The EcoCost Algorithm

 

EcoCost = La+To+Ec+Td+b   + Re x RE

Longevity

      

 

 

          Expressed in Gaia units as a proportion of the planetary capacity

 

Where      La            =              S  Land Degradation Evaluations

                To           =              S  Toxic Output Impact Evaluations

                Ec            =              Energy Consumption x Energy Production EcoCost

                Td            =              Transport Distance x Transport EcoCost

                b              =              Itinerant Impacts

                Re            =              Recycled / Reused proportion factor

                ReE          =              EcoCost of recycled / reused portion.

                Longevity                =                   Life of material       .      

                                                                Expected Building Life

       and

 

 i)             Energy Production EcoCost   =  LaE + ToE   +  CeE              

Where     

                LaE*  = S Land Degradation caused by energy production and fuel per MJ

                ToE*  =   S Toxic Output Impact engendered in energy production per MJ

                CeE   =     Capital EcoCost of Production Plant, amortised over life

                that is ;                    S  Land Degradation + S Toxic Output Impact

                                                        Life of Plant (expressed in MJ Output)

 

*   Both the land area degradation and toxic cost should include the gaining of the raw material, processing and transport to the generating facility, for the fuel source.

 

ii              Transport EcoCost   = Td x S( LaT  + ToT +  CeT  +  CeI)

 

Where      Td   =          Transport distances for each transport type

                LaT   =         S Land Degradation caused by fuel procurement and operation

                ToT  =     S  Toxic Output Impact of transporting motivator per tonne km

                CeT =      Capital EcoCost of Transporting motivator  per tonne km

                that is ;                      S Land Degradation + S Toxic Output Impact

                                                     Life of Vehicle (expressed in tonne km)

                CeI  =       Capital Infrastructure EcoCost, amortised over life per tonne km

                that is;        S Land Degradation + S Toxic Output Impact  

                                  Life of Infrastructure (expressed in tonne passes)

 

iii)  Itinerant Impacts, b, is determined from a series of sub-algorithms for each particular case

 

iv)  The Recycled / Reused Factor, Re, is a percentage of the recycled / reused portion of total consumed.

                Re    =   1  -  % recycled / reused

 

                Re    =   1  -              Quantity of  Recycled Material Used

                                                Total Quantity Used

 

v)  The EcoCost of the recycled / reused fraction (ReE)  is found as a subroutine of the EcoCost equation