Taking Aim at CO2 in Infrastructure Projects
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A Portland-based start-up, Ecologistics, has developed a software program to help government agencies calculate the carbon dioxide costs right alongside the capital costs of their purchasing decisions when constructing or remodeling commercial buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure.
The software integrates a traditional life-cycle energy assessment of all the project materials — from resource extraction to installation — and compares suppliers not only according to the lowest bid, but also by the carbon dioxide emissions generated, fuel use and vehicle miles traveled, among other metrics.
“We do a pre-bid analysis of the materials supply chain and put together a footprint, so agencies can make a decision based on more than just price,” said Bryce Benge, a development coordination manager for Ecologistics, from his booth at the trade show.
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