# Event: HCMI & CHSB 💡 **High-Level Description** The events sector, with its vast scope and massive carbon footprint, has long been under scrutiny for its environmental impact. Recognizing the urgency for sustainability in this industry, two methodologies—HCMI (Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative) and CHSB (Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmark Index)—were introduced. Initially tailored for the hotel industry, these methodologies were soon recognized for their potential applicability in gauging sustainability within the broader events sector. HCMI, developed in collaboration with leading hoteliers, offers a unified approach to measuring and communicating the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings. Given the close interrelation between hotel and event industries, it was a natural progression for event organizers to leverage HCMI's precise carbon measurement tools. On the other hand, CHSB, developed by Cornell University, serves as a benchmarking tool, allowing event managers to compare their sustainability performance against global standards. As more event planners prioritize eco-friendliness and sustainability, both HCMI and CHSB have emerged as indispensable tools, reshaping the event industry's sustainability landscape.
Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) is a free methodology and tool for hotels to calculate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in their properties. The methodology was developed by the hospitality industry to create a consistent methodology for all hotels to measure and communicate their carbon impact. HCMI is currently being used by over 25,000 hotels globally. The ambition is that, through widespread use of HCMI, understanding, transparency, and accuracy across the industry will be improved.
Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index The Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index (CHSB) is an industry-led global data collection and benchmarking initiative, with data on energy, water, and carbon emissions from over 20,000 hotels around the world. Participants in the CHSB index include major hotel brands, operators, and owners, representing all regions of the world. The public dataset is published by Cornell’s School of Hospitality Research free of charge and contains average hotel performance for different types of hotels in different geographies. Hotels that participate directly in the index receive a confidential, bespoke benchmarking report showing how they are performing against their competitive set. CHSB data is used by governments, corporate customers, travel management companies, and numerous other organizations to determine benchmarks and estimates for energy and water usage, and carbon footprints.
GHG Protocol GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains, and mitigation actions. Building on a 20-year partnership between World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), GHG Protocol works with governments, industry associations, NGOs, businesses, and other organizations.
### Sample API Requests #### A. Without audit mode (for pre-booking/quotes) ```json { "expand": ["items"], "items": [ { "audit": false, "type": "event", "methodology": "HCMI", "external_reference": "string", "stars": 4, "country": "FR", "city": "Paris", "state": "Ile-de-France", "square_meters": 120, "number_of_days": 2 } ] } ``` #### B. With audit mode (for finalized/post-booking calculations) ```json { "expand": ["items"], "audit_for": "", "items": [ { "audit": true, "type": "event", "methodology": "HCMI", "external_reference": "string", "stars": 4, "country": "FR", "city": "Paris", "state": "Ile-de-France", "square_meters": 120, "number_of_days": 2 } ] } ``` > **Note:** `audit_for` is optional. Provide when calculating on behalf of a specific Auditable entity; otherwise omit. ### API Request Items * `"type"`: `"event"` (required) * `"methodology"`: `"HCMI"` (required) * `"external_reference"`: A unique identifier that helps you link the resulting emissions to the requested item. Especially useful if multiple items are requested since SQUAKE cannot guarantee to keep the same order. The maximum length is 128 characters. * `"stars"`: Stars is mutually exclusive with `hotel_type`; stars is prioritized over `hotel_type`. Minimum value is `1`, maximum value is `5`. * `"country"`: Two-letter or three-letter code as defined in ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 and alpha-3 respectively. Minimum length is `2`, maximum length is `3`. * `"city"` * `"state"` * `"square_meters"`: Minimum value is `1`. * `"number_of_days"`: Minimum value is `1`. * `"hotel_type"`: `hotel_type` is mutually exclusive with `stars`, `stars` is prioritized over `hotel_type`. Available values include: `airport_location`, `convention_hotel`, `extended_stay`, `full_service_nonresort`, `full_service_resort`, `hotel_average`, etc. Default value is `"hotel_average"`. * `"audit"`: boolean (optional). Set to `true` to create immutable audit records for finalized calculations. Must be enabled for your account. ### Sample API Response ```json { "carbon_quantity": 3497, "carbon_unit": "gram", "items": [ { "carbon_quantity": 3497, "carbon_unit": "gram", "external_reference": "string", "type": "event", "methodology": "HCMI" } ] } ``` ### Bibliography * Ricaurte, Eric. *Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index 2024: Carbon, Energy, and Water*. 2024. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs-integration.squake.earth/api-calculations-request-response/travel/event/event-hcmi.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.