Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring (ECAM) Tool
Quick guide
The Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring (ECAM) Tool assesses greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption or intensity of the urban water cycle that are within the operational boundaries of water and wastewater companies to highlight GHG emission reduction opportunities and prepare utilities for future reporting needs on climate mitigation.
ECAM is a free web-based tool that was developed to be consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and peer-reviewed literature. It offers a transparent and sound approach for emission calculation within the water sector. ECAM helps link Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of mitigation actions in the water sector to the national level.
ECAM follows a tiered approach:
Tier A (Initial GHG Assessment) helps utilities understand their overall energy usage and total GHG emissions at system-wide level (drinking water and wastewater). Data that is readily known or accessible by utility managers and operators is used and allows a first look at the potential opportunities that exist for reducing GHG emissions.
Tier B (Detailed GHG Assessment) looks at energy use and GHG emissions at the individual stage level of the urban water cycle (i.e. abstraction, drinking water treatment, distribution, collection, wastewater treatment), providing utilities with a more thorough assessment of their GHG emissions and energy usage. It helps utilities identify areas of improvement and evaluate solutions and scenarios for developing a feasible carbon reduction strategy in line with their current and future needs.
Result
ECAM provides the opportunity to develop scenarios and model reduction impacts of future measures as well as monitor the GHG reduction results after their implementation. It is the first of its kind to allow for a holistic approach of the urban water cycle to drive GHG emission reduction in utilities. ECAM is a powerful tool for funding proposals to include a thorough monitoring of GHG reductions associated to the funded project. It is also powerful in preparing your utility now for future regulatory changes and mandatory reporting on GHG emissions.