Autodesk develops comprehensive emissions reductions software

C-FACT methodology addresses direct emissions as well as indirect emissions such as business travel, leased facilities, employee commuting, major conferences, and data center vendors.

By David Greenfield November 23, 2009

Autodesk, Inc., a provider of 2D and 3D design, engineering andentertainment software, has developed a new methodology for corporategreenhouse gas (GHG) target setting, called the Corporate Finance Approach toClimate-Stabilizing Targets (C-FACT). The software was initially designed toalign Autodesk’s own GHG reduction targets with global scientific and policyclimate stabilization targets.

C-FACT is said to be more science-driven, business-friendly, and transparentthan current methodologies being used by most companies in that it accounts notjust for direct emissions, but also for a wide range of indirect emissionsincluding business travel, leased facilities, employee commuting, majorconferences, and data center vendors.

Autodesk’s C-FACT takes the 2008 BT Climate Stabilization Intensitymodel a step further by changing the measure of added value to be universallyacceptable by any accounting system, and it introduces new mathematicalprinciples that allow it to be:

  • Proportional, replicableand verifiable: Corporate commitments should be proportional to thecompany’s value to the economy, while holding performance accountable withreplicable and verifiable information.
  • Non-prescriptive, flexible,and predictable : Allows individual business units to make decisionsand commit to targets; adapts to short-term deviations from the targettrajectory; provides predictable forecasting for incorporation intobusiness planning and optimization of cost-savings.
  • Compatible and fair: Compatible with generally accepted corporate finance principles and fairto companies of all sizes, GHG footprints, and growth prospects.

Autodesk has committed to C-FACT through 2020, as well as performancereports against the stated target at the close of each fiscal year (FY). Usingthe new methodology calculation to set targets for FY10, Autodesk will aim toreduce its absolute emissions by 4.52% compared to FY09, translating to 3,756metric tons of GHG.

Between FY08 and FY09, Autodesk’s total GHG footprint increased by 1%. Thisabsolute increase in emissions was accompanied by a significant increase incontribution to gross domestic product (GDP), so Autodesk’s carbon intensityper unit of added value dropped. Carbon intensity also dropped per employee (9%)and per square foot (5%) between those two years.

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– Edited by David Greenfield , editorial director
Control Engineering Sustainable Engineering News Desk