Uploading CSV Files
Asset Footprint Data Upload
Within Brightest, you have three options for uploading sustainability data via spreadsheet (.csv) file:
You can upload data to create one or multiple assets (example: uploading a list of real estate leases, fleet vehicles, or investments)
You can upload footprint data for multiple assets in bulk
You can upload footprint data for a single asset
CSV Importer
To import bulk sustainability data for multiple assets in Brightest, use the csv file importer.
First, navigate to your Sustainability Module and Assets tab.
Click on the gray "CSV import" button at the top right side of your asset library.
Select "Upload Asset Footprint Data". This will open the csv importer.
Download the csv file template and fill it out with your data.
Similar to other Brightest upload imports, you can access an upload template of the fields that should be included in your .csv, as well as guidance on which metrics are accepted. If you're uploading waste data, we also provide a downloadable reference on accepted waste types.
CSV template for uploading data for multiple assets
To upload data to multiple assets, include the following fields (columns) in your .csv file:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
Asset Name | Yes | The name of your asset (ex: Brightest NYC HQ Office) |
UUID | Yes | Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). If you don't know your asset's uuid, click the asset's name in your "Assets" table, and navigate to the bottom of the page. For simplicity, feel free to customize the Asset uuid and make it the same as your Asset Name value. |
Metric | Yes | The type of data you are uploading. Enter one of the following: Electricity, Fuel, Heating, Materials, Refrigeration, Time, Waste, Waste Container, Water, Transport |
Metric Unit | Yes | The unit that your data is using. For example, kWh (for electricity), Gallons (for water or fuel), Therm (for heating) etc.) Check the unit options for your metric below. |
Amount | Yes | A number representing the amount of the metric you are uploading, without any commas for larger numbers (ex: "1000" if you're uploading a row for 1,000 kWh of electricity) |
Year | Yes | The year you are uploading data for |
Month | Yes | The month you are uploading data for |
Waste type | No, optional by default, unless importing waste data | Leave this field blank unless you're importing waste data, in which case please refer to the supported waste types below and include a value for the waste type(s) being imported |
Waste disposal type | No, optional by default, unless importing waste data | Leave this field blank unless you're importing waste data, in which case please refer to the supported waste disposal types below and include a value for the waste disposal type(s) being imported |
Refrigerant Type | No, optional by default, unless importing refrigerant data | Leave this field blank unless you're importing refrigerant data, in which case please refer to the supported refrigerant types below and include a value for the refrigerant type(s) being imported |
Fuel Type | No, optional by default, unless importing fuel data | Leave this field blank unless you're importing fuel data, in which case please refer to the supported fuel types below and include a value for the fuel type(s) being imported |
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Metric Units
The first important thing to confirm and enter correctly in your .csv file are the type(s) of data you're importing - specifically, which metric.
When we say "Metric", we mean environmental metrics like electricity, waste, or water.
A "Metric unit" is the unit of measurement for that metric. For example, in kWh of electricity, kWh is the metric unit, and electricity in the metric.
By default, Brightest supports uploads and measurement for the following metrics and units:
Carbon Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Carbon | mtCO2e | Metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in carbon equivalents |
Electricity Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Electricity | kWh | kilowatt hours |
Electricity | MWh | megawatt hours |
Electricity | GJ | gigajoules |
Electricity | Therm | |
Electricity | mmBtu | one million British thermal units |
Heating Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
Heating | Gallon | |
Heating | mmBtu | one million British thermal units |
Heating | GJ | gigajoules |
Heating | Liter | |
Heating | kWh | kilowatt hours |
Heating | MWh | megawatt hours |
Heating | Therm | |
Heating | ft^3 | cubic feet |
Heating | m^3 | cubic meter |
Heating | y^3 | cubic yard |
Heating | Barrel | |
Heating | HCF | one hundred cubic feet (CCF) |
Heating | MCF | one thousand cubic feet |
Water Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
Water | Gallon | |
Water | Liter | |
Water | Barrel | |
Water | m^3 | cubic meter |
Water | y^3 | cubic yard |
Water | ft^3 | cubic feet |
Water | HCF | one hundred cubic feet (CCF) |
Water | MCF | one thousand cubic feet |
Waste Units
Please note: Currently, waste can only be entered based on either volume or weight on a license level. You can update your settings here.
If you are not a license administrator, please contact your account administrator to update the settings.
| Metric | Metric unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Waste | g | gram |
Waste | kg | kilogram |
Waste | lb | U.S. or imperial pound |
Waste | Ton | U.S. ton |
Waste | MT | metric ton |
Waste | Gallon | |
Waste | Litre | |
Waste | Barrel | |
Waste | m^3 | cubic meters |
Waste | y^3 | cubic yards |
Waste | ft^3 | cubic feet |
Waste | HFC | one hundred cubic feet |
Waste | MCF | one thousand cubic feet |
Fuel Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
Fuel | Gallon | |
Fuel | Liter | |
Fuel | Barrel | |
Fuel | m^3 | cubic meter |
Fuel | y^3 | cubic yard |
Fuel | ft^3 | cubic feet |
Fuel | HCF | one hundred cubic feet (CCF) |
Fuel | MCF | one thousand cubic feet |
Refrigeration Units
| Metric | Metric unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
Refrigeration | lb | U.S. or imperial pounds |
Refrigeration | g | gram |
Refrigeration | kg | kilogram |
Refrigeration | Ton | U.S. tons |
Refrigeration | MT | metric ton |
Materials Unit
| Metric | Metric unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
Materials | unit |
Please be aware metrics may be case sensitive. If you need to import data for other metrics or units not included in this list, please contact Brightest support (support@brightest.io) for assistance.
When you upload your data, please make sure the correct "Metric" value is in the "Metric" column, and the correct, corresponding "Metric unit" value is in the "Metric unit" column.
Be careful to avoid any typos, and type, enter, or paste the metric and metric unit exactly as it's documented.
For example, if you're importing water data in liters, make sure to use "liters" plural with an 's' at the end, not "liter".
Uploading Waste Data
If you're uploading waste data, you need to include the waste type in the "Waste type" field and the disposal method in the "Waste disposal type" field.
Uploading Fuel Data
If you're uploading fuel data, you need to include the fuel type in the "Fuel Type" field. Currently, Brightest supports the following fuel types:
Gasoline (vehicle)
Diesel
Biodiesel
Biofuel (plant-based)
Biogas
Propane
Coal
Combined heat and power
Electricity
Natural Gas
Welding gas - Carbon Dioxide
Jet Fuel
LNG
LPG
Marine fuel
Oil (petroleum)
Solar Thermal
Water, water heating, or hydroelectric
Other
Uploading Refrigerant Data
If you're uploading refrigerant data, you need to include the refrigerant type in the "Refrigerant Type" field. Currently, Brightest supports the following refrigerant types:
R-516A
HFC-32
HFC-134a
R-404A
R-407A
R-407C
R-410A
R-454A
R-454B
R-454C
R-455A
R-457A
R-134A
Possible issues and troubleshooting
When you're importing data via .csv file, it's important to check that your data is clean and accurate before uploading. Because it's a .csv (comma separated value) file, make sure there aren't any extra commas in your fields that might be mistaken as a field divider.
Make sure that your metric and metric unit are entered into your file correctly, and that the units you are using are supported. If you receive an error message, be sure to double check your file. However, just because you see a red error message or don't receive the "Upload Successful" message, it doesn't always mean your upload wasn't successful.
Always be sure to first check your asset footprint pages to see if your data uploaded correctly even if you receive an error, or if for any reason you believe your data may not have been uploaded successfully. Double check whether data has been uploaded and saved to your account after you click "save" or "import" before you attempt saving again. There may be a slight delay in data upload due to internet speed or data volume. Above all, please make sure you don't import the same data twice as this can cause duplicates.
Finally, take care to manage the size of your file. Always test an upload with a small file first, before attempting to import a larger file.
If you have any additional issues or questions, please contact Brightest support (support@brightest.io) for assistance.
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