A carbon calculator software tool developed by chemical engineers at The University of Manchester clinched the Outstanding Achievement in Chemical and Process Engineering prize at IChemE’s annual innovation and excellence awards.
Held last week at the Palace Hotel in Manchester, Professor Adisa Azapagic, from the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, won the award for a software tool called CCaLC that helps companies measure and improve their carbon footprint at minimum cost.
The free tool has been developed specifically for industry, taking a lifecycle approach applicable to many sectors and supply chains.
It has already been downloaded by more than 500 organisations across the world. The award, sponsored by Rowan House, recognised CCaLC as the best entry across all categories.
The tool has been used to calculate the carbon footprint of a huge range of things. One astounding finding using the calculator found that supermarket lamb curry ready-made meals eaten in the UK amounted to an annual carbon footprint equivalent to 5,500 car trips around the world or 140 million car miles.
Professor Azapagic found that the fast food meal generates the equivalent of 4.3 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per person.
The £1m project is led by Adisa Azapagic, Professor of Sustainable Chemical Engineering, and funded by organisations including the Engineering and Physical Research Council, and the Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Adisa Azapagic said: “I am delighted that CCaLC has won the top IChemE prize. Being a chemical engineer, this award is important to me as it recognises the ‘outstanding contribution to chemical and process engineering’. CCaLC has been developed by a team of chemical engineers and I am particularly pleased that their hard work has been recognised by this prestigious award. The tool has been developed with the aim of supporting companies in estimating the carbon footprint of their products and technologies to help identify low-carbon solutions. By being free of charge and easy to use by non-experts, the tool enables companies to be self-reliant in the estimations of carbon footprints, without the need to depend on consultants or release confidential data to a third party. This has a potential to remove some of the major barriers to the uptake of carbon footprinting in industry and contribute towards the greening of supply chains. Since its launch in August, CCaLC has been downloaded by almost 500 companies and organisations – this demonstrates the need for such a tool and I hope that this award will help further to increase the awareness of the importance of carbon footprinting as well as of the CCaLC tool. I am particularly pleased that the top IChemE prize was awarded to a project related to sustainability - this further reinforces the commitment of both the IChemE and the chemical engineering profession to sustainable development.”
The awards were attended by 500 nominees and guests, and presented by TV football pundits Ray Stubbs and Mark Lawrenson.
IChemE CEO David Brown said: “The IChemE Awards are globally recognised and attract entries from all over the world. Winning an award really does demonstrate work of the highest standard and there are plenty of winners from previous years that have used their success at the IChemE Awards as a springboard to greater things.”
For more information or to access the calculator please see:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=6387
Held last week at the Palace Hotel in Manchester, Professor Adisa Azapagic, from the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, won the award for a software tool called CCaLC that helps companies measure and improve their carbon footprint at minimum cost.
The free tool has been developed specifically for industry, taking a lifecycle approach applicable to many sectors and supply chains.
It has already been downloaded by more than 500 organisations across the world. The award, sponsored by Rowan House, recognised CCaLC as the best entry across all categories.
The tool has been used to calculate the carbon footprint of a huge range of things. One astounding finding using the calculator found that supermarket lamb curry ready-made meals eaten in the UK amounted to an annual carbon footprint equivalent to 5,500 car trips around the world or 140 million car miles.
Professor Azapagic found that the fast food meal generates the equivalent of 4.3 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per person.
The £1m project is led by Adisa Azapagic, Professor of Sustainable Chemical Engineering, and funded by organisations including the Engineering and Physical Research Council, and the Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Adisa Azapagic said: “I am delighted that CCaLC has won the top IChemE prize. Being a chemical engineer, this award is important to me as it recognises the ‘outstanding contribution to chemical and process engineering’. CCaLC has been developed by a team of chemical engineers and I am particularly pleased that their hard work has been recognised by this prestigious award. The tool has been developed with the aim of supporting companies in estimating the carbon footprint of their products and technologies to help identify low-carbon solutions. By being free of charge and easy to use by non-experts, the tool enables companies to be self-reliant in the estimations of carbon footprints, without the need to depend on consultants or release confidential data to a third party. This has a potential to remove some of the major barriers to the uptake of carbon footprinting in industry and contribute towards the greening of supply chains. Since its launch in August, CCaLC has been downloaded by almost 500 companies and organisations – this demonstrates the need for such a tool and I hope that this award will help further to increase the awareness of the importance of carbon footprinting as well as of the CCaLC tool. I am particularly pleased that the top IChemE prize was awarded to a project related to sustainability - this further reinforces the commitment of both the IChemE and the chemical engineering profession to sustainable development.”
The awards were attended by 500 nominees and guests, and presented by TV football pundits Ray Stubbs and Mark Lawrenson.
IChemE CEO David Brown said: “The IChemE Awards are globally recognised and attract entries from all over the world. Winning an award really does demonstrate work of the highest standard and there are plenty of winners from previous years that have used their success at the IChemE Awards as a springboard to greater things.”
For more information or to access the calculator please see:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=6387
