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Carbon footprint TS5 post cage

Kuipers, N.J.A. (2012) Carbon footprint TS5 post cage.

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Abstract:The recent 2011 international climate conference in Durban, South Africa, ended with intense discussion about new global climate goals. Nevertheless, companies integrating more and more environmental practices into their business strategies to set their own climate goals and to respond to the rising customer consciousness in eco-friendliness. One of the practices used to achieve this is greenhouse gas (GHG) calculation, also known as Carbon Footprint calculation. The GHG calculation has the goal to calculate the amount of GHG emissions associated with an entire organization or product. This research has the goal to develop a GHG inventory for a small and medium enterprise (SME) located in New Zealand. First, the motivating factors for starting environmental practices are examined and the barriers for SMEs that keep them from action. This is followed by research in the area of GHG accounting through the review of well known standards of the GHG Protocol, which is a multi-stakeholder partnership of business, governments and non-governmental organizations. Two possible levels of GHG accounting are described; at either corporate or product level. Corporate level accounting has the aim to calculate all the GHG emissions of a company’s operations and facilities within a certain border. This can be applied through either manufacture or fully office-based companies. Product level accounting has the aim to calculate the GHG emissions of a product life cycle and as a result it gives the carbon impact or footprint of the studied product. The case study explores the proposed method within the case enterprise Master Maintenance Services. During the study the Carbon Footprint of one of their products is calculated, the New Zealand post cage TS5. The study covers the entire life cycle of the post cage, from raw material extraction up to disposal of the cage’s components. This is visualized in a process map which acts as guidance through the GHG inventory assessment. Finally, the total product Carbon Footprint is calculated and emissions hotspots are appointed. Concluding, the lessons learned from preparing the GHG inventory and associated barriers are discussed in relation with a possible SME-friendly GHG calculation tool. This tool may have the ability to motivate SMEs to start GHG accounting as a first environmental practice.
Item Type:Internship Report (Bachelor)
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:52 mechanical engineering
Programme:Mechanical Engineering BSc (56966)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/63928
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