TISED Newsletter 

Software

Carbon Accounting/Bilan Carbon

Carbon accounting refers generally to processes undertaken to "measure" amounts of carbon dioxide equivalents emitted by an entity. It is used inter alia by nation states, corporations and individuals. (Source:Wikipedia)

For example, Canada’s forest carbon reporting system (nrcan.gc.ca).

Online tools:
Personal “Bilan Carbone”: http://www.calculateurcarbone.org/ (French)
Persona Carbon Footprint Calculator: http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)/ Analyse du cycle de vie (ACV)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool for the systematic evaluation of the environmental aspects of a product or service system through all stages of its life cycle. LCA provides an adequate instrument for environmental decision support. Reliable LCA performance is crucial to achieve a life-cycle economy. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a world-wide federation of national standards bodies, has standardized this framework within the series ISO 14040 on LCA.(Source: unep.org) (See also: epa.gov)

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)

Life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is a method for assessing the total cost of facility ownership. It takes into account all costs of acquiring, owning, and disposing of a building or building system. (See also: wbdg.org)

Material Flux Analysis (MFA)

In some cases, the understanding and knowledge about the material fluxes within the system or between the system and its environment are crucial for case analysis and management. In the ETH-UNS case studies, material fluxes of energy, substances, goods, products, waste, and emissions within the case region and between the case region and other compartments often create a simplified basic quantitative model. 

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental assessment is a process to predict environmental effects of proposed initiatives before they are carried out. An environmental assessment is a planning and decision-making tool. The objectives of an environmental assessment are to minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects before they occur and to incorporate environmental factors into decision making. (Source: Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, canada.ca)

For more info about Canadian Environmental Act, 2012, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environmental-assessment-agency/corporate/acts-regulations/legislation-regulations/canadian-environmental-assessment-act-2012.html)

Phase I/II Environment Site Assessment (ESA)

Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) address contaminated property issues which are prevalent concerns for parties involved in such activities as Property Transfer Evaluations (PTE) and construction on undeveloped land. Environmental Site Assessments generally are performed in two stages, Phase I and Phase II, with remediation following if deemed necessary following the completion of both phases. (Source:pollutechgroup.com)

 

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