EcoCost is our in house ecological
impact evaluation system that allows us to
place a comparable accurate
environmental copst on materials processes for use in our work
The mathematics is a bit daunting at
first glance but rational on following it through.
The EcoCost
Algorithm
EcoCost= La+To+Ec+Td+b + Re x RE
Longevity
Expressed in Gaia units as a proportion of the planetary capacity
Where
La =
S Land Degradation Evaluations
To =
S Toxic Output Impact Evaluations
Ec = Energy
Consumption x Energy Production EcoCost
Td
=
Transport Distance x Transport EcoCost
b = Itinerant
Impacts
Re = Recycled / Reused
proportion factor
ReE =
EcoCost of recycled / reused portion.
Longevity
= Life of material .
Expected Building Life
and
i) Energy Production
EcoCost = LaE + ToE + CeE
Where
LaE* =
S Land Degradation caused by
energy production and fuel per MJ
ToE*
= S Toxic Output Impact engendered in
energy production per MJ
CeE = Capital EcoCost of Production Plant,
amortised over life
that is ;
S Land Degradation + SToxic Output
Impact
Life of Plant (expressed in MJ
Output)
* Both the
land area degradation and toxic cost should include the gaining of the raw material, processing and transport to
the generating facility, for the fuel source.
ii Transport
EcoCost = Td x
S ( LaT + ToT
+ CeT + CeI)
Where Td
= Transport distances
for each transport type
LaT = S Land Degradation caused by fuel
procurement and operation
ToT =
S Toxic Output Impact of transporting motivator per tonne km
CeT = Capital
EcoCost of Transporting motivator per tonne km
that is ;
SLand Degradation
+ SToxic Output Impact
Life of Vehicle (expressed in tonne km)
CeI = Capital Infrastructure EcoCost, amortised over life per tonne
km
that is;
SLand Degradation
+ SToxic Output Impact
Life of Infrastructure (expressed in tonne passes)
iii) Itinerant
Impacts, b, is determined from a series of sub-algorithms for each particular case
iv) The Recycled / Reused Factor, Re, is a
percentage of the recycled / reused portion of total consumed.
Re =
1 - % recycled / reused
Re =
1 - Quantity
of Recycled Material Used
Total Quantity Used
v) The
EcoCost of the recycled / reused fraction (ReE) is found as a
subroutine of the EcoCost equation
|