Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Climate Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Climate Action PlanningAction Planning

A Strategic Approach for Achieving A Strategic Approach for Achieving Climate NeutralityClimate Neutrality

March 4, 2009 March 4, 2009

GHG

Towson UniversityTowson University

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Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Getting Started – Baseline GHG Gas Inventory

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What is a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory?

A collection and quantification of gases emitted from an institution that are expected to contribute to global warming

Greenhouse Gas Inventory: An Important Tool

1. Identify opportunities for emission reduction & energy savings

2. Data to Make More Informed Decisions

3. Manage Risk (regulatory, reputation, etc)

4. Respond to reporting requirements

5. Position Institution to participate in emerging carbon markets

6. Establish a baseline for carbon neutrality planning

7. Receive recognition for participation

8. Plan for upcoming mandatory GHG regulations

Benefits of a GHG Inventory for an Institution

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What gases should be tracked?

GHG Tracking

1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

2. Methane (CH4)

3. Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

4. Certain Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)

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Three (3) scopes have been defined for GHG accounting and reporting purposes to help delineate direct & indirect emission sources, improve transparency, facilitate fair comparisons, & provide utility for different climate policies and goals

What are the different Scopes?

GHG Classifications – Concept of Scopes

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Sources of GHG Emissions

– Synthetic Fertilizer

– Organic Fertilizer

– Forestry

Purchased Electricity

Stationary Sources

Transportation

Refrig. & Chemicals

Agriculture

Solid Waste

– Central Boiler Plant Generation – Building Heating and Domestic Hot Water

– Coal, Nuclear, Natural Gas, Oil, and Renewable Energy

– Student, Faculty and Staff Commuter Trips– University Fleet Vehicles– Athletics, Recruitment, Faculty & Staff Travel

– Central Cooling Systems– Rooftop & Window A/C Units

– Waste Sent to Landfill

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GHG Inventory Program Overview

Data Calculation Process for each Category:

Data Source IdentificationData Source Identification

Formal Communication

Formal Communication

Data DeliveryData Delivery

Quality Assurance

& Benchmarking

Quality Assurance

& Benchmarking

Greenhouse GasCalculation

Greenhouse GasCalculation

- Assumption Review- Anomaly Review- Conversion Factors- Calculations - CACP

- Building Inventory- Student Population- Student Demographics- Department Leaders - Process Overview

- Presidential Letter- Accountability- Education Sessions

- Community Involvement- Data Collection- Data Input- Source Documentation

- Consumption/GSF- Benchmarking- Quality Assurance- Presentation

AASHE Report

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Community Involvement Data Collection

• Facilities– Grounds– Operations– Health and Safety– Agriculture– Fleet

• Admissions

• Accounts Payable

• Student Government

• Graduate Students / Interns

• Travel– Educational– Business– Athletics– Clubs– Other

• Purchasing

• Human Resources

• Parking Authority

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Challenges Associated with Data Collection

• Data may be Managed by Various Departments

– Potential errors include:

• Double-counted data

• Missed data

• Poorly tracked and labeled data

• Misunderstood inventory objectives

– Strategies for Eliminating Errors Include:

• Identify department managers of relevant data

• Identify objectives and collection methodology

• Be clear and specific when requesting:

– Emission sources associated with data

– Beginning and ending date range associated with data

– Units the data should be presented in

• Allow time to conduct Quality Assurance Review

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• Electricity– Power plant electric make up – Contact electricity provider

• Travel– Diesel bus estimate mpg– Personal/fleet vehicle travel mpg

• Agriculture– Weighted average calculation when using multiple types of fertilizers

• Waste– Waste disposal – Contact waste disposal provider

• Landfilled• Incinerated• Methane Recovery/flaring

• Offsets– Average carbon density of US forestland– Average carbon density of Wetlands

• Commuter Travel – Students/Faculty/Staff– Personal Vehicle Travel

• Students with campus parking passes and associated zip codes– Public Transportation

• Contact public transportation for estimates

Assumptions

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Carbon Footprint

15%

2%

28%

<1%

55%

Powering and Cooling Buildings

Heating Buildings

Transportation

Refrigerants

Solid Waste

Agriculture

<1%

Towson’s Carbon Footprint

Main University Contributors:

– 70% Energy – Purchased Electricity and Stationary Sources

– 28% Transportation

• University emitted 86,390 metric tons of eCO2 in 2007

– 5.6 metric tons of eCO2 per student

– 0.02 metric tons of eCO2 per gross square foot

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Comparing Institutions Baseline – Total eCO2

School Name Region # of Students

(FTE)

2007

Gross eCO2

Emissions/Student (FTE)

Towson University

Mid-Atlantic 15,347 86,390 5.6

University of Maryland- Baltimore County

Mid-Atlantic 10,295 89,761 8.7

George Mason University

Mid-Atlantic 22,710 103,066 4.5

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Annual Reporting - AASHE

Department Data

Collection Sheets

Department Data

Collection Sheets

AdmissionsAdmissions

AccountsAccounts

PayablePayable

FacilitiesFacilities

HumanHuman

ResourcesResourcesCA-CPCA-CPCalculatorCalculator

AASHEOnline

ReportingTool

AASHEOnline

ReportingTool

- Customized data collection forms

- CA-CP data entry, benchmarking, and quality control

- AASHE Reporting

GreenhouseGas

Inventory

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Climate Action Planning

Taking Steps – Developing the Plan

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Climate Action Planning – Key Elements

GHG Inventory - Baseline

Deferred & Modernization Needs

Energy Surveys / Assessments

Campus Master Plans

Priorities

Inspections

Asset Data

OPTIMAOperations Planning

Technical Inventory Management of Assets

Deferred Needs

Asset Inventory

Cycle Maintenance

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Climate Action Planning

How Carbon Neutrality is Best Achieved: The Carbon Management Hierarchy

Offset

Replace

Reduce

AvoidAvoid Carbon

Intensive Activities

Improve efficiency of

Processes & equipment

Replace high carbon energy sources with low carbon source

Offset those emissions that cannot

Be eliminated by above actions

Actions at the top of the hierarchy are more transformative and lasting in terms of

reducing an Institutions emissions baseline

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Climate Action Planning – Process Overview

Campus Assessment

Planning

Campus Assessment

Planning

Forecasting Forecasting

Mitigation StrategiesMitigation Strategies

Climate Action Plan

Climate Action Plan

Action Planner Data Base

Action Planner Data Base

- Category- Approach- Creative Finance- Financial Impact- Difficulty Rating- Prioritization

- Campus Master Plan- Deferred Needs Plan- System Modernization- Environmental Studies- Energy Assessments

- Campus Plan- GHG Inventory- CA-CP Calculator - Trajectory - Energy

- Commuter Travel- Fleet Travel - Waste - Off Sets

- Milestones- Target Date- Educational Offerings- Management Data Base- Reporting

- Implementation

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GHG Emissions Trajectory – Business as Usual

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031 2033 2035 2037 2039 2041 2043 2045 2047 2049

Year

MT

eC

O2

Stationary Sources

Electricity

Refrigerants and Chemicals

Solid Waste

Agriculture

Air Travel

Fleet

Faculty and Staff Commuters

Student Commuters

CommunityCommunityInvolvementInvolvement

Green Building:Green Building:New/RenovationNew/Renovation

InvestmentInvestment

Conservation/Conservation/OptimizationOptimization

ENERGY

ENERGY

TRANSPORTATION

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Mitigation Strategies – Electricity

Electricity: Mitigation (MT eCO2)

10,0313,629

4,1603,652

InvestmentAddress deferred needs with a prioritized energy captial investment plan based upon maximizing return on investment

Conservation/OptimizationImprove scheduling of buildings to minimize operation of mechanical systems

Community InvolvementEstablish a sustainability and energy program through training & education staff, faculty & students

Green Building: New or Renovation

Design alterations or additions to maximize daylighting. Include lower partition heights, interior shading devices, interior glazing, and automatic photocell-based controls

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Mitigation Strategies – Stationary Sources

Stationary Sources: Mitigation (MT eCO2)

577

184249

3,302

Community InvolvementDevelop an energy policy that provides guidelines for O&M Best Practices to guide efficient system operation & establish performance objectives

Conservation/Optimization Eliminate simultaneous heating & cooling conditions

InvestmentInstall Demand-Control Ventilation for large spaces (ie. Gym, lecture halls, auditorium, etc)

Green Building: New or Rennovation

Use roofing materials that have a high solar reflectance index or vegetated roofs to reduce heat absorption

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Mitigation Strategies - Transportation

Transportation: Mitigation (MT eCO2)

6,850

25 623

4,717

Community Involvement

Comprehesive Carpooling Programs:- Fee Reduction (higher for single use)- Dedicate Carpool website- Preferred Parking Program

Green Building: New or Renovation

Increase infrastructure to support environmentally friendly vehicles; charging posts at parking lots and biodiesel fueling facilities

Conservation/OptimizationConsider a ban on campus parking permits for freshmen.

Investment Provide green bike program

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Mitigation Strategies -Refrigerants, Solid Waste and Agriculture

Other: Mitigation (MT eCO2)

0188

140317

Community Involvement

Solid Waste - Expand recycling and recovery/reuse programs:- move-in & move-out programs- recycling expansion throughout campus - charity programs- expand material recycling options (e-waste, batteries, cell, tires, etc.)

Conservation/Optimization Agriculture - Reduce synthetic fertilizers 50%

Green Building: New or Renovations

Refrigerants - Enforce Designers to eliminate the use of refrigerants or select refrigerants that minimize or eliminate the emission compounds that contribute to ozone depletion and global warming

Investment

Refrigerants - Tighten its CFC management program: begin replacement of R-22 (HC-FC 22) refrigerants with R134a, R-407c and other substitutes

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Planning and Managing Climate Action Plan

Emissions Cost Energy Savings Emissions Cost Energy Savings Emissions Cost Emissions CostMT eCO2 $ MMBTU $ MT eCO2 $ MMBTU $ MT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $

Community Involvement 3,629 0 0 0 577 0 0 0 6,850 0 317 0

Green Building: New/Rennovation 4,160 0 0 0 839 0 0 0 25 0 0 0

Conservation/Optimization 3,652 0 0 0 249 0 0 0 623 0 188 0

Investment 10,031 0 0 0 3,302 0 0 0 4,717 0 140 0

TOTALS 21,472 0 0 0 4,968 0 0 0 12,214 0 646 0

OtherTransportationMitigation Option Strategy

Electricity Stationary Sources

Calculate, Project and Invest

Itemize, Categorize and Prioritize

Establish Milestones, Implement and Report

Emissions Cost Emissions Cost Emissions Cost Emissions Cost Emissions Cost Emissions CostMT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $ MT eCO2 $

Electricity 0 0 0 0 0 0Stationary Sources 0 0 0 0 0 0Transportation 0 0 0 0 0 0Solid Waste, Argiculture & Refrig. 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Reduction 0 0 0 0 0 0

2029-2034 2034-2039Sources

2019-2024 2024-20292009-2014 2014-2019

STRATEGY%

ReductioneCO2

ReducedFinancial Impact

Energy Reduction (MMBTU)

Financial Savings

2007 TOTAL eCO2= 86,390

Phase Priority

Difficulty Rating (low/ medium/ high)

ROI (yes/ no)

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Climate Action Planning and Management

Inputs Outputs

CENTRALIZED REPORTING MODULE

Greenhouse Gas Inventory

* Educational* Research* Community Service

Mitigation Strategies

Campus Emission & Potential Reductions

Financial Impact or ROI

Synergistic Measures

Prioritization Projects

Targets & Milestones

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Climate Action Planning

Comments & Questions