Material and carbon footprint calculation
Material, nature, and carbon footprint calculations are the core competences of our organisation. We advise both public and private sectors on sustainable development. Our consultancy services are based on material and carbon calculations, which are used to develop practical and strategic solutions to challenges such as the circular economy and climate change.
When change is the goal
Climate friendliness has become a buzzword in the business world, as low-carbon products and services gain attention from investors, appreciation from customers and an edge in an ever-tightening regulatory environment. Most importantly, however, is knowing that you are part of the change that will make the planet a viable place for future generations. That's why at D-mat we focus on ensuring that the information and solutions we provide are not only accurate, but also holistic.
Carbon footprint
The carbon footprint is the total life-cycle climate emissions of a product or service around the world. To calculate the climate burden of a product, it is not enough to look at direct emissions or a geographically limited area, but also to include the energy used in manufacturing, emissions from the consumption of natural resources and the climate impact of waste management.
Material footprint
The material footprint measures the consumption of natural resources. The material footprint shows how much non-renewable and renewable resources are consumed over the life cycle in the form of erosion to produce products, services and lifestyles. The material footprint does not include emissions to the atmosphere or the environment. The greenhouse gases calculated in the carbon footprint are therefore not included in the material footprint.
Nature footprint
The nature footprint measures the overall impact, i.e. the damage caused, on the nature's biodiversity. Biodiversity loss is a global threat and a consequence of human activity. Unlike with the material footprint, the calculation of the nature footprint also includes greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.
Flow Festival 2022: Material and carbon footprint calculation
We have launched together with Flow Festival Ltd. a research project that will produce a customized material- and carbon footprint budgeting tool for the event industry. In the first phase, we calculated the material and carbon footprint for Flow Festival 2022 in addition to creating sustainable solutions on how the festival could reduce both of its footprints. The Flow Impacts research report is available in our publications.
Calculator development
We have developed and been involved in the development of material and carbon footprint calculations for a wide range of companies, organisations and events. The content and purpose of the calculation varies depending on the client's needs and the calculator’s end use. In addition to strategic planning, the calculation can be used for environmental reporting and as a basis for compensation. We have developed calculators for households with a focus on user-friendliness, calculators that automatically calculate carbon footprints from purchase data, as well as calculators for products, events and entire industries.
Our expertise in developing footprint calculators includes:
- Conceptual design of the calculator, including e.g. the selection of consumption sub-categories to be calculated and research questions
- Background calculations for the calculator
- Expertise based on research and user data on sustainable lifestyles and their challenges
- Calculating the impact of sustainable lifestyle actions
Enfuce: My Carbon Action
We co-developed the My Carbon Action lifestyle carbon footprint calculator for banks and businesses. Based on payment transactions, the model automatically calculates the carbon footprint of each of its users' purchases using country-specific data and helps illustrate to consumers the carbon footprint of their purchases - and therefore their lifestyles. The calculator also provides country-specific low-carbon actions that consumers can implement to reduce their carbon footprint.