Mistakes to Avoid
Integrate carbon tracking into utility management and investment planning

Energy substitution (replacing gas with electricity or biomass) can significantly reduce GHG emissions without decreasing total energy consumption—and vice versa. Always track both indicators in parallel: the energy intensity (kWh/unit) and the carbon intensity (kg CO ₂ e/unit).

Example: Switching to an electric heat pump to replace a gas furnace can triple electricity consumption while reducing emissions by 70% due to the low carbon intensity of French electricity.