Location: USA
Year: 2012
Objective: Identify strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ computers equipment.
Institutions involved: University of Maryland, PricewaterhouseCoopers USA.
Results: Environmental life cycle assessment of the computer equipment. The quantity and type of equipment used by the company was determined, and the environmental impact of its production was estimated based on information provided by suppliers and scientific studies. The transport and distribution value chain were mapped to determine types of transport, fuel and distances. Equipment’s lifetime and energy consumption was estimated. The equipment’s carbon footprint was calculated and an estimation tool was developed so that the company knew how the footprint could be reduced by modifying the factors that affect it.