Patent ID: 8478566

Claim:
A computer system for computing emission values, the computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions being executable to configure the processor to provide: an input module operable to receive raw activity data to define a record for an activity, wherein the raw activity data comprises: an activity type; a time interval; a location; a unit of measure; and a consumption value; a data provisioning module operable to convert the raw activity data into one or more standardized activities by dividing the time interval for the raw activity data into one or more sub-intervals of time and definina a standardized activity for each of the sub-intervals of time, wherein each standardized activity corresponds to a subset of the raw activity data; a location module operable to compute a location hierarchy for a given location, wherein the location hierarchy comprises nodes, wherein each node corresponds to a location wherein the nodes are arranged relative to each other from a specific location to general location to represent different levels of granularity for the location of the activity; a factor data module operable to, for each standardized activity, compute, using the processor, emission factors based on the location hierarchy and the sub-interval of time for the respective standardized activity, wherein each emission factor is valid for the sub-interval of time and one or more locations correspond to the nodes of the location hierarchy, wherein an emission factor valid for a more specific location will be chosen over an emission factor valid for a more general location; a reference data module operable to, for each standardized activity, compute reference data from the subset of raw activity data; an emission engine operable to: for each standardized activity: determine at least one optimal emission equation wherein the at least one optimal emission equation is valid for the activity type, the sub-interval of time and one or more locations corresponding to the nodes of the location hierarchy; and compute at least one emission value for the respective standardized activity using the at least one optimal emission equation, the reference data, and the emission factors; and compute, using the processor, at least one emission value for the activity using the emission values for the standardized activities.