All the relevant environmental and greenhouse gas emission standards and guidelines have been brought together to make it easy for you to calculate and report your environmental footprint. Ecounting has been developed consistent with the relevant international and local standards and guidelines as outlined below.
The environmental indicators included in Ecounting have been based on the Global Reporting Initiative (G3).
The energy and greenhouse data, calculations and reports in Ecounting are consistent with:
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition) prepared by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WRI/WBCSD).
Greenhouse gases - Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals (ISO 14064-1:2006) prepared by the International Standards Organisation.
National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors prepared by the Australian Department of Climate Change (superseding the Factors and Methods Workbook December 2006 prepared by the Australian Greenhouse Office, Australian Government Department of Climate Change).
Various supporting documents such as the Calculation Tools for the service sector developed to support The Greenhouse Gas Protocol and the Emissions Calculator Spreadsheet developed for use by members of the Greenhouse Challenge (by the Australian Greenhouse Office, Australian Government Department of the Climate Change), have also been incorporated into the development of Ecounting.
To provide accurate calculation of greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas emissions factors for each emissions source and each geographical location have been obtained from the relevant government sources. For Australia, emissions factors have been obtained from the National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors prepared by the Australian Department of Climate Change (the Factors and Methods Workbook December 2006 prepared by the Australian Greenhouse Office, Australian Government Department of Climate Change).
When indicators, calculations, reports, emission factors and other methodological factors are revised and updated, Ecounting will incorporate these changes to ensure maintenance of best practice. Users will be notified of any changes and updates.
More detailed information on methodology is contained within the Ecounting User Manual available to registered users.