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TRANSPORTATION

Transportation Toolkit Definitions

Alternative Fuels: The following fuels are defined as rarely used as a transportation fuel. Life cycle analysis found alternative fuels by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992: that B100 use reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 74% pure methanol, ethanol, and other alcohols; blends of 85% compared with diesel. To qualify as a green vehicle or more of alcohol with ; natural gas and liquid fuels under this metric, must be used with B20 or higher domestically produced from natural gas; propane; coal-derived or with locally produced, low-level (e.g. B5) biofuel for liquid fuels; hydrogen; electricity; pure biodiesel (B100); fuels, more than 4 months of the year. Note: Practice Greenhealth is other than alcohol, derived from biological materials; and in alignment with the AASHE STARS Credit OP-15 in requiring P-Series fuels. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy may vehicles to use the alternative fuel more than 4 designate other fuels as alternative fuels, provided that the months of the year to qualify as “green”.. fuel is substantially non-petroleum, yields substantial energy security benefits, and offers substantial environmental benefits. Conventionally Powered Vehicles: Vehicles with gasoline or For more information, see the EPAct website (reference 42 diesel powered internal combustion engines. U.S. Code 13211). Distributor: For the purposes of this metric, Practice Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) Greenhealth considers a distributor to be any product or are those defined by Section 301 of the Energy Policy Act service vendor who regularly drives to hospitals to drop off or of 1992, as amended (42 U.S.C. 13211), and otherwise pick up supplies or material. includes electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in Electric Vehicles (EVs): All-electric vehicles (or EVs) use hybrid electric vehicles, dedicated alternative fuel vehicles, a battery to store the electric energy that powers the motor. dual fueled alternative fuel vehicles, qualified motor EV batteries are charged by plugging the vehicle into an vehicles, advanced lean burn technology motor vehicles, low electric power source. PHEVs and EVs can reduce fuel costs vehicles, powered dramatically because of the high efficiency of electric motors. vehicles, self-propelled vehicles, such as , and any Because PHEVs and EVs rely in whole or part on electric other alternative fuel vehicles that are defined by statute. power, their fuel economy is measured differently than that of Bi-Fuel Vehicles: Any vehicle engineered and designed conventional vehicles. Miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent with two independent fuel systems, which can be operated (mpge) and kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 100 miles are common on either of the two fueling systems separately, but not in metrics. Depending on how they’re driven, today’s light-duty combined operation simultaneously. This category includes EVs (or PHEVs in electric mode) can exceed 100 mpge and gasoline/natural gas vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric can drive 100 miles consuming only 25-40 kWh...The fuel vehicles (PHEV). economy of medium- and heavy-duty PHEVs and EVs is highly dependent on the load carried and the duty cycle, but Biodiesel: Biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable in the right applications, they can maintain a strong fuel-cost fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal advantage over their conventional counterparts. fats, or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel vehicles. Biodiesel’s physical properties are similar to those of Electricity: Electricity can be used to power all-electric petroleum diesel, but it is a cleaner-burning alternative. vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. These vehicles Biodiesel can be blended and used in many different can draw electricity directly from the grid and other off-board concentrations. The most common are: B6 to B20 (6% to electrical power sources and store it in batteries. 20% biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel) and B5 (5% Employee Mode Split: A modal share (also called mode biodiesel, 95% petroleum diesel). B100 (pure biodiesel) is split, mode-share, or modal split) is the percentage of travelers typically used as a blendstock to produce lower blends and is using a particular type of transportation (drive-alone, public transit, bike/walk, etc.) to commute to work, or number of trips newer light-duty conventional gas vehicles. using a particular transport mode. Fleet Vehicles: Within the Practice Greenhealth transportation Employee Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) Rate: Also goals, fleet includes passenger vehicles, ambulances, shuttles, known as drive-alone rate, this metric indicates the estimated vans, buses, light duty, medium and heavy duty trucks percentage of organizational employees who drive alone in and helicopters. The Practice Greenhealth definition does their vehicles to and from their work locations. not include off-road vehicles such as forklifts, ATVs, power mowers, or snow blowers which may also be included in Employee Transportation Mode: When assessing employee Scope 1 mobile fuel combustion GHG emissions. mode split, Practice Greenhealth uses a set of vehicle/ transport types that have standard conversion factors for Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs): Any vehicle engineered greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and particulate matter and designed to be operated on a single fueling system that emissions via the U.S. EPA. These vehicle types include: can accommodate mixtures of varying quantities of two or more liquid fuels that are combusted together. This category • Passenger (passenger , minivan, SUVs, small includes vehicles that can operate on either gasoline or E85 pickup trucks (vehicles with wheelbase less than 121 or gasoline and methanol (M85). This also includes vehicles inches) with two liquid fueling systems that can operate individually • or simultaneously, employing up to three liquid fuels (tri-flex • (EV) fuel vehicles). To qualify as a green vehicle under this metric, alternative fuel must be used in this vehicle for more than 4 • Light-duty Truck (full sized pickup trucks, full sized vans, months of the year. Note: Practice Greenhealth is in alignment extended length SUVs (vehicles with wheelbase greater with the AASHE STARS Credit OP-15 in requiring alternative than 121 inches) fuel vehicles to use the alternative fuel more than 4 months of • the year to qualify as “green.” • Intercity Rail (i.e Amtrak; long distance rail between major Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs): Fuel cell electric cities) vehicles (FCEVs) are powered by hydrogen. Hydrogen is • Commuter Rail (rail service between central city and considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of adjacent suburbs (also called regional rail or suburban 1992 and qualifies for alternative fuel vehicletax credits. rail) Fuel-Efficient Vehicles:For the purposes of this metric, • Transit Rail (subway, tram; rail typically within urban center fuel efficient vehicles are those vehicles that have achieved a such as subway, elevated railways, metropolitan railways, minimum Green Score of 40 from the American Council for streetcars, trolley cars, and tramways) an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle rating • Bus guide. Use ACEEE’s Greener Cars searchable database to identify vehicles that meet the LEED Low Emitting and Fuel Non-vehicle transportation modes include: Efficient Vehicles requirements. Also available for model years a. 1998 - 2016 in a downloadable Excel spreadsheet. Practice Greenhealth utilized the US Council’s definition b. Walk of low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles from LEED LT Credit c. Telework 4.4 Low Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles. d. Did not work Hybrid Vehicles: A that is powered by two Ethanol: Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn and power sources and includes hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), other plant materials. The use of ethanol is widespread, and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and all-Electric more than 97% of gasoline in the U.S. contains some ethanol. Vehicles (EVs). See definitions. The most common blend of ethanol is E10 (10% ethanol, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs): HEVs are primarily 90% gasoline). Ethanol is also available as E85 (or flex powered by an internal combustion engine that runs on fuel)—a high-level ethanol blend containing 51%-83% ethanol conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses depending on season and geography—for use in flexible energy stored in a battery. The battery is charged through fuel vehicles. E15 is defined by the Environmental Protection regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine Agency as a blend of 10.5%-15% ethanol with gasoline. E15 and is not plugged in to charge. is an approved ethanol blend for use in model year 2001 and Hydrogen: Hydrogen, when used in a fuel cell to produce electric power, their fuel economy is measured differently than electricity, is an emissions-free alternative fuel produced from that of conventional vehicles. Miles per gallon of gasoline diverse [domestic] energy sources. Through retail dispensers, equivalent (mpge) and kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 100 miles are it fills passenger vehicles in less than 10 minutes to provide common metrics. Depending on how they’re driven, today’s a driving range of more than 300 miles. Research and light-duty EVs (or PHEVs in electric mode) can exceed 100 commercial efforts are underway to expand the hydrogen mpge and can drive 100 miles consuming only 25-40 kWh. fueling infrastructure and production of fuel cell electric The fuel economy of medium- and heavy-duty PHEVs and EVs vehicles. is highly dependent on the load carried and the duty cycle, but in the right applications, they can maintain a strong fuel-cost Idle-Free Campus: Similar to smoke-free campus advantage over their conventional counterparts. designations, an idle-free campus includes the implementation, communication, and enforcement of no-idling policies and Propane: Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas practices that reduce unnecessary engine idling. (LPG) or propane autogas, has been used worldwide as a vehicle fuel for decades. It is stored as a liquid, and propane Low-Emitting Vehicles: For the purposes of this metric, low- fueling infrastructure is widespread. emitting vehicles are defined as vehicles that are classified as Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) by the Air Resources Top 10 Distributors: Top 10 suppliers, carriers, or service Board. Under the federal standards, this includes vehicles that providers identified by annual expenditure. Typically, top qualify as California ZEV-equivalent, including Tier 2 bin 1 and 10 distributors can be found among medical/surgical, Tier 3 bin 0. Use ACEEE’s Greener Cars searchable database pharmaceuticals, food, linen, office supply, and waste to identify vehicles that meet the california ZEV standard management services, suppliers, and vendors. The focus is on requirements. Also available for model years 1998 - 2016 in a selecting those. downloadable Excel spreadsheet. Practice Greenhealth utilized the US Green Building Council’s definition of low-emitting and U.S. EPA SmartWay: An open-access, voluntary, market- fuel efficient vehicles from LEEDLT Credit 4.4 Low-Emitting driven partnership to help businesses move goods in the and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles. cleanest, most efficient way possible. Since 2004, the program has provided a consistent set of tools and information, Methanol: Methanol (CH3OH), also known as wood alcohol, enabling companies across the supply chain to enhance the is considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of fuel efficiency of fleet vehicles. For more information, visit 1992. As an engine fuel, methanol has chemical and physical https://www.epa.gov/smartway. fuel properties similar to ethanol. Methanol use in vehicles has declined dramatically since the early 1990s, and automakers Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): A measurement of total no longer manufacture methanol vehicles in the United States. miles traveled by vehicles within a specified region over a specified time period (such as each year). Within the Practice Natural Gas: Natural gas is a domestically produced gaseous Greenhealth transportation goals, both employee and fleet fuel, is readily available through the utility infrastructure. The vehicle miles traveled are being tracked. advantages of natural gas as an alternative fuel include its domestic availability, established distribution network, relatively RELEVANT REGULATIONS AND GUIDANCE low cost, and emissions benefits. Renewable natural gas Understand the Smog Rating. California Air Resources Board (RNG) and conventional natural gas, must be compressed Starting in 2013, all new cars are required to display the (CNG) or liquefied (LNG) for use in vehicles. updated Federal Fuel Economy and Environment Label. Learn Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): PHEVs are more. powered by an internal combustion engine that can run on Federal and California Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions Standards conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses for Air Pollutants energy stored in a battery. The vehicle can be plugged into an electric power source to charge the battery. Some can travel more than 70 miles on electricity alone, and all can operate solely on gasoline (similar to a conventional hybrid). Also considered a bi-fuel vehicle. PHEVs and EVs can reduce fuel costs dramatically because of the high efficiency of electric motors. Because PHEVs and EVs rely in whole or part on