by Shane Henson — October 12, 2012—The Siemens Building Technologies Division, a market leader for safe and energy-efficient buildings and infrastructures around the world, has introduced the Environmental Impact Calculator, a new application now available free-of-charge through the Apple Store.
Siemens’ new tool allows energy engineers, facilities managers and others to estimate a building’s baseline carbon footprint from purchased electricity, natural gas and heating oil. In addition, users can measure the impact of energy-efficiency improvements on an annual basis or throughout the length of a given project’s term.
But the new app is not about just looking at numbers. While it does allow users to more easily quantify a building’s carbon footprint, it also puts reduced energy consumption into perspective with concrete equivalents. The calculator will convert building energy consumption data into relevant comparisons, including the number of cars and light trucks removed from the road, the number of acres of forest absorbing carbon, and barrels of oil consumed.
Results can be used to communicate reduction targets, develop a greenhouse gas reduction strategy, or support a range of initiatives to reduce a building’s environmental impact.
The 6.5 MB application is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with iOS 4.0 or later.
