🔃Find a lower-carbon alternative

Cross Reference

To find a lower-carbon footprint material, you can use the Cross Reference tool in the Carbon Footprint module. Here’s how to do it:

1. Access the Cross Reference Tool: Click the Cross Reference icon next to the material whose carbon footprint you wish to reduce. A window will open with multiple options to help find an alternative material.

2. Select Equivalency Criteria: Choose an alternative material based on equivalency categories such as Identical, Official, Composition 100%, Implicit, or SmartCross. You can also opt to search through All Categories, depending on the level of equivalency you need for the replacement material. This ensures the alternative has similar properties to the original material (See Cross Referencing for more details).
3. Country/Standard Drop-Down: Use this list to filter replacement materials by specific country standards, making it easier to find a suitable replacement that complies with your local regulations.

1. Generate Alternative Materials List: The Cross Reference tool generates a list of potential lower-carbon alternatives. These materials will have the same calculation parameters (e.g., manufacturing route, transportation) as the original material, ensuring a consistent comparison.

Hint: There is also an option of selecting and adding the material instead of replacing it.

When selecting materials in the Cross Reference pop-up window, the list of materials can be extensive, so users can refine their search by analyzing the synthetic values of specific properties. Property selection is available by clicking the icon in the table header on the left. Additionally, users can add multiple materials to the Carbon Footprint tool for comparison and decide later, similar to the process in Compliance Assessor.

1. Comparing materials

Before adding or replacing a material in cross-referencing, users can compare potential alternatives based on chemical composition, mechanical properties, and physical properties of the target material. This comparison helps in selecting the most suitable alternative with greater accuracy.

The comparison in the Cross Reference can be added to the Report Builder or downloaded as a PDF file, allowing for easier review and analysis of the results.