EF Customization Management

Last updated 19 days ago

EF Customization Management allows you to create emission factors (EF) specific to your organization and use them in your calculation processes.
This section enables the manual definition of EF values that are not available in the system or that are unique to your company, project, or supplier.

For example:

  • If you have a specific emission factor obtained from a supplier,

  • If you want to add an EF value derived from an LCA study into the system,

  • Or if you have combined different global/local emission factors to create a new one,
    you can define these customized EFs through this module.

To access this section:
Go to Settings → GHG Calculation Settings → EF Customization Management tab.

Creating a New Emission Factor

To add a new EF, click the + Create New Emission Factor button on the page.
Two different creation methods will appear: Standard and Advanced.

1. Creating a Standard EF

The Standard method is used when you want to enter a single value expressed only in CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent).

Steps:

  1. Activity Name: Enter the name or definition of the EF you want to create.
    (For example: “Natural Gas,” “Road Freight Transport,” “Office Electricity Consumption” etc.)

  2. Category Selection: Select the relevant GHG category for your activity from the dropdown menu.
    (e.g., “Fuels,” “Road Freight,” “Electricity” etc.)

  3. Reference: Specify the source of the EF.
    (e.g., Defra, IPCC, Ecoinvent, or Company-Specific)

  4. Reference Year: Select the year to which the EF belongs.

  5. Unit Type and Unit:

    • First, select the unit type (e.g., Energy, Volume, Distance).

    • Then select the specific unit (e.g., L, m³, kg, km).

  6. EF CO₂e:
    Enter your emission factor in CO₂e (kgCO₂e or tCO₂e).

  7. GHG Mapping:
    Define in which scope and sub-category the EF will be used.
    You can see categories under Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3.
    (Example: Scope 3.1 Purchased Goods and Services)
    After making your selection, click Save Selected Scopes.

  8. Description (Optional):
    Add notes or explanations related to the EF if needed.

  9. Save:
    After completing all fields, click Save to add the EF to the system.

For all EFs created using the Standard method, the default data quality level (Tier) is automatically assigned as Tier 3 by the system.

2. Creating an Advanced EF

The Advanced method is used for defining emission factors that include multiple greenhouse gas components (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) or require additional details such as regional or data quality classifications.

Steps:

  1. Activity Name: Enter the name or definition of the EF you want to create.
    (For example: “Natural Gas,” “Road Freight Transport,” “Office Electricity Consumption” etc.)

  2. Category Selection: Select the relevant GHG category for your activity from the dropdown menu.
    (e.g., “Fuels,” “Road Freight,” “Electricity” etc.)

  3. Reference: Specify the source of the EF.
    (e.g., Defra, IPCC, Ecoinvent, or Company-Specific)

  4. Reference Year: Select the year to which the EF belongs.

  5. Unit Type and Unit:

    • First, select the unit type (e.g., Energy, Volume, Distance).

    • Then select the specific unit (e.g., L, m³, kg, km).

  6. Emission Factors

    • In this section, you can input data based on the greenhouse gas components available to you:

    • If you have separate values for CH₄, CO₂, and N₂O, enter them individually in the corresponding fields.

    • When these values are entered, the system automatically calculates the CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) based on the selected GWP report version.

    • If you only have a CO₂e value, you can enter just that to perform your calculations.

  7. Assessment Report Version

    • Select the GWP (Global Warming Potential) report version that determines the conversion factors used in the emission calculation.

    • For example: AR4, AR5, or AR6.
      The system automatically converts CH₄ and N₂O values into CO₂e according to the selected version.

  8. Data Quality (Tier)

    • Specify the data reliability level (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3).

    • By default, Tier 3 is displayed in the Advanced section but can be changed by the user.

  9. GHG Mapping

    • Define in which scope and sub-category the EF will be used.

    • You can see categories under Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. (Example: Scope 3.1 Purchased Goods and Services)

    • After making your selection, click Save Selected Scopes.

  10. Description (Optional)

    • Add notes or explanations related to the EF if necessary.

  11. Save

    • After completing all required fields, click Save to add the EF to the system.

Viewing and Managing Created EFs

At the bottom of the page, the Results Table lists all custom emission factors that have been added to the system.
Each row includes the following information:

  • Activity Name

  • Category

  • Reference and Year

  • Report Version

  • Region

  • Unit

  • Options

Editing a Custom EF

You can edit your created emission factors at any time.

  1. In the Results Table, click the “...” (three dots) icon on the right-hand side of the EF you wish to modify.

  2. Select Edit from the dropdown menu.

  3. The EF creation form will open, pre-filled with the selected record’s data.

    • You can edit both Standard and Advanced EFs using the same form.

    • Update relevant fields such as reference year, unit type, EF value, or description.

  4. After making your updates, click Save.

  5. The updated data will automatically be reflected in the Results Table.

Every time an EF is edited, the system automatically refreshes the record and updates it across all relevant calculation modules.

Deleting a Custom EF

Custom EFs added to the system can be permanently deleted when necessary.

  1. In the Results Table, click the “...” (three dots) icon on the right-hand side of the EF you wish to delete.

  2. Select Delete from the dropdown menu.

  3. The system will display a confirmation window:
    “Are you sure you want to delete this emission factor? This action cannot be undone.”

  4. Click Delete to confirm and permanently remove the EF from the system.

Deleted emission factors cannot be restored. Once deleted, they can no longer be used in calculations and must be recreated if needed.

Filtering and Searching

Use the filter panel on the left side of the page to search by:

  • Category

  • Reference

  • Reference Year

  • Report Version

  • Region

  • Unit

You can also use the Search field at the top to quickly find EFs by activity name.

Custom emission factors alone do not enable calculations. To use these factors in your calculations, they must be added to the relevant calculation profiles under the GHG Profile Management section.
Once added, custom EFs become active within those profiles and are included in emission calculations. For more details, please refer to the GHG Profile Management guide.