x emission factor emissions
(t)

tonnes of Global Warming carbon dioxide

emissions
(t) x Potential
(GWP) = equivalent (CO2e)
of emissions

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.52

 Activity data

activity emission t of t of CO2e of

data x factor = emissions emissions x GWP
= emissions

▪ Activity data: data on an activity resulting in

emissions

▪ Examples:
– Electricity use (kilowatt hours)
– Distance traveled (kilometers)
– Gasoline use (gallons)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.53

Finding Activity Data

▪ Most companies should consult these records:

– Scope 1: purchase records of fuels
– Scope 2: metered electricity consumption record
– Scope 3: Activity data such as fuel use, passenger miles, etc.

▪ Industrial companies should consult sector-specific

guidelines from
– GHG Protocol website
– Industry associations
– Government agencies

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.54

 Emission factors

activity emission t of t of CO2e of

data x factor = emissions emissions x GWP
= emissions

▪ Emission factors convert activity data to emission values

▪ Published by various entities, including government agencies and
intergovernmental organizations
▪ Presented in specific units, e.g.:
– Kilograms of CO2 per air kilometer traveled
– Pounds of CO2 per kWh of electricity
– Kilograms of CO2 per liter of petrol/gasoline

▪ Make sure units match

▪ Use most recent available while maintaining consistency

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.55

Sources of Emission Factors

▪ IPCC

▪ Government agencies

▪ GHG Protocol (in calculation tools)

▪ Sector specific sources:

– WBCSD Sustainable Cement Initiative
– International Petroleum Industry
– International Aluminum Institute

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.56

For calculating scope 2 emissions

▪ For companies with operations only in markets that do not

provide product or supplier-specific data or other contractual
instruments:
– Only one scope 2 figure shall be accounted and reported, based
on the location-based method.

▪ For companies with any operations in markets providing product

or supplier-specific data in the form of contractual instruments
(Currently this includes: EU Economic Area, the US, Australia, most
Latin American countries, Japan, India among others)
– Two scope 2 figures shall be accounted and reported, one for the
market-based method and one for the location-based method.

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.57

 Location-based method

Location-based method emission factor hierarchy

1. Regional or sub-national emission factors

2. National production emission factors

Data forms listed here should convey combustion-only (direct) GHG emission rates, expressed in metric tons per MWh or kWh.
HKGBC #5 BCFA p.58
 Market-based method

(map not representative)

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.59

 Market-based method emission factor hierarchy

1. Electricity attribute certificates or equivalent instruments

2. Contracts for electricity, such as PPAs

3. Supplier/Utility emission rates

4. Residual mix (sub-national or national)

5. Other grid-average emission factors (sub-national or national) see location-based data

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.60

 Global Warming Potential (GWP)

activity emission t of t of CO2e of

data x factor = emissions emissions x GWP
= emissions

▪ Global warming potential (GWP): measure of how much a

greenhouse gas contributes to global warming relative to
CO2

▪ Use GWPs to convert tonnes of a GHG to tonnes of carbon

dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to calculate total emissions using
a common unit

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.61

 GWP Values

▪ Higher GWP = more warming

capacity
GHG GWP
CO2 1
CH4 21
▪ Use to calculate carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO2e) N2O 310
HFCs 140 - 11,700
PFCs 6,500 - 9,200
▪ Source: IPCC Assessment SF6 23,900
Reports Source: IPCC, 2006
– Choose 2nd or 5th Assessment
Report values
HKGBC #5 BCFA p.62
 Example: Transportation Emissions
▪ How would you calculate the CO2 emissions from travel in company-owned
vehicles?

Find activity data Find emission factor Calculate

Consult fuel purchase records Consult GHGP Multiply activity data by emission
or miles traveled by vehicles emission factors factor

activity data emission factor t of emissions

100 liters of gasoline
x 0.0023 t CO2/liter = 0.23 t CO2

t of emissions GWP CO2e of emissions

x 1 = 0.23 t CO2e

Find GWP value Calculate

Multiply t of emissions
GHG GWP by GWP
CO2 1

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.63

 Example: Electricity Emissions
(location-based method)
How would you calculate the CH4 (methane) emissions from use of purchased electricity?

Find activity data Find emission factor Calculate

Consult electricity bill Consult GHGP Multiply activity data by emission
emission factors factor

activity data Emission factor t of emissions

1,000 GWh of electricity
x 0.039 t CH4/GWh = 39 t CH4

t of emissions GWP CO2e of emissions

x 21 = 819 t CO2e

Find GWP value Calculate

Multiply t of emissions by GWP
GHG GWP
CO2 21

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.64

Example: Electricity Emissions
(market-based method)
How would you calculate the CO2 emissions from use of purchased electricity?

Find activity data Identify contractual Calculate

Consult electricity bill Multiply activity data by emission
instruments factor

activity data Emission factor t of emissions

1,000 GWh of electricity
x 0 t CO2/GWh = 0 t CH4

t of emissions GWP CO2e of emissions

x 1 = 0 t CO2e

Find GWP value Calculate

Multiply t of emissions by GWP
GHG GWP
CO2 1

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.65

 GHG Protocol Calculation Tools

Select Calculation Collect Data & Choose

Identify Sources Apply Calculation Tools
Approach Emissions Factors

▪ GHG Protocol emissions calculation tools publicly available

▪ http://www.ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools
– use not mandatory but encouraged

▪ Advantages of tools:
– Easier calculation
– Reviewed by industry experts
– Regularly updated
– Best available

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.66

Carbon Audit: Reporting

Required Optional

Company Description and Emissions and

Inventory Boundary Performance Information

Emissions Information Offsets Information

Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.67

Whole Life-cycle Carbon Footprint must not ignore stages

▪ GHG protocol not stringent

enough
▪ Carbon footprint analysis is the
total amount of GHG emissions
occurring during the building life
cycle stages
– Not recommended to have
scope 3 optional
▪ All aspects of the system
boundary must be accounted for
in a systematic manner.
– Product stage
– Construction stage
– Use stage
– End-of-life stage

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.68

Next lecture we will continue the discussion on the following:

▪ What are the distribution of

carbon emissions in each
building life-cycle phase?
▪ Closer look at previous CFP
studies from different regions.
– Case studies

▪ Carbon offsetting and trading

▪ Role of advanced digital

technologies for Building
Carbon Footprint Analysis.
– BIM-LCA
– Blockchain applications

HKGBC #5 BCFA p.69