Tools / Training

SAHF Multifamily Portfolio Carbon Emissions Calculator

July 27, 2023 – Version 1.3.6 Update: The Calculator has expanded years available for calculating annual carbon emissions to 2016-2022. The new version also contains an updated tab to use in conjunction with the SAHF Roadmap. SAHF recommends all users downloading and using this new version.

The SAHF Multifamily Portfolio Carbon Emissions Calculator ("the Calculator") allows multifamily portfolio owners to calculate their annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in CO2 equivalent ("carbon emissions"). The Calculator was created to allow multifamily portfolio owners understand their carbon emissions baseline based on actual and estimated data, providing them with the first step of the journey to measurable carbon reductions.  

The Calculator: 

  • Quantifies annual Scope 1 Direct and Scope 2 Indirect carbon emissions from property-level energy and water data 
  • Provides annual carbon emissions for 2016 through 2020 
  • Allows for the import of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager data 
  • Aligns with the DOE Better Climate Challenge baseline calculation protocols 

The Calculator allows for users to import data from ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or provide data from other sources. For properties with incomplete utility data (e.g. properties that do not have access to resident utility data), the Calculator provides estimated carbon emissions based on a calculated baseline using aggregated actual utility data from similarly located multifamily housing properties.

The Calculator will be easiest to use and most accurate for portfolio owners that have been collecting energy data for most or all properties for at least a year. The Calculator can be used by portfolio owners that have only some or even no properties that have energy data, but the results will then be based on an assumed baselines and are estimates only. As the number of properties using this assumed baseline increases, the accuracy of the Calculator's results decreases.  

The Calculator was developed with the intention of being used by multifamily portfolio owners of all sizes and capacities. To support broad use, SAHF has designed the Calculator to be accessible to users with versions of Excel after 2007. However, because this tool was developed in Excel 2021, users with prior versions will be able to produce accurate results, but may notice some reduced functionality.

SAHF would like to thank Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation for their generous support in development of the Calculator and accompanying resources. 

SAHF Multifamily Portfolio Carbon Emissions Calculator

SAHF Calculator Example

SAHF Calculator Detailed Instructions

Video tutorial

If you have feedback, please send comments via email to [email protected].

 

Published 2023

Topic Decarbonization, Environmental Sustainability

Type Tools / Training

Source SAHF

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