CO2e Calculator

Calculate carbon equivalents and offsets for your production using official figures

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CO₂e Estimate |

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Carbon Summary

Total CO₂e	kg
Offsets	kg
Net CO₂e	kg

Calculated based on data input by the production

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Production Details

Heads Up!

If you make any environmental or sustainability claims about your production, UK legislation now requires that your methodology, calculations, and assumptions be transparent, evidence-based, and open to audit and scrutiny. Since April 2025, The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act means that companies found to be making misleading environmental claims (‘greenwashing’) can face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover, or £300,000 - whichever is greater.

It doesn't matter whether the calculations are done by you or by a third party - you must be able to produce, justify, and defend your workings in full. See the Green Claims Code for more information.

Tell me about...

How the numbers are calculated

What I need to include

This calculator uses UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting.

The UK government mandates certain businesses report their energy use and carbon emissions annually, primarily through the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework. This requirement applies to larger UK companies, publicly-listed companies, and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) meeting certain criteria. The SECR framework aims to promote energy efficiency and increase transparency for investors and stakeholders, and the figures generated in this report align with SECR requirements.

There are seven principal GHGs in the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃).

The values used in the calculation of CO₂e are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) so the Conversion Factors are consistent with current national and international reporting requirements. The factors we use calculate the combined emissions for all relevant GHGs, which are then converted into kg CO₂e per unit activity. Also SECR only requires TTW (Tank To Wheel) or direct combustion emissions, not indirect 'Well To Tank' emissions, so that's what we've used throughout.

To help you accurately report your CO₂e, we'll automatically allocate emissions to the relevant 'scopes' provided for in the legislation. This is painless, all happens in the background and will be detailed on the final spreadsheet that's emailed to you.

However, sometimes we need a little more information to do this accurately - for example we may ask you to estimate the proportion of fuel used in company-owned vehicles vs those owned or operated by freelancers or subcontractors. This doesn't affect the amount of CO₂e - it's the same - it's just where it's allocated to when you generate the report.

You need to consider the whole production lifecycle when entering your data.

The Green Claims Code requires that environmental claims reflect the major impacts across the entire process: from pre-production through post, distribution and disposal, not just the shoot itself. This includes energy use, travel, materials, catering, waste, and any relevant promotional or delivery activities.

If some elements are unknown or out of scope, that’s fine; just be transparent. Be clear about which stages are included, and if you're excluding lifecycle stages, make this explicit: UK guidance (including the Green Claims Code) requires that sustainability claims do not mislead by omitting significant emissions or activities. For example the last two stages listed below (distribution / exhibition and end of life) are often ignored, but the Green Claims Code requires material parts of the lifecycle not to be hidden or downplayed.

Key Lifecycle Stages in Film and TV Production

Pre-Production

Office energy use
Recce travel
Script printing/materials
Early procurement decisions (set builds, costumes, catering contracts)

Production

Fuel and power (generators, location power, OB units)
Transport (flights, vehicle hire, freight)
Catering and waste
Accommodation
Materials used on set (timber, paints, plastics, etc.)
Temporary construction and rigging
Crew commuting

Post-Production

Studio power (especially for long offline/online edits)
Data storage and rendering
Foley/ADR travel
QC and delivery systems

Distribution and Exhibition

International delivery (hard drives, satellite, cloud)
Promotional events and festivals
Audience consumption (streaming, broadcast, cinema power footprint)

End of Life

Set disposal or reuse
Costume/wig recycling or waste
Carbon offsetting strategies (if used)

About Your Production

Your Name*

Your Email*

Production Company*

Address

Production Name*

We can compare your carbon footprint with industry averages by collecting genre information and final screen content time

Genre*

Finished Content Length (minutes)*

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Finished Content Length (hrs)

Aspects of your production's carbon footprint can be estimated using how many people will be working each day which can save you a lot of calculation time. To calculate the total 'person-days' involved, add dates below and put the number of people for each day - so 15 people for 3 days = 45 'person-days'. Alternatively you can just enter a total (this might be easier if there's a lot of days).
Need to make changes? No problem. Adjust the numbers anytime and everything recalculates.

The input field below - and many others - allow multiple lines for the same activity: add and delete individual lines using the ⊕ and ⊖ buttons at the end. Totals will recalculate automatically.

Person-Days

Date

Number of People Working

Create a line for each day of build, production and de-rig, and put the number of people working next to it. This streamlines a lot of calculations later.

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Person Days

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Flights, Fuel, and Transport

Flights

Enter flight origin, destination and class to estimate carbon equivalents.

You'll then need to add each flight to the table below. You can add date, flight details (e.g. to / from and reason to remind you later), then add the total sectors and CO2e per sector and it will do the rest. You can add as many lines as you need.

Note that the table doesn't update dynamically - you need to use the lookup to get each flight's information, then enter it into into the table.

Please note that this calculates the 'Great Circle' (orthodromic or shortest) distance between the two points you enter. But aeroplanes don't fly like crows so to make this estimate more accurate use the airline's CO2e estimate for your particular route - or if the flight has multiple sectors, enter them individually. For example, for London to Sydney via Singapore, enter LHR-SIN-SYD as LHR-SIN and SIN-SYD rather than LHR-SYD.

Sectors: a return flight is 2 sectors (there and back), so a return flight for five people would be entered as 10 sectors. You can add as many rows as you need.

Origin

Destination

Class

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Origin Lat

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Origin Long

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Dest Lat

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Dest Long

Flights

Date

Flight Details

# Sectors

CO2e / Sector

Total CO2e (kg)

Enter the details from the lookup above or airline

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Flight Sectors CSV

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Flight CO2e CSV

Public Transport

Public Transport Use

Date

Purpose / Person

Transport Type

Passenger Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

You can add as many lines as you need.

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Public Transport CO2e CSV

Car Use

To calculate CO₂ emissions for vehicle journeys, you can use either miles travelled or fuel used - but don't enter both for the same journey - they’re just two ways of estimating the same emissions.

Vehicle-related emissions can fall into different 'scopes' under SECR. This is why we ask you to estimate the percentage of the miles that took place in cars that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company (as opposed to those operated by subbies or freelancers). This doesn't affect the overall CO₂e number, just how it's accounted for later.

Miles - Traditional Fuels

Date

Purpose / Person / Vehicle

Fuel Type

Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

This uses the 'average car' GHG factor. If you want to more options, use the SECR factors and add in the 'Other' section at the end instead.

Cars: Company Owned / Operated %

What percentage of the miles above took place in cars that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

Miles - PHEV / EV

Date

Purpose / Person / Vehicle

Fuel Type

Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

This uses the 'average car' GHG factor. If you want to more options, use the SECR factors and add in the 'Other' section at the end instead.

PHEV/EV: Company Owned / Operated %

What percentage of the miles above took place in EVs / PHEVs that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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PHEV / EV Car %

PHEV / EV Car CO2e Reduction

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Cars CO2e Total

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PHEV Car CO2e Total

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Cars CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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PHEV/EV CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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Cars CO2e Scope 3 CSV

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PHEV / EV Car CO2e Scope 3 CSV

Great! You've already saved up to kg CO2e with PHEV / EV use.
Can you save more by maximising carpooling wherever possible? And how many journeys can you switch to Public Transport? Many modes of public transport can save 80-90% CO2e compared with car journeys.

Can you use EVs or PHEVs? Also carpool wherever possible.
And how many journeys can you switch to Public Transport? Many modes of public transport can save 80-90% CO2e compared with car journeys.

Transport

Vans <3,500kg

Date

Purpose / Person / Vehicle

Fuel Type

Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

Don't forget to include same-day couriers etc

Vans: Company Owned / Operated %

What percentage of the miles above took place in vans that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

Vans <3,500kg: PHEV / EV

Date

Purpose / Person / Vehicle

Fuel Type

Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

This uses the 'average (up to 3.5 tonnes)' GHG factor.

PHEV / EV Vans: Company Owned / Operated %

What percentage of the miles above took place in e-vans that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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PHEV / EV Van %

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PHEV / EV Van CO2e Reduction

HGV >3,500kg

Date

Purpose / Person / Vehicle

HGV Type

Miles Travelled

CO2e (kg)

Emissions based on average percentage laden for a freight vehicle in the UK

HGV: Company Owned / Operated %

What percentage of the miles above took place in HGVs that are owned, leased, rented, or directly controlled by your company?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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Vans CO2e

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E-Vans CO2e

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HGV CO2e

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Vans CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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Vans CO2e Scope 3 CSV

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e-Vans CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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e-Vans CO2e Scope 3 CSV

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HGV CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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HGV CO2e Scope 3 CSV

Can you prioritise using fuel-efficient / electric trucks for set moves and equipment hauls? Consolidating loads to reduce the number of trips, planning efficient routes to avoid congestion, and scheduling deliveries during off-peak hours can all cut emissions. Choosing local suppliers and storage reduces long-haul transport needs. Consider parcel deliveries only ~0.2kg CO2e each.

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Energy

Let's look at grid energy and fuel used for generators, heaters, cooking etc. Don't double-count fuel used for travelling in vehicles - either enter the fuel amount below or the miles travelled above, not both for the same journey.

Grid Electricity Used (kWh)

You need to estimate as best you can the total amount of grid electricity used during the production, including power used in offices, studios, and on-location supply from the mains (e.g. temporary distribution boards or venue sockets).
Include electricity used in rented offices / studios / locations if you know the amount, even if it's bundled into your rent.

Green Grid Electricity %

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

Solar / Renewable Energy Generated On Site (kWh)

Grid Electricity Billed Directly To You %

What percentage of this electricity was under your direct control (i.e. billed to you rather than included in office, studio or location fees)?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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Total Grid CO2e Unadjusted

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Grid Green CO2e

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Grid Actual CO2e

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Total Energy (kWh) CSV

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Green Energy kWh CSV

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Green Energy %

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Grid Scope 2 CSV

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Grid CO2e Scope 3 CSV

Fuel Oils

Date

Use

Fuel Type

Units Used

CO2e (kg)

Units are litres unless stated otherwise

Greener Fuel Oil

Date

Use

Fuel Type

Units Used

CO2e (kg)

Units are litres unless stated otherwise

Fuel Oil / Gas %

What percentage of fuel oils or gases used were under your direct control (i.e. billed to you directly)?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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Green Fuel %

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Green Fuel CO2e Reduction

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Fuel Oil CO2e

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Green Fuel Oil CO2e

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Total Fuel Oil / Gas CO2e

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Fuel Oil / Gas CO2e Scope 1 CSV

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Fuel Oil / Gas CO2e Scope 3 CSV

Transitioning away from diesel / HVO generators is a powerful step toward greener productions, and there are now more viable options than ever such as battery storage systems, green hydrogen, and hybrid setups.

For example, productions have used second-life electric bus batteries or hybrid battery-HVO systems to reduce generator runtime by 80%, saving fuel and significant emissions.

While switching entirely may not always be feasible, integrating these cleaner technologies where you are able can substantially cut emissions, lower costs, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility. Even small changes can make a significant impact, and every step toward sustainability counts.

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Materials Used

These factors should be used to report on consumption of procured materials based on their origin (that is, comprised of primary material or recycled materials).

This is divided into three categories:

Primary materials (made from virgin stock);
Recycled materials from a 'closed-loop' source (where the previous product is the same as the new one);
Re-used materials (for aggregates, clothing, and wood) which can represent a significant CO₂e saving.

These factors are useful for reporting efficiencies gained through reduced procurement of material or the benefit of procuring items that are the product of a previous recycling process.

Construction, Wardrobe and Set

Date

Material

Use

Tonnes

CO2e (kg)

Units here are metric tonnes - so 245kg is 0.245t, 50kg is 0.050t

Impacts of Re-Use

Material

Tonnes

CO2e (kg)

Units here are metric tonnes - so 245kg is 0.245t, 50kg is 0.050t

New Electrical Items

Date

Material

Use

Kilograms

CO2e (kg)

Units here are kilograms

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Construction CO2 CSV

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Re-Use CO2e CSV

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Elec Items CO2e CSV

Choosing recycled or re-used materials over virgin stock is one of the most impactful ways to reduce a production’s carbon footprint. Reusing existing sets, props, or construction materials can reduce embodied carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to building new. Using closed-loop recycled materials - such as recycled aluminium or reclaimed timber - not only cuts down on raw material extraction but significantly lowers CO₂e output. For example, recycled steel uses 75% less energy to produce than virgin steel, while re-used plywood and scenic flats can be sourced through set exchanges or local salvage yards, offering both environmental and budgetary benefits.

Even choosing sustainable alternatives for costumes and textiles - such as hiring or sourcing second-hand - can make a measurable difference. These choices show that sustainability doesn't mean compromise; it often leads to smarter, more creative resource use and powerful emissions savings.

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Waste and Recycling

Waste-disposal figures for end-of-life disposal of different materials using a variety of different disposal methods.

Construction Waste

Material / Destination

Tonnes (1,000kg)

Total CO2e (kg)

Units here are metric tonnes - so 245kg is 0.245t, 50kg is 0.050t

General Waste

Material / Destination

Tonnes (1,000kg)

Total CO2e (kg)

Units here are metric tonnes - so 245kg is 0.245t, 50kg is 0.050t

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Construction Waste CO2e CSV

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General Waste CO2e CSV

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People

Office and Homeworking

Office Working

Date

Name or Function

Hours

CO2e (kg)

Enter the total person-hours worked in the office

Homeworking

Date

Name or Function

Hours

CO2e (kg)

Enter the total person-hours worked at home

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Office Homeworking CO2e Scope 2 CSV

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Office Homeworking CO2e Scope 3 CSV

Accomodation

Hotel Nights

Location

Quality

Nights

CO2e (kg)

For countries not listed in Govt GHG figures, choose 'Other'

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Hotel Nights CSV

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Hotels CO2e CSV

Catering

For this to calculate, you need to add some 'person-days' at the top of the form

Single Use Water Bottles

We're eliminating single-use water bottles on our production

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Reusable Water Bottles - CO2e Saved (kg)CSV

Each 500ml water bottle = 83g CO2e

Eliminating single use water bottles is saving you kg CO₂e, and reducing plastic waste on set.

Person-Days

You entered this at the top of the page

Meals Served

Meals per person per day

Water Consumption (litres)

Average is 2-2.5 litres per person per day, more if it's hot

Meat-Free Meals %

What percentage of servings are plant-based?

Please enter a number from 0 to 100.

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Catering Potential CO2e

If no plant-based servings

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Food CO2e: Meat CSV

Meat CO2e x 1-Chop Dodger %

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Food CO2e: Plant-Based CSV

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CO2e Saved Food

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Net Total Catering CO2e

Plant-based catering is saving you kg CO₂e.

Reducing the carbon footprint of food on set is a powerful way to cut emissions and model ethical behaviour, but it’s not just about carbon: donating surplus food to local food banks or shelters (where safe and permitted) is a meaningful act of social responsibility that supports communities and reduces landfill waste.
Simple choices - like reusing sturdy cardboard boxes from catering for costume returns or storing props - can reduce the need for new materials and extend the life of resources already in circulation. These thoughtful practices send a clear message: sustainability on set is as much about compassion and care as it is about carbon.

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Post Production

In House Post Production

Date

Person / Location

Activity

Hours

CO2e (kg)

Outsourced Post Production

Date

Person / Location

Activity

Hours

CO2e (kg)

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Post CO2e Scope 2 CSV

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Post CO2e Scope 3 CSV

We have taken the DEFRA / SECR CO₂e footprint for an office worker per hour and calculated the extra CO₂e for energy-intensive post production activities. We've added these on for the CO₂e you see calculated above. These figures take into account the person performing the activity - you don't need to add operator hours to the Office numbers.
If you need to add more to account for extra digital infrastructure such as cloud storage, you can do so below.

Activity	Typical Power Use	kg CO₂ / hour	Factor Added
Offline Editing	150–250W (laptop/desktop)	0.03–0.05	0.0400
Online Editing / Grading	400–600W	0.08–0.12	0.1000
Rendering / Exporting	500–1200W	0.10–0.23	0.1650
VFX / Compositing	600–1500W (heavy GPU use)	0.12–0.29	0.2050
Audio Post	200–400W	0.04–0.08	0.0600
Transcoding / QC	400–800W	0.08–0.15	0.1200
Cloud Rendering	Varies (data centre load)	0.20–0.30	0.2800

Other Sources

In Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), emissions are categorised to help understand and manage a company's overall carbon footprint.

When adding 'other' carbon sources, you need to catgorise them into the following 'Scopes':

Scope 1 (Direct Emissions):
These are emissions directly resulting from a company's operations, such as burning fuel in company vehicles.

Scope 2 (Indirect Emissions from Purchased Energy):
This includes emissions from the production of electricity, heat, steam, or cooling that the company purchases from external sources and isn't directly billed for.

Scope 3 (Indirect Emissions in the Value Chain):
These are emissions that occur at sources not owned or directly controlled by the production but are a consequence of its activities, for example most business travel, purchased goods and services, waste disposal or materials.

Other Carbon Sources

Here you can list other CO2 generators not listed above

Date

Description

Scope 1 CO2e (kg)

Scope 2 CO2e (kg)

Scope 3 CO2e (kg)

Digital Infrastructure

While often invisible, digital infrastructure can carry a surprisingly heavy carbon cost, particularly for productions rich in data, VFX, or high-resolution footage. Cloud storage is a quiet contributor: 1TB stored for a year may produce around 2.7 kg CO₂e, but this multiplies quickly when multiple backups of rushes are kept 'just in case', or when 4K–8K footage and visual effects files are shared across vendors: this can run into petabytes in some circumstances. Offline storage or large on-site servers and high-performance workstations used for VFX rendering, colour grading, and sound mixing, can draw substantial power, especially if left running continuously.

Emerging technologies like AI-assisted editing, rotoscoping, or face replacement also introduce energy demands that aren’t always accounted for in traditional emissions estimates from DEFRA / SECR. While these digital processes may be essential, understanding their footprint is the first step toward managing it—by reducing unnecessary duplication, turning off idle machines, and choosing greener data centres where possible. These hidden impacts remind us that digital sustainability can matter just as much as what happens on set.

Logistics

Transport and logistics overhead beyond Cast and Crew travel can add up. Couriered items, especially same-day or international rush shipments (hard drives, costume pieces, rushes), can be highly carbon-intensive. Multiple recces to the same location or excessive vehicle movements for errands or pick-ups may slip under the radar in standard calculations. Idle vehicles on set, especially generators or refrigerated trucks, can emit significantly over long periods.

Multi-drop parcel deliveries (as opposed to couriers) are reckoned to be very carbon efficient at about 0.2kg per parcel when delivered by Royal Mail. But these can add up if you're taking a lot of deliveries.

Laundry and Costume Care

Regular washing and drying of costumes - particularly when using dryers instead of line drying - can lead to high energy and water use. Dry cleaning involves energy and often toxic solvents (e.g. perchloroethylene), which may have environmental and health impacts. Over-ordering of costume or uniform duplicates 'just in case' increases material use and emissions from manufacture and shipping.

Fire Safety and Atmospheric Effects

Use of smoke and haze(particularly oil-based hazers) contributes to both emissions and particulate matter. Fire extinguishers and pyro effects contain potent gases and chemicals (some of which are GHGs), and while used sparingly, they contribute more than is often recognised.

Office and Unit Base Energy Use

We've included the DEFRA / SECR figures above, but leased office spaces or unit bases may run inefficient HVAC systems, possibly around the clock. Also personal devices and chargers, when left plugged in continuously, draw phantom power - even small devices like laptops and walkie-talkie docks can add up over weeks. Use of disposable batteries in walkie-talkies and small electronics rather than rechargeable alternatives.

Digital Workflows and Communication

Zoom, Teams and video conferencing (especially in high volume and high resolution) has a modest but cumulative data centre energy impact. Sending large files repeatedly (e.g. dailies, reviews, assets) over cloud platforms contributes to both storage and transmission footprints.

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Other Sources

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Placeholder

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Offsets

You can now list any carbon offsets which will be subtracted from the kg generated. Note that any savings due to recycling, green fuels, plant-based meals etc have already been accounted for.

Carbon Offsets

If you are buying offsets, bear in mind that they are usually priced in tonnes and the Offset numbers here are in kg, so you might need to multiply by 1,000. 1 tonne offset = 1,000kg.

Date

Item

Offset kg

Cost

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Calculation

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Total Production CO2e

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Transport and Travel CSV

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Transport and Travel Proportion

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Power CSV

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Power Proportion

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Materials CSV

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Materials Proportion

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Office CO2e CSV

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Office CO2e Proportion

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Post CO2e CSV

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Post CO2e Proportion

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Other CO2 CSV

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Other Co2 Proportion

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Total Production CO2e 2

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Offset Total CSV

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Scope 1 CO2e CSV

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Scope 2 CO2e CSV

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Scope 3 CO2e CSV

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Total By Scope

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Production CO2e Car Equivalent

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Production CO2e Phone Equivalent

According to industry averages, a production of this type and length would typically generate kg CO2e

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Expected Carbon

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Net CO2e CSV

Activity	Description	CO₂e kg
Travel and Transport	Hotels ( Nights)
	Flights ( Sectors)
	Public Transport
	Car Use
	PHEV / EV
	Van Use
	Van Use: Hybrid / Electric
	HGV
Power	Grid Power
	Fuel Oils
	Fuel Oil - HVO
Materials	Materials Used
	Reused Materials
	New Electrical Items
	Construction Waste
	General Waste
	Set Catering

Totals	CO₂e kg	%
Transport and Travel		%
Power		%
Materials		%
Non-Filming Spaces (Office / Homeworking)		%
Post Production		%
Other Sources		%
PRODUCTION CO₂e
Offsets
Net CO₂e

That's equivalent to years of using your mobile

Most modern smartphones have batteries with a capacity of around 5,000 milliamp-hours (mAh) - or 5Ah. 5Ah x 5v = 25 Watt-hours (Wh) - or 0.025kWh. Assuming 1 full charge per day, that's 9.125kWh per year. Data transfer consumes around 0.2 kWh per gigabyte of data. The average mobile phone user downloads 10 GB of data per month so that's 10GB x 0.2kWh x 12 months = 24kWh per year.
So 33.125kWh per year x 0.20705 (DEFRA) = ~7kg CO₂ per year. This doesn't include mining the metals and chemical elements needed for batteries and chips, or the manufacturing process itself.

That's equivalent to driving a family car round the world times

A typical petrol car produces 0.180 kg CO₂e/km (DEFRA 2024). The Earth's circumference is 40,075 km at the equator so 40,075 km × 0.180 kg/km = 7,213.5 kg CO₂e - or about 7.2 tonnes.

Net CO2e: kg

Analyse and Review

We can analyse what you've entered above and make suggestions. For example, if you're filming abroad we can search for local CO₂e equivalents and suggest factors to adjust your estimates by using criteria such as the energy mix in that country that you can put in the 'Other' category to include in your calculations.

We can also compare your figures with industry averages, identify variances and help spot issues you may have missed.

Where Are You Shooting?

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Concatenate

Analyse Your Footprint

Results take a minute or two - there's a lot of data to analyse.

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Sources, Assumptions and Disclaimer

Disclaimer*

CO₂e figures are based on emissions factors published by the UK Government and other reputable sources, and while First Option (a brand of Environmental Resources Management Ltd ("ERM")) has taken every effort to ensure the accuracy and robustness of the calculation methodology, the final estimates are based on data entered by the user.
The figures generated have not been independently audited, verified, or validated by ERM.
ERM makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, reliability or fitness for any particular purpose of the outputs generated. All figures should be treated as indicative only.
ERM expressly disclaims all liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of or reliance upon the estimates or results produced by this tool.

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Materiality

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UK Government GHG Factors

The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-conversion-factors-for-company-reporting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting</a> have a number of dimensions. For example, there are factors based on truck mileage by load. For complete transparency here are the factors we have used. If you think these assumptions make a material diference to your calculation, use the relevant cator and add them to the 'Other Sources' section.
The UK government mandates certain businesses report their energy use and carbon emissions annually, primarily through the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework. This requirement applies to larger UK companies, publicly-listed companies, and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) meeting certain criteria.
The SECR framework aims to promote energy efficiency and increase transparency for investors and stakeholders, and the figures generated in this report align with SECR requirements.
There are seven main GHGs that contribute to climate change, as covered by the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). Different activities emit different gases and you should report on the Kyoto Protocol GHG gases produced by your production activities.
The values used in the calculation of CO2e are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) so the Conversion Factors are consistent with current national and international reporting requirements.
The factors we use calculate the combined emissions for all relevant GHGs, which are then converted into a combined kg CO2e per unit activity.
Where factors are split by (for example) car type or truck load factor we have used the following:
<ul>
<li>For cars we have used the SECR 'average' car data rather than split into market segment or car size.</li>
<li>For vans we have used the 'average (up to 3.5 tonnes)' figure.</li>
<li>For HGVs we have used the 'average laden' figure rather than split by unloaded, part loaded or fully loaded.</li>
</ul>
If these decisions don't suit yout particular circumstances, use the relevant factor and input in the 'Other Sources' section.

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Other Assumptions

The Govenment does not provide equivalents for all production activities. We have applied the following factors in the absence of Government guidance.
<ul>
 	<li>The carbon footprint of a single-use 500ml PET water bottle is typically estimated to be around <a href="https://www.bewtr.com/water-stories/when-global-water-transport-and-plastics-emits-as-much-as-6-3-million-cars-annually/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">83 grams</a> of CO2. This figure includes emissions from the entire lifecycle of the bottle, from raw material extraction to production, transportation, and disposal.</li>
 	<li>We have estimated a meal with around 200g of meat, dairy and processed ingredients to have a footprint of 5kg CO2e, 0.5kg for an equivalent plant-based serving. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1</a> <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2</a> <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3</a> <a href="https://science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaq0216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4</a></li>
 	<li>While there are estimates of the carbon footprint per hour got office- and homeworking, many post-production activities use equipment that increases the carbon footprint due to both power consumption and server demand. We've added factors to reflect this and separated post production activities from non-intensive, offline editing on standard NLE systems (e.g. Premiere, Avid) to VFX / compositing and grading / rendering.</li>
</ul>
<table><thead>
 <tr>
 <th style="padding: 5px;border: none;text-align: left">Activity</th>
 <th style="padding: 5px;border: none;text-align: left">Typical Power Use</th>
 <th style="padding: 5px;border: none;text-align: left">kg CO₂e / hour</th>
 <th style="padding: 5px;border: none;text-align: left">Factor Added</th>
 </tr></thead>
<tbody>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Offline Editing</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">150–250W (laptop/desktop)</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.03–0.05</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.0400</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Online Editing / Grading</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">400–600W</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.08–0.12</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.1000</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Rendering / Exporting</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">500–1200W</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.10–0.23</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.1650</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">VFX / Compositing</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">600–1500W (heavy GPU use)</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.12–0.29</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.2050</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Audio Post</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">200–400W</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.04–0.08</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.0600</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Transcoding / QC</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">400–800W</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.08–0.15</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.1200</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Cloud Rendering</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">Varies (data centre load)</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.15–0.30</td>
 <td style="padding: 5px;border: none" valign="top">0.2800</td>
 </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
We believe these factors are accurate; however, given the disproportionately large impact of travel and energy on a production’s carbon footprint, any variances are unlikely to be material.

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Carbon Summary

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Production Details

Flights, Fuel, and Transport

Energy

Materials Used

Waste and Recycling

People

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Other Sources

Offsets

Calculation

Sources, Assumptions and Disclaimer

CONTACT US

REGISTERED OFFICE

SOCIAL

LEGALS

Title

YOUR PRIVACY

STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES | ALWAYS ACTIVE

FUNCTIONAL COOKIES | ALWAYS ACTIVE

TRACKING COOKIES

TARGETING COOKIES

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Net CO₂e