When to make estimates
Primary data is essential for high-quality carbon footprints and is preferred by all common standards and guidelines. Therefore, companies should aim to gather primary data on consumption and emission factors.
When primary data is unavailable, you can estimate it. Estimates though should be a temporary solution: if you cannot collect the primary data this year, try obtaining it in the future to enhance data quality. Data collection is an iterative process and estimates should be refined over time.
A common example is co-working and other shared spaces where tenants do not see their electricity and heat consumption but pay a monthly rent that includes everything. In such cases, the landlord may be able to provide consumption data if requested.
Making good estimations
While estimates are not as reliable as primary data, they need to be done with care. Keep these points in mind:
Use high-quality sources e.g., governmental statistics
Be as specific as possible e.g., country-specific rather than global values
Use the most recent data available
Use proxies that are meaningful, available and stable e.g. floor space
Apply estimates with caution and check results for plausibility
Document your sources and assumptions
At the same time, you should be pragmatic. It does not make sense to invest much time into an approach that will ultimately remain a fallback solution.
How to enter estimations
To provide estimated consumption data, follow these steps when creating a new data entry:
General information section:
Select the appropriate Emission source, which you want to estimate.
Set the 'Start date' and 'End date' for the period you are estimating.
Consumption details section:
In the 'Consumption amount' field, enter your estimated consumption amount.
Uncheck the 'This is primary data' checkbox to indicate that the figures entered are based on estimates and not on direct measurements or invoiced amounts.
Fill all other fields as usual