Greenhouse Gas Inventory
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GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON August 2014 2 LETTER FROM THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER As North Carolina’s coastal university, the University of North Carolina Wilmington defines itself by a strong connection to the environment through teaching, research and community engagement. UNCW considers its surroundings more than a backdrop for the successes that characterize the university. The environment is the main stage that much be preserved in order to continue such great academics, research and service learning. UNCW defines sustainability as individual efforts made by the community to ensure that the beauty and benefits of today’s world – economically, environmentally and socially – will be available for future generations to inherit. The university is committed to maintaining fiscal responsibility and believes that its efforts in sustainability reflect that. Consequently, sustainability involved awareness and understanding of the complex interdependence between these social, economic and ecological systems. The choices we, as Seahawks, make in our daily lives affect the intricate interconnections between these systems both seen and unseen. In recent years, the need to innovate and reduce the “talon-print” of our community, region and state became apparent. The initial wave of change may have originated on a political level, but as the movement has gained momentum, the tides have changed and the obligation to sustainability has developed as an individual as well as institutional commitment. As you will see in this report, UNCW has taken great strides in areas of energy conservation, alternative transportation, recycling, as well as stewardship in natural areas. Much work remains; however, through the hard work of the Sustainability Council and collaboration with peers and partners, we will continues the process of improvement. p. 2 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 3 LETTER FROM THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER Stan Harts Director Environmental Health & Safety Chief Sustainability Officer p. 3 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared by Good Company (www.goodcompany.com), a Eugene, OR based sustainability research and consulting firm, and the Appalachian Energy Center (energy.appstate.edu), housed at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The primary authors of the report are: David Ponder and Aaron Toneys of Good Company and Jason Hoyle and Joey Mosteller. For additional information about UNC Wilmington’s sustainability efforts please contact Kat Polhman at [email protected]. p. 4 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 OVERVIEW 7 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT 7 KEY FINDINGS 9 GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY 11 OVERVIEW 11 BOUNDARIES AND METHODOLOGY 11 SCOPE 1 - DIRECT EMISSIONS 16 SCOPE 2 - PURCHASED ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS 17 SCOPE 3 - OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS (ACUPCC) 18 SCOPE 3 - OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS (SUPPLY CHAIN) 19 GHG BENCHMARKING 20 GHG REDUCTION ANALYSIS 25 OVERVIEW 25 BASELINE GHG EMISSIONS 25 THE INFLUENCE OF STATE AND NATIONAL POLICIES ON GHG EMISSIONS 27 MITIGATION STRATEGIES OVERVIEW 29 ADDITIONAL MITIGATION APPROACHES 31 APPLICABILITY TO UNC WILMINGTON 37 SUSTAINABILITY COMMON PRACTICE 38 OVERVIEW 38 SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM BEST PRACTICE 38 SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING BEST PRACTICE 42 AASHE STARS REPORTING 44 APPENDIX A: GHG INVENTORY METHODOLOGY 43 APPENDIX B: GHG REDUCTIONS METHODOLOGY 50 p. 5 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS p. 6 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary OVERVIEW The Earth’s climate is changing and North Carolina already has seen the impacts. Scientists agree that greenhouse gasses (GHGs) are the primary cause of these changes. The most significant source of GHG pollution is carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil fuels. These change impact the North Carolina Coast in the form of rising sea levels and more frequent and extreme heat waves. Rising sea levels make vital infrastructure more vulnerable to storm surges, flooding, saltwater intrusion. More frequent and intense heat waves impact human health, increase demand for energy, and harm ecological systems. To reverse this trend, we must reduce GHG pollution globally by at least 50% by 2050. Meeting these emission reduction targets will require substantial shifts in how we consume energy—toward more efficient transportation, manufacturing, buildings and appliances—and where that energy comes from— toward safer, cleaner renewable energy sources like the wind and sun. To do its part to meet this challenge, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington has a goal to achieve climate neutrality. The University of North Carolina Sustainability Policy is the precedent for this goal. In addition to achieving climate neutrality, this policy calls for the integration of sustainability principles throughout the institution’s activities from planning, design and construction, operations and maintenance, transportation, recycling and waste management, and purchasing. We embrace this policy for several reasons. First, it is sound environmental stewardship. Second, it reflects our commitment to address critical regional issues. Third, it helps us prepare students to engage in our global community. Finally, reducing GHG emissions and other sustainability actions results in reduced consumption and cost-savings. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT p. 7 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GHG Reduction GHG Inventory Analysis To start charting a way forward in meeting this commitment we commissioned this report. The report consists of four Report sections. The first section is an inventory of our GHG emissions for fiscal years 2011 through 2014. The second Campus section is a projection of future GHG emissions and an Sustainbility Sustainability analysis of external and internal policies to reduce those Action Plan emissions. The third section reviews campus sustainability Benchmarking best practices at our peer and sister institutions. The fourth section is a sustainability action planning framework and a draft sustainability action plan. p. 8 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9 KEY FINDINGS GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY Between FY 2011 and FY 2014, gross GHG emissions associated with the university’s operations were virtually unchanged. The recent stability is attributable to declines in GHG emissions associated with some activities countering increases in GHG emission from other activities. Specifically, GHG emissions associated with fossil fuel combustion, the fugitive release of refrigerants and the purchase of electricity declined by 11%. Meanwhile, GHG emissions associated with business travel, employee and student commute and purchased goods and services increased by 16%. While on its face a modest finding, the stability in emissions is notable because during this same period student enrollment increased by 7% and building square footage increased by 8%. GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION ANALYSIS Despite the recent stability, the university’s GHG emissions are projected to grow over the next 35 years by 22% as a result of as increased student enrollment and campus expansion, assuming the GHG intensity of electricity and transportation do not change. However, external policies such as of federal vehicle fuel economy standards, North Carolina’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Rules would reduce the GHG intensity of electricity and transportation over time. If fully implemented these policies could actually result in slightly lower absolute GHG in 2050 than in 2014 even with substantial growth in campus population. While these external policies would reduce future GHG emissions, they are not sufficient to achieve climate neutrality. In order to meet this goal, the university will need to implement a number of internal policies and programs. This report identifies continued implementation energy savings measures and increased diversions of solid waste from the landfill as two of leading opportunities for on-campus GHG reductions. In combination with the external policies discussed above, these strategies could reduce FY2050 GHG emissions by nearly 35% below FY2014. There are number of additional GHG reduction strategies the university could pursue to achieve complete climate neutrality including switching to lower carbon transportation fuels, promoting alternative transportation, switching to lower GHG intensity refrigerants, and developing renewable energy projects or purchasing renewable energy certificates, and acquiring carbon offsets. CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY BENCHMARKING A central element common among all of the surveyed institutions is a clear mandate from the chief executive articulating the rationale and goals for the program. Such policies demonstrate the commitment of the university’s top leadership to integrate sustainability concerns into the institution’s strategic thinking and day-to- day operations. p. 9 UNC WILMINGTON GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND SUSTAINABILTIY ACTION PLAN A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 A centralized, standalone campus sustainability office with dedicated full time staff is another common feature of the sustainability programs