Our data team recently developed a simple internal tool: an Individual Carbon Calculator focused on daily commuting. The tool estimates the CO₂ emissions of your home-to-work journeys, week by week and year by year.

Estimate your footprint and share it with your colleagues

Why this tool can help you get greener

The objective is not to restrict mobility, but to create awareness. Once the impact is visible, small adjustments become easy: train instead of car, grouping on-site days, or simply choosing a greener transport mode. The tool also quantifies the carbon benefit of teleworking days — a dimension often overlooked.

What data is used ?

What makes this tool particularly relevant for Belgium is its data foundation. Rather than using generic European averages, we based our emission factors on the official Belgian reference: facteursdemissionco2.be / co2emissiefactoren.nl (EnergieID & BENOR, 2025 edition). These factors account for the Belgian energy mix — including the green electricity used by SNCB trains, STIB trams and metros, De Lijn, and TEC. This means the estimates are calibrated for Belgian reality, not French data (ADEME) or EU averages. For Belgium, this distinction matters: rail and public transport emissions are significantly lower than what generic factors would suggest.

How was the tool developed ?

The tool supports a full range of transport modes: thermal and electric car, motorcycle, scooter, e-bike, bicycle, walking, public transit, and train. It uses Google Maps to calculate actual route distances — not straight-line estimates — and requires only a few inputs to deliver a clear annual estimate.

The tool is intentionally lightweight and easy to use. The goal is to make it usable in daily work, not another reporting exercise.

We believe initiatives like this should be shared. If it helps us make better decisions, it can help others too.

‍