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Bicycle enthusiast and building industry software executive Robert Anderson demonstrated how existing technology can assist in measuring and reporting the positive benefits of bicycle commuting at a Washington DC convention in December 2010.

Momentum Magazine featured Anderson in an article on the health benefits of bicycle commuting in the summer of 2010. The article prompted Anderson to outline a repeatable, entertaining way for bicycle enthusiasts to respond to a presidential mission comparable to putting a man on the moon. President Obama's Executive Order 13514 builds on a similar order from President George W. Bush. Combined they call for seemingly impossible reductions in energy use, water use and greenhouse gas emissions.

However, Anderson and others demonstrated how existing technology can be used to achieve the seemingly impossible task of reporting all Federal Agency greenhouse gas reductions from bicycle commuting.

“While it is more of a human resources issue than it is a vehicle or facilities issue, the benefits of bicycle commuting can be planned for and transparently reported using existing technology,” says Anderson. In his presentation, Anderson suggested that a friendly “Biggest Loser” competition among federal agency bike enthusiasts can set a standard for reporting greenhouse gas emissions as outlined in President Obama's Executive Order 13514.

Bicycle and rider security are key issues in an effective bicycle commuting program.

Citing multiple bicycle advocacy groups, commercial web sites and the Executive Order 13514 document itself, Anderson linked specific government requirements with specific business process solutions to suggest that establishing a bicycle commuting “scorecard” can easily assist reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.

The suggestion has credibility partially due to Anderson being architect and a North American vice president of Nemetschek Vectorworks, an international building industry software leader. Combining the problem solving discipline of an architect with his experience as a technology leader, Anderson showed how to relate bicycle storage, showers, security and other facilities issues to measurable greenhouse gas emissions reductions from bicycle commuting.

Using existing, transparent Cloud Computing processes, Anderson said Federal Agency bicycle enthusiasts could establish an accurate method for agency or inter-agency competition. GoogleMaps.com and MapMyRide.com were two web sites mentioned as assisting the equitable measuring of benefits.

Many free or low cost Cloud Computing websites can assist reporting benefits of bicycle commuting.

Using his company's Maryland offices as an example, Anderson demonstrated how to plan facilities for bicycle commuting. Anderson said he estimated reduction of greenhouse gases based on a formula from the report “Implementing a Successful Bicycle and Active Commuting Program in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area.” The report was created for the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, which helped President Obama craft Executive Order 13514. (see links below)

In Anderson's example, if five percent of 130 eligible employees bicycled for 50 percent of the time over an average commute of nine miles, they could displace about 6,000 pounds of carbon in one year.

When health benefits are calculated into the model, there are more benefits beyond “Biggest Loser” awards, according to Anderson, who managed his diabetes with the assistance of bicycle commuting.