# How do I calculate the carbon footprint of vinyl flooring?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/vinyl-flooring-carbon-footprint-per-square-metre

Weigh the PVC, plasticiser or stone filler, wear layer and print film per square metre and multiply by supplier figures. Add calendering or extrusion, lamination and cutting energy, then divide the plant's energy by square metres made.

## Material

- PVC resin.
- Plasticiser, stone powder or chalk filler.
- Print film, wear layer and coating.

## Process

- Calendering or extrusion of the core.
- Laminating the print film and wear layer.
- Cutting, profiling and packing.

## Per sq m

Report per square metre by thickness and type. A rigid SPC plank carries more filler and weight than a thin sheet.

## Worked example: plant energy per sq m (one month)

- Electricity: 150,000 kWh x 0.710 = 106,500 kg CO2
- Square metres made: 200,000
- Plant total: 106,500 / 200,000 = 0.532 kg CO2 per sq m
- Add PVC, filler and films for the full figure

Inputs are illustrative; use your own bills and production records.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads the plant's electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and fuel invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record, the plant-level input to a per-unit figure. Bought-in materials go to the supplier evidence trail; product reports are self-declared drafts.

- [Product carbon footprint calculator](https://senseible.earth/calculators/product-carbon-footprint)
- [PVC pipe footprint](https://senseible.earth/answers/pvc-pipe-carbon-footprint-per-kg)
- [Ceramic tile footprint](https://senseible.earth/answers/ceramic-tile-carbon-footprint-per-square-metre)
- [Chemical industry](https://senseible.earth/industries/chemical)

Sources: [GHG Protocol Product Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/standards), [ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org)](https://www.iso.org), [IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults)](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol2.html), [CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 21.0](https://cea.nic.in/cdm-co2-baseline-database/?lang=en)

Last reviewed 2026-10-21.