How to set up your emissions boundary
Last updated: 10 April 2026
Emissions Boundaries GHG Protocol Scopes
Emissions Boundaries Walkthrough
The emissions boundary defines what your organisation will and won't measure — which scopes, which categories, and which facilities are included. This is a critical step in carbon accounting, as it determines the tasks that are generated and the scope of your inventory. Navigate to Identify > Emissions Boundaries.
In this article, you'll learn how to:
- Create and name an emissions boundary
- Choose a consolidation approach
- Configure Scope 1, 2, and 3 inclusions in detail
- Understand what triggers specific data collection tasks
- Finalise and share your boundary
Before setting up your boundary, you need your organisational structure (nodes) configured. The boundary references your nodes to determine what applies where.
Creating a Boundary
1
Name your boundary
Give it a descriptive name — e.g., "FY25 Full Inventory" or "Operations Boundary". This can be changed later.
2
Set the legal structure
Define the legal structure of this boundary. This is important for emissions allocations, especially if you have multiple boundaries for different legal entities.
3
Choose a consolidation approach
Select how emissions are allocated: Operational Control (the default for most organisations), Financial Control, or Equity Share. Investment funds and property groups may need financial control or equity share.
4
Select your nodes
Choose which organisational nodes are included in this boundary. You can select all or pick specific ones. Click Bulk Upload or Add Nodes if you need to create nodes first.
Scope 1 — Direct Emissions
For each Scope 1 subcategory, you'll be asked whether it applies to your organisation. You can answer: Yes (applies to all nodes), No (does not apply), or Varies (applies to some nodes — you then select which ones).
| Subcategory | What it covers | Triggers |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary combustion | Fuel burned in boilers, generators, and heating systems | Applies to facilities with on-site fuel use |
| Mobile combustion | Company-owned or leased vehicles and mobile equipment (forklifts, excavators) | You'll be asked if vehicles are owned/leased and if mobile equipment is operated |
| Process emissions | Emissions from industrial processes (e.g., cement, chemical production) | You'll be asked if any industrial processes exist at your facilities |
| Fugitive emissions | Refrigerant leaks, landfill gas, and other unintentional releases | You'll be asked about refrigerant use, landfill/waste plant operation, oil and gas production, and coal mining — each triggers a specific data collection flow |
A node must be a facility type (a physical location) to have Scope 1 emission sources. Brand or project nodes won't have these options available.
Scope 2 — Purchased Energy
| Subcategory | What it covers | Triggers |
|---|---|---|
| Purchased electricity | Electricity bought from an external provider | You'll be asked about carbon-neutral/GreenPower electricity (affects market-based calculations) and on-site renewables like solar panels (triggers the renewables dashboard) |
| Purchased heat, steam, or cooling | Energy purchased from district heating or cooling networks | Common in Europe, industrial parks, universities, and hospitals |
Scope 3 — Value Chain Emissions
Scope 3 has 15 categories split into upstream (9) and downstream (6). The same per-node logic applies. NetNada provides a sensible default for office-based businesses that you can adjust.
Upstream categories
| Category | Question asked |
|---|---|
| Purchased goods and services | Are purchased goods and services significant for operations? (Default: Yes) |
| Capital goods | Do you purchase capital goods? |
| Fuel and energy-related activities | Do you purchase electricity? (If yes, this is typically also yes) |
| Upstream transportation and logistics | Do you contract transportation for inbound goods? |
| Waste generated in operations | Do you generate waste and contract disposal? (May vary by facility) |
| Water supply and wastewater | Do you purchase water at your facilities? |
| Business travel | Do employees travel for business? (Default: Yes for most companies) |
| Employee commuting | Do employees commute to a physical office? |
| Leased assets (upstream) | Do you lease office space or equipment from others? |
Downstream categories
| Category | Question asked |
|---|---|
| Downstream transportation | Do you ship products to customers? |
| Processing of sold products | Are your products processed further by customers? |
| Use of sold products | Do your physical products consume energy during use? |
| End-of-life treatment | What happens to your products after their useful life? |
| Leased assets (downstream) | Do you own assets that you lease to others? |
| Franchises | Do you operate franchise locations? |
| Investments | Do you have investments in other companies whose emissions you need to account for? |
NetNada defaults to a boundary that works for most professional services, technology, and legal firms. If you're in manufacturing, real estate, transport, energy, waste management, or hospitality, review and adjust the Scope 3 categories carefully.
Finalising and Sharing
Click Finalise Boundaries when you're done. You can save progress at any time and return later. Once finalised:
- Tasks are automatically generated in the Task Manager based on your boundary and reporting period.
- You can view a summary report of your boundary configuration.
- You can generate a shareable link to send to people outside NetNada for review.
Scope Overview
| Scope | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources | Stationary combustion, mobile combustion, fugitive emissions |
| Scope 2 | Indirect emissions from purchased energy | Purchased electricity, steam, heating, cooling |
| Scope 3 | All other indirect emissions in the value chain | Purchased goods, business travel, waste, employee commuting |
FAQ
Can I have multiple emissions boundaries?
Yes. Organisations with complex structures — such as joint ventures, multiple legal entities, or separate investment funds — may need separate boundaries with different consolidation approaches.
What happens if I change my boundary after uploading data?
Existing data is not deleted. However, tasks may be regenerated to reflect the updated boundary. Review your task manager after making changes.
What consolidation approach should I use?
Most organisations should use Operational Control — it's the most straightforward and aligns with how most businesses operate. Use Financial Control or Equity Share only if you have joint ventures, investment funds, or property portfolios where ownership percentages affect emissions allocation.
Do I need to include all 15 Scope 3 categories?
No. You only include categories that are material to your organisation. For most office-based businesses, purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting, and waste are the key categories. Consult industry-specific guidance if you're unsure.
What triggers a 'special flow' in fugitive emissions?
If you operate a landfill, waste management plant, oil and gas production facility, or coal mine, answering 'yes' to those questions triggers additional data collection requirements specific to those industries.