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Learn how to calculate your organization’s complete greenhouse gas inventory using the ISO 14064 international standard, the globally recognized framework for quantifying, monitoring, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions.
Estimated time: 2 hoursWhat you’ll learn:
  • Understand the ISO 14064 standard structure and requirements
  • Define organizational and operational boundaries
  • Calculate emissions across all six ISO 14064-1 categories
  • Generate ISO 14064-compliant reports for verification
  • Apply appropriate calculation methods and emission factors

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Understanding ISO 14064

ISO 14064 is the international standard for greenhouse gas accounting, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It provides a rigorous, transparent framework for organizations to develop credible GHG inventories. The standard consists of three parts: 
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         ISO 14064 STANDARD STRUCTURE                            │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                                 │
│  ┌───────────────────────┐  ┌───────────────────────┐  ┌─────────────────────┐  │
│  │     ISO 14064-1       │  │     ISO 14064-2       │  │    ISO 14064-3      │  │
│  │                       │  │                       │  │                     │  │
│  │  Organization Level   │  │    Project Level      │  │    Verification     │  │
│  │  GHG Inventory        │  │    GHG Projects       │  │    & Validation     │  │
│  ├───────────────────────┤  ├───────────────────────┤  ├─────────────────────┤  │
│  │  • Organizational     │  │  • Baseline scenario  │  │  • Verification     │  │
│  │    boundaries         │  │  • Project scenario   │  │    principles       │  │
│  │  • Operational        │  │  • Emission           │  │  • Validation       │  │
│  │    boundaries         │  │    reductions         │  │    requirements     │  │
│  │  • Quantification     │  │  • Monitoring         │  │  • Level of         │  │
│  │  • Reporting          │  │  • Reporting          │  │    assurance        │  │
│  └───────────────────────┘  └───────────────────────┘  └─────────────────────┘  │
│                                                                                 │
│  ◄─── Dcycle API covers ISO 14064-1 requirements for organization GHG ───►     │
│       inventories through automated data collection and calculations           │
│                                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key ISO 14064-1 Principle: Total Emissions CalculationISO 14064-1 requires organizations to quantify and report their total GHG emissions using the formula:Total GHG Emissions = Σ (Activity Data × Emission Factor × GWP)Where:
  • Activity Data: Quantitative measure of an activity (e.g., fuel consumed, electricity used)
  • Emission Factor: GHG emissions per unit of activity
  • GWP: Global Warming Potential to convert to CO₂ equivalents

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ISO 14064-1 vs GHG Protocol

ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol are complementary standards. Here’s how they compare:
AspectISO 14064-1GHG Protocol
TypeInternational Standard (ISO)Corporate Standard
Scope Classification6 Categories3 Scopes + 15 Categories
VerificationBuilt-in (Part 3)Separate assurance
Regional FocusGlobalGlobal (US origin)
CertificationISO certification availableNo formal certification
Dcycle supports both standards!Your data automatically maps to both ISO 14064-1 categories and GHG Protocol scopes, enabling dual reporting compliance.

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By Emission Category

ISO 14064-1 organizes emissions into six categories. Understanding which category your emissions fall into helps with accurate reporting:

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Category 1: Direct GHG Emissions

Direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by your organization.
API: Facilities & Invoices LEGACYUse for: Boilers, furnaces, generators, heating systemsData needed: Fuel type, quantity consumed, facility locationCategory 1 Tutorial →
API: Vehicles & Vehicle Consumptions NEW API (Recommended)Use for: Fleet vehicles, delivery trucks, forklifts, shipsData needed: Fuel type, quantity, vehicle specificationsCategory 1 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Chemical reactions, industrial processes, cement productionData needed: Process type, production quantities, emission factorsCategory 1 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Refrigerant leaks, gas pipelines, SF₆ equipmentData needed: Equipment type, refrigerant quantities, leak ratesCategory 1 Tutorial →

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Category 2: Indirect GHG Emissions from Imported Energy

Emissions from generation of purchased electricity, heat, steam, or cooling.
API: Invoices LEGACYUse for: Office buildings, warehouses, factories, data centersData needed: kWh consumed, grid location, supplier detailsCategory 2 Tutorial →
API: Invoices LEGACYUse for: District heating, industrial steam purchasesData needed: Energy consumed (kWh or MJ), supplierCategory 2 Tutorial →
API: Invoices LEGACYUse for: District cooling, chilled water systemsData needed: Cooling energy consumed, supplierCategory 2 Tutorial →

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Category 3: Indirect GHG Emissions from Transportation

Emissions from transportation of materials, products, waste, and people.
API: Business Travels NEW API (Recommended)Use for: Flights, rail travel, car rentals, hotel staysData needed: Origin, destination, travel mode, classCategory 3 Tutorial →
API: Employees & Commuting Periods NEW API (Recommended)Use for: Daily commutes, remote work patternsData needed: Distance, transport mode, working daysCategory 3 Tutorial →
API: Transport LEGACYUse for: Inbound freight, supplier deliveriesData needed: Origin, destination, weight, transport modeCategory 3 Tutorial →
API: Transport LEGACYUse for: Outbound freight, customer deliveriesData needed: Origin, destination, weight, transport modeCategory 3 Tutorial →

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Category 4: Indirect GHG Emissions from Products Used

Emissions from products and services purchased or acquired by the organization.
API: Purchases NEW API (Recommended)Use for: Raw materials, components, office supplies, servicesData needed: Product category, quantity or spend, supplierCategory 4 Tutorial →
API: Purchases NEW API (Recommended)Use for: Machinery, equipment, buildings, vehicles (as assets)Data needed: Asset type, purchase value, lifetimeCategory 4 Tutorial →
API: Wastes LEGACYUse for: Recycling, landfill, incineration, compostingData needed: Waste type, quantity, disposal methodCategory 4 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Leased facilities, equipment, vehiclesData needed: Asset type, energy consumptionCategory 4 Tutorial →

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Category 5: Indirect GHG Emissions from Use of Products

Emissions from the use of products and services sold or provided by the organization.
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Energy-consuming products, vehicles sold, appliancesData needed: Product type, energy consumption, lifetime useCategory 5 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Assets leased to customersData needed: Asset type, lessee energy consumptionCategory 5 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Franchise operations emissionsData needed: Franchise locations, energy dataCategory 5 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Equity investments, project financeData needed: Investment type, investee emissionsCategory 5 Tutorial →

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Category 6: Indirect GHG Emissions from Other Sources

Any other indirect emissions not covered in Categories 1-5.
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Product disposal, recycling, incinerationData needed: Product type, disposal method, quantitiesCategory 6 Tutorial →
API: Custom Emission Factors LEGACYUse for: Third-party processing of intermediate productsData needed: Processing type, quantities, energy useCategory 6 Tutorial →

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Tutorial Steps

Follow these steps to build your complete ISO 14064-1 compliant GHG inventory:

Category 1: Direct Emissions

Quantify emissions from sources you own or control

Category 2: Imported Energy

Track emissions from purchased electricity, heat, and cooling

Category 3: Transportation

Calculate emissions from transportation activities

Category 4: Products Used

Measure emissions from purchased goods and services

Category 5: Products Sold

Account for emissions from product use by customers

Category 6: Other Sources

Capture remaining indirect emission sources

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ISO 14064-1 Mapping to Dcycle

ISO 14064-1 CategoryDcycle APIGHG Protocol Equivalent
Category 1: Direct GHG emissionsVehicles, FacilitiesScope 1
Category 2: Indirect from imported energyInvoicesScope 2
Category 3: Indirect from transportationBusiness Travels, TransportScope 3 (Cat 4, 6, 7, 9)
Category 4: Indirect from products usedPurchases, WastesScope 3 (Cat 1, 2, 3, 5, 8)
Category 5: Indirect from use of productsCustom Emission FactorsScope 3 (Cat 10, 11, 13, 14, 15)
Category 6: Indirect from other sourcesCustom Emission FactorsScope 3 (Cat 12)
Automatic Category ClassificationYou don’t need to manually classify emissions. Dcycle automatically maps your data to both ISO 14064-1 categories and GHG Protocol scopes based on the emission source type.

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Consolidation Approaches

ISO 14064-1 requires organizations to select a consolidation approach for defining organizational boundaries:
Account for 100% of emissions from operations where you have operational control.
Parent Company
      │
      ├── [100%] Owned Facility → Report 100% emissions
      │
      ├── [60%] Joint Venture (with control) → Report 100% emissions
      │
      └── [40%] Joint Venture (no control) → Report 0% emissions
Best for: Most organizations, especially those with complex ownership structures.
Dcycle uses Operational Control by default.

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Reporting Requirements

ISO 14064-1 specifies mandatory reporting elements for GHG inventories:
Your GHG report must include:
  1. Organization description - Name, boundaries, consolidation approach
  2. Reporting period - Base year, current reporting year
  3. Organizational boundaries - Entities included, ownership shares
  4. Operational boundaries - Categories included, exclusions justified
  5. Quantified GHG emissions - By category, by gas, total CO₂e
  6. Emission factors - Sources, version dates, GWP values used
  7. Uncertainty assessment - Qualitative or quantitative
  8. Verification statement - If third-party verified
Dcycle uses IPCC AR6 (Sixth Assessment Report, 2021) Global Warming Potential values:
GasChemical Formula100-year GWP
Carbon DioxideCO₂1.00
MethaneCH₄27.90
Nitrous OxideN₂O273.00
For third-party verification, Dcycle provides:
  • Audit trails for all data entries
  • Emission factor documentation with sources
  • Methodology descriptions for calculations
  • Export formats compatible with verifiers

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Get Started

Ready to build your ISO 14064-1 compliant GHG inventory? Start with Category 1:

Begin with Category 1: Direct Emissions

Start by quantifying your direct GHG emissions from owned or controlled sources