The calculations, the nitty-gritty & the data.

Calculating the carbon footprint of businesses is a complex and evolving science. We take care of the maths behind this. Our method is accurate, quick and designed to work for you.
How we measured.

Nearly everything has a carbon footprint, so measuring the exact carbon footprint of what you sell could be a lifetime's work. With the climate crisis, we do not have the time. So we have made assumptions to measure the carbon footprint of everything that goes into a holiday.

This is normal practice in the carbon-calculating world, but at ecollective, we go a step further. Many companies make too-simple assumptions or use unreliable data, resulting in scores that are not as accurate as they could be. We do not do that.


The devil is in the detail.

The below section is long and detailed but just a small snapshot of what we do. However, for us, this is so important as the devil is almost always in the detail.

 
"Using ecollective to accurately measure our footprint was quick, easy and set us up to add more products.”

Mark Wright - Managing Director of Natural Britain & The Adventure Connection

A small excerpt from our accommodation methodology

The study provides carbon emissions for 1 night’s stay in accommodation based on an average occupancy rate determined by the tour operator. All accommodation carbon scores are based on kilograms of CO2e emitted per room per night.
To calculate the carbon footprint per room per night we have included the following:
  • Hotel occupancy rates, meaning that hotels with relatively low or high occupancy rates during the time of the study will have a score that reflects an accurate per room carbon emission score. We know that a hotel with a 20% occupancy will have a lower energy requirement than the same hotel with 100% occupancy and have factored this into the calculation.
  • We have assumed that energy requirements remain the same throughout the year and that the carbon emission per room in the summer is the same as in the winter. We have asked for annual energy usage when possible in order to average this out.
  • To calculate the emissions, we have asked for all fuel and energy usage at the property. This includes electricity, gas, oil, petrol, diesel and a few more. These quantities are then converted into their estimated carbon emissions based on conversion factors provided by DEFRA, with the exception of electricity.
  • The carbon footprint of the electricity used at the accommodation is determined by the number of kWh used and the fuel mix of the energy provider. When the fuel mix of the energy provider is unknown, the national average fuel mix for that country is used.
  • If exact quantities of the electricity or fuel amounts are unknown we have applied average fuel and electricity rates for hotels within that country to calculate the total emissions per room.
  • We have factored water use based on the quantity and source of water.
  • When laundry requirements are outsourced, an additional carbon footprint is added to the calculations to account for this.
  • A food calculation has been included in the total footprint based on the typical board basis multiplied by the average carbon footprint of a meal. When food is known to be locally sourced this is reflected in the calculation with the carbon footprint reduced depending on the quantity of locally sourced food. This reduction will never be more than 50% of the total carbon footprint of a typical meal.
  • When primary data is half completed we have used a mixture of primary data and secondary data to calculate the total score. For example, if a supplier has provided us with electricity data but not gas data as it is unknown. We have calculated the emissions from their electricity and applied the industry average emissions from gas use based on their property type.


    • Striving to get better

    Year on year we improve the accuracy of our work but it is still not perfect. If you have any feedback or would like to know more about our methodology, do not hesitate to get in touch. We are fully transparent. and recognise the need for collaboration in order to fight the climate crisis. Email info@ecollectivetravel.com

    Get in the loop.

    If you like what you see and want to learn more, join our email list. It is hugely appreciated.


    A Case for Sustainability.

    "ecollective gave us the data and know-how to bring our mission to life. They delivered in spades."
    Ravi, Co-founder Oliver's Travels

    "The good news is, that businesses don't have to make a choice between profitability and having a bigger purpose."
    James Thornton, CEO Intrepid

    "Traditional certification companies are not designed for tailor-made tour operators. ecollective provided a bespoke solution."
    Ben Morison, Director of Far & Wild

    See some of our work
    Making progress with us is easy. Let's get started.
    Book a demo