Greenhouse Gas Inventory

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

August 2017

Acknowledgements ThisreportwaspreparedbygraduatestudentDanielPatewiththehelpofmethodologiesdevelopedbyTheGoodCompany,aEugene,OR-basedsustainabilityresearchandconsultingfirm,andtheAppalachianEnergyCenter.TheprojectwasfundedbyTheGreenInitiativeFund(TGIF).Additionally,informationfromthefollowingsourceswasused:TheUniversityofNorthCarolinaSystem,theAssociationfortheAdvancementofSustainabilityinHigherEducation(AASHE),iCompliSustainability,DavidSuzukiFoundation,theU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)andtheUNCWOfficeofInstitutionalResearchandPlanning.AlsomakingcontributionswereUNCWEnvironmentalHealth&SafetyDirectorStanHarts,SustainabilityCaptainKatPohlmanandseveraluniversitydepartmentcontactswhohelpedwithdatacollection.ForadditionalinformationaboutUNCW’ssustainabilityefforts,pleasecontactMs.Pohlmanatpohlmank@uncw.edu. ExecutiveSummaryThisreportfocusesonuniversityemissionsforFiscalYears(FY)2015,2016and2017andbuildsonpreviousinventories.Inadditiontoreportingemissionsnumbers,thestudyalsofocusesoncomparingtheuniversity’sperformancetopeerinstitutions,projectingfutureemissionsandrecommendingemissionsreductionstrategies.TrackingemissionsisimportantinmonitoringeffortstoachievesustainabilitygoalssuchastheUniversityofNorthCarolinaSustainabilityPolicythatcallsforstateuniversitiestoachievecarbonneutralityby2050.Overall,emissionsbetweenFY2015andFY2017rosemodestlycomparedtopreviousyearswhilestudentenrollmentincreasedrapidlyandcampusbuildingsquarefootagedidnotchange.Theriseinemissionsispartlyduetoanincreaseinelectricityusage,whichispossiblylinkedtoanincreaseinwarmweatherandbuildingadditionsoccurringjustbeforeFY2015.Theincreaseinemissionscanalsobelinkedtoupticksingoodspurchasedbytheuniversityandthenumberofparkingpermitssold.However,naturalgasusagehasbeensteadilydecliningandFY2017emissionsperstudentarenearthelowestlevelofthepastsevenyears. CampusGreenhouseGasInventoryThisreport’smethodologyfollowstheaccountingguidelinesintheGreenhouseGasProtocolCorporateAccountingandReportingStandard(GHGProtocol).TheGHGProtocolistheleadingglobalstandardforGHGaccountingframeworksandservesasthebasisforstandardsthatincludetheAssociationfortheAdvancement

UNCWAtAGlance

*The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education **Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System

14,463 full-time equivalent

students

4,004,331 building square feet

2,200 faculty & staff

AASHE* STARS** Silver Rating Member

Signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate

Agreement (ACUPCC)

ofSustainabilityinHigherEducation(AASHE)andtheAmericanCollegesandUniversityPresidents’ClimateCommitment(ACUPCC).ThisinventoryincludesemissionsfromUNCW’smaincampusalongwithotheruniversityoperationsinthearea.Thefiscalyearsoffocusforthisreportinclude2015,2016and2017,althoughnumbersfrom2011,2012,2013and2014willbereferencedforcomparison.ThefiscalyearstartsonJuly1andendsJune30.Figures1and2belowshowtheuniversity’soverallemissions.FY2017emissionstotaled85,323*metrictonsofcarbondioxideequivalent(MTCO2e).Thiswasa2.8*percentdecreasefromFY2016anda16.0*percentincreasefromFY2011.ItshouldbenotedthatsomedatafromthefinalmonthsofFY2017wereextrapolatedfromthepreviousyearduetotimeconstraints.

EmissionsbyYear(MTCO2e)

Figure 1: Total emissions for each of the past three Figure 2: Total emissions over the past seven fiscal years fiscal years

2017

85,323*

2016

87,763*

FY2015

85,712*

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TheGHGProtocolusesvarious“scopes”basedontheentitythatcontrolstheemissionsofagivensource.Scope1emissionsinvolvesourcescontrolledbyUNCWandincludestationarycombustion,fugitiveemissionsandfleetfuels.Scope2emissionsaremoreindirectandinvolveelectricitypurchasedfromanotherentity.Scope3emissionsarealsoindirectandincludesupplychain,studentandemployeecommutes,businesstravel,solidwasteandtransmissionanddistributionlosses.AlthoughtheGHGProtocoldoesnotrequirereportingofScope3emissions,UNCWtracksthesenumbersforamoreaccurateideaoftheuniversity’scarbonfootprint. Figures4,5and6belowillustrateemissionsbyscopeoverthepastthreefiscalyears.Duringthisspan,Scope3hadthemostemissionsat117,162*MTCO2e.Thetopemissionssourceswerepurchasedelectricityat110,842MTCO2eandsupplychainat50,242*MTCO2e.Itshouldbenotedthatsomebusinesstravel,includingrentalcar,trainandstudentstudyabroad,werenotincludedduetounavailabledata.Figure7showsemissionsbyscopeforeachofthelastsevenyears.

• Stationarycombustion• Fugitiveemissions

• FleetfuelsScope1

• PurchasedelectrictyScope2

• Businesstravel• Commute(students&faculty)

• Solidwaste• Supplychain

• Transmission anddistribution losses

Scope3

Scope 1:12%

Scope 2:43%

Scope 3:45%

FY2015-2017 Emissions

7%

88%

Scope 1 Emissions By Source: FY2015-2017

Fleet Fuels Natural Gas Refrigerants

5%

Figure 4 Figure 5

Figure 3: List of emissions sources by scope

Figure 7

Figures8and9showemissionsfrompurchasedelectricityandon-campusnaturalgascombustionoverthelastsevenyears.Thesearetwoofthehighestemissionsourcesoncampuswithnaturalgasaccountingfor8,595MTCO2eandpurchasedelectricityaccountingfor36,543MTCO2einFY2017.TheuniversitypurchasesitselectricityfromDukeEnergy.

0

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Emissions By Scope

Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3

6%

24%

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21%

43%

Business Travel

Solid Waste

T&D Losses

Commute

Supply Chain

Figure 6

Whileelectricityhasremainedsteadyoverthepastthreeyears,naturalgascombustionhasdecreased13.4percentsinceFY2014despiteincreasesinstudentenrollment.Inadditiontoenergyefficiencyimprovements,thisdecreaseislikelyduetowarmerweatheroccurringinFY2016andFY2017comparedtoFY2015.Warmerweatherresultsinlessnaturalgasusedforheating,althoughitcanresultinmoreelectricityusedforcooling.Figures10and11showemissionsperfull-timeequivalentstudentandper1,000buildingsquarefeetoverthelastsevenyears.EmissionsperstudentforFY2017was4.58MTCO2e,or7.9percentlowerthanthepreviousyear.Emissionsper1,000squarefeetforFY2017was11.4MTCO2e,or4.5percentlowerthanthepreviousyear.Thedecreasesoverthepastyearcouldbeduetoarecentsharpincreaseinstudentenrollmentandenergyefficiencyimprovementsmadetocampusfacilities.

Figure 2

Figure 8 Figure 9

Figure 10, with a linear trend line

EmissionsPer1,000BuildingSquareFeet

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Figure 11, with a linear trend line

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FY2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

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/ 1,

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t.

GHGBenchmarkingComparingUNCWemissionslevelstopeerinstitutionscanhelptheuniversitygaugeefficacyincarbonreductionefforts.Theinstitutionsbelowwerechosenduetoresemblancesinstudentenrollmentandacademicstructures. Figures12and13compareUNCW’semissionsperfull-timestudentequivalentandper1,000buildingsquarefeetwiththoseofpeerinstitutions.Forthiscomparison,onlyScope1and2emissionsareincludedbecausenotallreportedScope3emissionsnumbersfromtheinstitutionsareequivalent.Additionally,themostrecentdatafromeachinstitutionareused.

GHGMitigationForUNCWtoachievecarbonneutralityby2050asproposedbytheUNCSustainabilityPolicy,theuniversitywillhavetoreduceemissionswhileundergoingrapidstudentandbuildingareagrowth.Carbonneutralitymeansthattheuniversityproducesnonetemissionsanditusuallyinvolvesthepurchaseofoffsetstonegateemissions.Thissectionshowsprojectionsusingbaselineemissions,oremissionsundera“businessasusual”scenario,comparedtostrategiestargetingcarbonneutrality.SomeemissionsassociatedwithUNCWareinthecontrolofoutsideparties.Thesescenariosincludepoliciesthataltertheelectricityproductionprocessatutilitiesandchangesinfuelefficiencyoftransportationusedbyuniversityemployees.Itshouldbenotedthattheseprojectionsareconsideredonlyanassessmentandthatcertaintyofnumbersdecreaseswithtime.Figure14projectsthebaselineemissionsandcomparesittoatargetedratethataimsforcarbonneutrality.Thebaseline,whichisprojectedtobe95,935MTCO2ebyFY2050,wascreatedusinghistoricdatafromeachemissionssource.ProjectionswerecreatedusingcalculationsdevelopedbyTheGoodCompanyinthepreviousgreenhousegasreport.Formoreonthemethodologyoftheseprojections,pleaseseetheAppendix&

Figure 12 Figure 13

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eet

Peer Institutions: Emissions Per Building Square Feet

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Peer Institutions: Emissions Per Full-Time Equivalent Student

AssumptionssectionorAppendixBofthe2014GreenhouseGasInventory,whichisavailableontheUNCWSustainabilitywebsite.

Figure 13: Comparing two emissions projections up to 2050; historic emissions also included

Purchasedelectricityisoneoftheuniversity’slargestemissionssources.Thesource’scarbonintensityisinfluencedbypoliciesonDukeEnergy’selectricitygeneration,whichinturncanaltertheuniversity’scarbonfootprint.Thisscenarioalsoappliestoregulationsonfueleconomyforvehiclesthatcouldbepurchasedbytheuniversity.Currentpoliciesandutilityplanssuggestthatthecarbonintensityofpurchasedelectricityandvehiclefueleconomywillbereducedinthelong-termfuture.ThiswouldhelpUNCWtowardsclosingthegapbetweenbaselineandtargetemissions.Figure15illustratesaprojectionofthisscenario.ThisstrategyisprojectedtoreduceFY2050campusemissionsto66,362MTCO2e,orabout22percentbelowtheFY2017level.

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Historic/Baseline/Target Campus Emissions

Historic GHG Emissions Baseline GHG Emissions Target Emissions Level

Figure 15: Baseline and target emissions projections up to 2050 with a projection that includes carbon-related policies

Inadditiontotheaforementionedpolicies,theuniversitywillhavetoimplementmitigationeffortsinordertoreachcarbonneutrality.Whiletherearemanymitigationstrategies,thisreportfocusesonEnergyServicesPerformanceContracts(ESPCs)andsolidwastemanagement.ESPCsareagreementswithenergycompaniesthatinvolveupgradestocampusbuildings.UNCWrecentlycompletedESPC2,whichinvolvedupgradesto17buildingsoncampusandisprojectedtosavetheuniversity$577,484inenergycostsduringthefirstyear.ESPC1wascompletedin2011andsavedtheuniversity$357,766inFY2015.Thesecondmitigationstrategyoffocusissolidwastemanagement.Theuniversitycansubstantiallyreduceemissionsbysendingitswastetoalandfillthatrecoversandflaresmethane,apotentgreenhousegas.IfmethaneflaringwascarriedoutinFY2017,theuniversitycouldhavereducedemissionsbyasmuchas7,996MTCO2e.NewHanoverCountyLandfill,thelocationwheretheuniversitydisposesitssolidwaste,plansonimplementingthispracticebyJanuary2019.Additionalsolidwastemanagementstrategiesincludeincreasingcompostingservicesandcontinuingtomarketrecyclingservices.Figure16illustratesprojectedemissionswhencombiningpolicychangesandthecampusmitigationeffortsmentionedabove.ThesetwostrategiesareprojectedtoreduceFY2050campusemissionsto48,459MTCO2e,orabout43percentbelowtheFY2017level.Theuniversitycanimplementadditionalmitigationstrategiestoclosethegapevenfurther.

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Policy-AdjustedEmissions

Figure 16: Baseline and target emissions projections up to 2050 with carbon-related policies and campus mitigation strategies incorporated

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Baseline Emissions Target EmissionsPolicy-Adjusted Emissions Mitigation Strategies

Policy-AdjustedandMitigationStrategyEmissions

Thefollowingarestrategiestheuniversitycanlaunchorcontinueinordertoreduceitscampuscarbonfootprint.

• StartinginAugust2017,UNCWwillcompostorganicsfromWagonerDiningHallandDub'sCafeattheNew HanoverCountyLandfill.

• ThelandfillplansonrecoveringandflaringmethanebyJanuary2019.Thisprocesscanreduceuniversityemissionsbyasmuchas7,996MTCO2eeachyear.

• Theuniversitycancontinuetomarketrecyclingandincreasethenumberofbinsoncampus.

SolidWaste

• Thesecontracts involveenergyefficiencyupgradestocampusfacilities.• Theuniversity recentlycompletedESPC2,whichinvolved 17facilitiesandisprojectedtosaveUNCW$577,484inenergycosts inthefirstyear.Theuniversitysaved$357,766 inFY2015fromESPC1.• Continuingtheseprojectsinthefuturecanhelpmitigatecampusenergydemandwhileincreasingthelongevityofuniversityfacilities.

EnergyServicePerformanceContracts(ESPCs)

• Offsetscanbepurchased fromanotherpartytonegate emissionsproduced bytheuniversity.• Carbonsequestrationis anotheroffsetstrategy.Planting200treesandallowingthemtogrowfor10yearscansequesternearly17,000poundsofCO2e,accordingtotheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA).

CarbonOffsets

• Promotingalternativetransportationcanreduceemissionsfrom employeeandfacultycommutes, aleadingsourceofairpollutiononcampus.

• Makingareal-timetrackermapavailablecanencouragetheuseofSeahawkShuttleservices.• Otherrecommendations includeencouragingcarpoolingthroughincentivesandcontinuingtomaintain bike routesandthecampusbike-shareprogram.

GreenTransportation

• Investinginrenewablesourcesorefficientmachinery canreduceemissions inthelongrun.• Examplesincludeinstallingphotovoltaic(PV)panelsandusingcombinedheatandpower(CHP). Statepoliciesthatallowthepurchaseofrenewableenergyfromthirdpartieswouldmakethisoptionmuchmoreaffordable.

SmartEnergyGeneration

• The universitycanfurtherreduceitscarbonfootprintby:• SellingfryeroilfromWagonerDiningHallfor biofueluse• Switchingtoalternativerefrigerants• Continuing tobuildupthesustainability curriculumandstudentenvironmentalopportunitiesattheuniversity

OtherStrategies

Appendix&AssumptionsToensureconsistency,emissionscalculationswerebasedonamethodologycarriedoutbyTheGoodCompanyinthepreviousgreenhousegasinventory.ThemethodologyfollowstheaccountingguidelinesintheGreenhouseGasProtocolCorporateAccountingandReportingStandard(GHGProtocol).Additionally,itshouldbenotedthatseveralkeyassumptionswereinvolvedindeterminingemissions.Theseassumptionsareimportantinaimingforaccurateemissionsnumbersbutalsomeanthatthenumbersshouldnotbetreatedassacrosanct.Forexample,whendeterminingtheemissionsofstudentcommutes,thecalculationsincludedanassumptionthateachstudentmakesonetriptocampusandonetripbackhomeeveryday.Obviously,itisverypossiblethatstudentsmakemultipletripsonanygivendayorevennotrips.Whilethisappendixbrieflydescribesthemethodologyandassumptions,amorein-depthdescriptioncanbefoundintheappendicesofthe2014GreenhouseGasInventoryontheUNCWSustainabilitywebsite.GreenhouseGasInventoryStationarycombustionnumberswerecollectedfromtheUNCWOfficeofFacilitiesandmobilefuelnumberswerecollectedfromUNCWParkingServices.Emissionswerecalculatedusinghighheatingvaluesofthefuelsandfuel-specificemissionsfactors.RefrigerantsdatawerecollectedfromtheOfficeofFacilities.Emissionswerecalculatedusingtheglobalwarmingpower(GWP)ofthegivenrefrigerant.PurchasedelectricitynumberswerecollectedfromtheOfficeofFacilities.EmissionswerecalculatedusingelectricityemissionsfactorsreportedbytheEPA’sEmissionsandGenerationResourceIntegratedDatabase(eGRID)fortheVirginia/Carolinasubregion.UNCWpurchasesitselectricityfromDukeEnergy.University-sponsoredairtraveldatawerenotavailableforFY2015throughFY2017,soemissionswerecalculatedbasedonhistoricnumbers.Thiscalculationincorporatedincreasedstudentandfacultyenrollment,averageaircarriereconomyandstandardemissionsfactors.Solidwastedatawerebasedonhistoricnumbers.EmissionscalculationsincorporatedfactorsfromtheEPAWasteReductionModel(WARM),whichincludeslandfilldisposal,recyclingandcompostingpractices.CommutedatawerecollectedfromUNCWParkingServices.Thedistancesdrivenbystudentsandfacultyweredeterminedusingzipcodesandthenumberofpermitssold.EmissionswerecalculatedusinganaveragevehiclefuelefficiencyfigurefromtheU.S.EnergyInformationAdministration(EIA)andstandardemissionsfactors.

SupplychaindatawerecollectedfromtheUNCWDepartmentofPurchasingServicesandincludedindividualpurchaseinformationfromthepastthreeyears.CalculationsweremadeusingtheEconomicInput-OutputLife-CycleAnalysis(EIOLCA),apublic-domaintooldevelopedbyCarnegieMellonUniversity.Thistoolusesinformationfromeachindustryinvolvedwiththesupplychainofeachgoodtogenerateanemissionsnumber.PeerInstitutionComparisonPeeruniversitieshavesimilarstudentenrollmentandacademicstructuresasUNCW.Thisallowsforacongruentcomparisonwhenlookingatemissionsdata.InformationoneachpeerinstitutionwasfoundonSustainabilityTracking,Assessment&RatingSystem(STARS)profilesontheAssociationfortheAdvancementofSustainabilityinHigherEducation(AASHE)website.Thisinformationincludedsquarefootage,enrollmentnumbersandyearlyemissions.Themostrecentdatafromeachuniversitywasused.ProjectingEmissionsThecalculationsusedforemissionsprojectionswerecarriedoutbyTheGoodCompanyinthepreviousgreenhousegasinventory.Theprojectionslookedatbaselineemissions,emissionstargetedtocarbonneutrality,policy-adjustedemissionsandmitigationstrategyemissions.Allprojectionswerecalculatedusingcustom-builtmodelsinMicrosoftExcel.Baselineemissionswereprojectedusinghistoricemissionsintensitymultipliedbyprojectedfutureactivitymeasures.Thesemeasuresincludegrosssquarefeet,full-timeequivalentstudentsandfull-timeequivalentpersonnel.Theemissionsourcesthatwereincludedwerestationarycombustion,mobilecombustion,fugitiveemissions,purchasedelectricity,transmissionanddistributivelosses,supplychain,airtravelandsolidwaste.Todeterminethetargetedemissionsamounts,alineartrendwasgeneratedusingMicrosoftExcel.Policy-adjustedemissionsinvolvedregulationsonutilitiesandvehiclefueleconomy.TheresourcesusedtoprojectemissionsincludedtheU.S.EnergyInformationAdministration(EIA),anIntegratedResourcePlan(IRP)filingwiththeNorthCarolinaUtilitiesCommissionfromDukeEnergyandSection111(d)oftheCleanAirAct.Formitigationstrategies,historicdataonsolidwastedisposalandEnergyServicesPerformanceContracts(ESPC)wereused.