This article outlines the differences in scope emission definitions between Measurabl's Portfolio Trends, Measurabl's Data Quality Report, GRESB, and CDP.
The calculations for carbon emissions are based on the data provided to us regarding site utility consumption and tenant utility consumption. Carbon emissions are typically divided into three categories called scopes:
- Scope 1 emissions are emissions from fuels that are burned onsite, such as natural gas or fuel oil.
- Scope 2 emissions are emissions from fuels that are burned offsite to deliver energy to your building, including emissions from electricity and district usage.
- Scope 3 emissions in Measurabl are downstream tenant emissions.
Measurabl uses the GHG Protocol methodology. The sources of emission factors we use include eGRID, US EPA, Environment Canada, and IEA. To see how carbon emissions are calculated and emission factor assignments, check out this article.
Measurabl Portfolio/Subgroup Trends
- Scope 1 emissions include those generated by usage from fuel meters assigned to whole building, common area, or exterior.
- Scope 2 emissions include those generated by usage from electric and district meters assigned to whole building, common area, or exterior.
- Scope 3 emissions include those generated by usage from all energy meters assigned to tenant spaces.
- Note: The “Paid By” field on meters is not used to determine Emissions scope because Measurabl uses the Operational Control method, not the Financial Control method, to bucket emissions by scope.
GRESB
Same as the Portfolio/Subgroup Trends, as described above.
- Note: If an asset is set to “tenant-controlled” in the Measurabl GRESB module, ALL emissions will be included under Scope 3 emissions, and do not contribute to Scope 1 nor Scope 2.
- Setting a building to “tenant-controlled” in the Measurabl GRESB module will override any common area or paid-by landlord meters in Measurabl. As such, all energy use will go to scope three.
Measurabl Data Quality Report
- Scope 1 is based on all direct (fuel) meters that are assigned to common area, tenant-paid by-landlord, and whole site.
- Scope 2 is based on all indirect (electric/district) meters that are assigned to common area, tenant-paid by-landlord, and whole site.
- Scope 3 is based on all “paid by tenant” meters.
- Note: If all fuel/electric/district meters are set to “paid by tenant,” they will contribute to scope 3 emissions, and no scope 1/2 emissions will be reported.
CDP
Same as the Data Quality Report, as described above.
- Scope 1 is based on all direct (fuel) meters assigned to common areas or landlord-controlled sites with whole building meters.
- Scope 2 is based on all indirect (electric/district) meters assigned to common areas or landlord-controlled sites with whole building meters.
- Scope 3 is based on energy use from tenant spaces paid by tenant.
- Note: If an asset has an energy meter that is assigned to a tenant space and is paid by-landlord, it will get listed in Scope 1 or 2. Emissions from meters assigned to paid by-tenant will be aggregated in the Scope 3 table in the Measurabl CDP Module (Reports > CDP Module > Data Summary > Carbon Emissions).