Overview
Research & Insights
Process & Direction
Solutions & Impact
Emissions Source Flexibility
Users struggled to calculate scope 2 market-based and location-based emissions because emissions sources in our system allowed only one emissions factor/scope pairing. This meant users had to manually duplicate utility data just to create a second emissions record with a different factor. The workaround was time-consuming, error-prone, and undermined the automation users valued between EnergyCAP meters and emissions sources.
We set out to make scope 2 reporting flexible enough to support both calculation methods, without forcing users to duplicate data or change their existing workflows..
Role: UI/UX Designer
Tools: Figma, Miro, Maze
Through interviews with current customers, we learned how different organizations handled scope 2 reporting and how they imported and processed emissions data. Users consistently described the same pain point: the need to manually copy utility data to create a second emissions record. They also emphasized that scope 2 calculations should remain tied to the same underlying meter data for accuracy and auditability.
From these conversations, two clear paths emerged:
Allow a single meter to link to multiple emissions sources
Allow a single emissions source to support multiple emissions factor/scope pairs
We explored both directions in low- and mid-fidelity wireframes and validated each through user interviews and feedback sessions with stakeholders.
Linking one meter to multiple emissions sources provided clear conceptual separation but added complexity, created more objects to manage, and introduced new UI overhead.
Allowing multiple emissions factor/scope pairs within a single emissions source proved more elegant. It preserved the existing mental model, kept utility data centralized, and offered the flexibility users needed without complicating the hierarchy.
After reviewing both concepts with users and internal teams, the multi-pair emissions source emerged as the preferred and more scalable option.
Maze testing confirmed that users understood the new configuration model, could add and manage multiple pairs easily.
The final system allows a single emissions source to support multiple scope category and emissions factor pairs. This gives users the flexibility to calculate market-based and location-based emission without extra work.
We also introduced:
Bulk editing tools to apply multiple factor/scope pairs across groups of emissions sources
Default configurations by commodity to streamline new source creation and reduce repetitive setup
Together, these improvements eliminated unnecessary manual duplication, improved reporting completeness, and aligned the product more closely with standard emissions-reporting practices.
