Creating a Carbon Neutral Campus

Transcription

1 Creating a Carbn Neutral Campus The University at Albany s Climate Actin Reprt This reprt represents a review f the current prgress twards carbn neutrality at the University at Albany and recmmendatins twards achieving this gal. Prepared by: Mary Ellen Mallia, Directr Prepared f Envirnmental by: Sustainability Indumathi, Energy Officer Tina Tina Daniels, student assistant

2 Table f Cntents 1. Executive Summary 2. Intrductin Histry f UAlbany and its surrunding natural resurces Glbal warming primer Climate change regulatins Histry f Envirnmental Sustainability at UAlbany 3. GHG inventry Explanatin f terms Findings Methdlgy 4. Reductin targets SUNY Plan Executive Order 24 ACUPCC Carbn neutrality 5. Recmmendatins 6. Areas f Actins t reduce carbn emissins Buildings Educatinal campaigns Envirnmental landscape Energy Fd and dining Infrmatin Technlgy Purchasing Transprtatin Waste diversin Water use 7. Cmplementary Actins t increase awareness and influence behavir change Curriculum develpment Research Student life Special events Cmmunity utreach Gvernmental relatins 8. Ntes page 9. Appendices A. GHG inventry fr 1990 B. GHG inventry fr 2005 C. GHG inventry fr 2009 D. Cmparisn f GHG emissins between 1990, 2005 and 2009 E. Detailed methdlgy fr GHG inventry F. Cmparisn f prjected emissins frm 2007 t 2014 vs. the SUNY Plan requirements G. Emissins level required frm 1990 t 2050 t meet Executive Order 24 and ther targeted gals H. SUNY Plan I. Executive Order 24 2

3 1. Executive Summary The University at Albany has striven t be a leader in envirnmental sustainability since the frmatin f the task frce in With the signing f the American Cllege and University Presidents Climate Cmmitment, we have slidified ur cmmitment t this gal. The university has cmpleted a cmprehensive greenhuse gas inventry fr the years 2005 thrugh Accrding t ur mst recent inventry, the university emitted 63,351 metric tns f carbn dixide equivalent (MTeCO 2 ) and can be brken dwn int the fllwing percentages by surce: 41% energy use fr heating and fleet use, (scpe 1 emissins), 36% purchased electricity (scpe 2 emissins), 16% cmmuting, 4% transmissin and delivery lsses fr electricity and 4% slid waste (scpe 3 emissins). The year 2005 has been chsen as ur base year as it marks the pint prir t the cmmencement f any majr envirnmental initiatives undertaken by the university. This year is als in line with the American Clean Energy and Security Act and the Cpenhagen Accrd. In 2005, 74,874 MTeCO 2 were emitted frm the university with 37% cming frm scpe 1, 43% frm scpe 2 and 20% frm scpe 3. This represents a 15% decline in carbn emissins during that time perid. The university is currently benchmarking its prgress twards established carbn reductin gals as utlined in the SUNY Plan f 2007 and Executive Order 24 signed by Gvernr Patersn in August Specifically, these set gals f a 20% reductin frm 2007 levels by 2014 (SUNY Plan) and an 80% reductin frm 1990 levels by 2050 (EO 24). T achieve the first target, the university will need t reach an emissins level f 56,922 MTeCO 2 by EO 24 equates t a level f n mre than 14,568 metric tns f carbn emissins in 2050 which wuld require a 48,783 metric tn reductin in CO 2 equivalent emissins frm ur current levels. It is imprtant t nte that these numbers d nt take int accunt expected increases in emissins due t new buildings, increased enrllments and staffing, and the inclusin f ther university entities r surces f emissins nt currently included in ur inventry. Beynd ur anticipated cmpliance with state mandates, the university will als need t develp a schedule fr further reductins r ffsets beynd the 80% required by 2050, setting ur carbn neutrality date fr smetime in the later part f the 21 st century. Carbn neutrality can be achieved thrugh the fllwing fur pint plan; 1. implementatin f cnservatin measures and educatinal prgramming, 2. implementatin f efficiency prjects, 3. implementatin f n-site renewable pwer and electricity generatin and 4. the purchase f carbn ffsets, renewable energy credits and green energy. These carbn reductin gals are very aggressive and nly feasible with significant financial investment, willingness t use innvative and alternative energy systems and plitical willpwer. The current budgetary cnstraints, standard practices fr evaluating prjects and purchasing rules present hindrances t achieving a carbn neutral campus and will need t be addressed in rder t reach ur gal. Since ver 75% f ur carbn ftprint is related t ur energy and electricity use (scpe 1 and 2), the gals f Executive Order 24 are nly attainable by changing ur surce f energy and electricity generatin t renewable resurces. Effective educatinal and cnservatin prgrams can be expected t achieve a 5 t 10% reductin in emissins thrugh behaviral and plicy changes. Energy efficiency prjects can yield anther 10 t 20% reductin. This will still leave a large prtin f emissins frm these scpes t be diminished thrugh a change in ur surce f energy and electricity generatin. In additin, the university will need t address its scpe 3 emissins cnsisting f cmmuting, waste generatin, and electricity transmissin and delivery lsses, in rder t achieve carbn neutrality. Given that mst f these emissins are incurred thrugh activities that the university des nt directly cntrl, it is likely that the bulk f these reductins will need t be attained thrugh the purchase f renewable energy credits and/r carbn ffsets, whse csts will need t be prjected and incrprated int future budgets. A prtfli apprach shuld be taken when chsing mitigatin strategies, using a cmbinatin f the abve fur actins in cncert with each ther. In additin, prjects which have significant envirnmental benefits and carbn emissin reductins that generate savings ver a lnger term, (greater than 10 years), shuld be cmmenced alngside thse that will garner mre immediate savings t the university within a shrt time frame (less than 5 years). It is recmmended that a steering cmmittee be set up t versee the frmatin f a cmprehensive sustainability and climate actin plan fr the university. Its gals wuld be t analyze the effectiveness f carbn reductin initiatives, cnduct life cycle assessments f alternatives and priritize actins. In additin, sustainability shuld be included in all future strategic and facilities master plans in rder t assure that the carbn reductin targets are incrprated int the institutinal structure in rder t becme achievable. It is als expected that a methdlgy fr fllw up and cntinual reprting, adjustment and reflectin will be delineated within the sustainability and climate actin plan. 3

4 2. Intrductin Histry f UAlbany and its surrunding natural resurces The University at Albany was funded in 1844 as a preparatry schl fr teachers and later jined with the State University f New Yrk system in Tday the University at Albany is an internatinally recgnized public research institutin and is hme t 18,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate level and emplying mre than 3,900 faculty and staff. The Capital Regin f New Yrk State is an area rich with natural and cultural resurces. Nestled within this diverse envirnment, the university is surrunded by the majestic Berkshires, Catskills, and Adirndack Muntains; cmbined they hld the largest wilderness area east f the Mississippi River. The main campus f the university hlds apprximately 500 acres and has a wide variety f vegetatin blanketing mre than half f the area. The main campus was designed by renwned American architect Edward Durell Stne and is regarded as an imprtant example f mdernist architecture. a The campus was described by authr Thmas A. Gaines, in his bk, The Campus as a Wrk f Art, as ne-f-a-kind. Glbal Warming Primer The Albany area is embedded in a whle system f wild and semi-natural areas. Water arrives frm reservirs in the heavily-frested Helderberg Muntains t the suthwest. Rainwater runs ff ur rftps and parking lts int ur hlding pnd and drains int several creeks, which eventually transprts the water int the Hudsn River and ut t sea. Air is cleansed by many kinds f frests, small and large, including beautiful trees n campus. Wildlife f many varieties abunds and can be visible in and arund the Capital Regin. The campus itself is hme t its wn valuable ecsystem and is neighbr t the Albany Pine Bush, hme f the Blue Karner Butterfly. Making a cnnectin t and learning abut the cntributins f this natural wrld is an imprtant cmpnent f envirnmental sustainability. As far back as 1898, there were cncerns that carbn dixide emissins, resulting frm the nset f the Industrial Revlutin, culd lead t glbal warming. It was nt until the 1970s, hwever, that scientists' grwing understanding f the Earth s atmsphere system brught this previusly bscure field f science t wider attentin. In respnse t increasing scientific knwledge, a series f intergvernmental cnferences fcusing n climate change were held in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1988, the United Natins Envirnment Prgram (UNEP) and the Wrld Meterlgical Organizatin (WMO) established the Intergvernmental Panel n Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC was given authrizatin t assess the state f existing knwledge abut the climate system and climate change; the envirnmental, ecnmic and scial impacts f climate change; and pssible respnse strategies. b After a peer review prcess by hundreds f scientists and experts, the IPCC released its First Assessment Reprt in The IPCC fund that human activities d lead t emissins f greenhuse gases (GHG) and that these gases are likely t cause rapid climate change. In 1994, the Cnventin n Climate Change set an verall framewrk fr intergvernmental effrts t tackle the challenge psed by climate change. It recgnizes that the climate system is a shared resurce whse stability can be affected by industrial and ther surce emissins f carbn dixide and ther greenhuse gases. c In 2001, the United States recgnized that prgressive and intensifying glbal warming can be linked t the ccurrence f large quantities f greenhuse gases in the atmsphere. The main greenhuse gases in the Earth's atmsphere cnsist f water vapr, carbn dixide, methane, nitrus xide, and zne. Greenhuse gases in small amunts lead t a natural glbal warming affect that warms the earth s surface and allws fr life n planet Earth. Hwever, prblems begin when 4

5 mre greenhuse gases are generated in the atmsphere than are necessary t warm the planet t an ideal temperature. Scientific studies have indicated that the mst prevalent greenhuse gas is carbn dixide and that the majrity f emissins f CO 2 since the mid-20 th century are a result f human activity. Other harmful greenhuse gases indentified include: methane (CO4), nitrus xide (N2O), and flurinated gases (CFC, HCFC and halns). Included within the listed human activities which intensify the effect is the prductin f carbn dixide thrugh the burning f fssil fuels and cutting dwn f carbn-dixide-absrbent frests. Heating buildings, purchasing electricity derived frm a fssil fuel and transprtatin are the three tp surces f CO 2 emissins. Agricultural practices, changes in land use, sewage treatment, and ther causes attributed t glbal warming results in the release f methane and nitrus xide. Methane is an extremely ptent greenhuse gas eventually xidizing in the atmsphere t frm carbn dixide and water vapr. Nitrus xide is the main agent fr the destructin f stratspheric zne in xidized frm and is apprximately 300 times mre pwerful f a greenhuse gas per unit weight than carbn dixide. Hexaflurides, specifically sulfur hexafluride, is released int the atmsphere as a result f use in the electric, steel and irn industries. Sulfur hexafluride is 22,800 times mre ptent f a greenhuse gas than carbn dixide and can damage vegetatin and livestck. d Chlrflurcarbns (CFCs) and ther gases als play a rle in trapping heat in the atmsphere that wuld therwise be radiated slwly int space. CFCs were created in the 1930 s and used as a prpellant in aersls, refrigeratin clants, and tday as electrnic circuit bard cleaners. It shuld be nted that althugh ther greenhuse gases are much mre ptent in their detrimental effect n the envirnment, carbn dixide receives the mst attentin as it has prven t be the mst prevalent and leading cause f glbal warming. Climate Change Regulatins The Kyt Prtcl is an internatinal agreement that included 165 cuntries. Taking place in December f 1997 in Kyt, Japan, the agreement was seen as an imprtant step tward a glbal emissin reductin schedule that wuld lead t the stabilizatin f GHG emissins and prvide the essential architecture fr any future internatinal agreement n climate change. The prtcl adpted new cmmitments that required develped cuntries t reduce greenhuse gas emissins after the year The Cpenhagen Accrd was drafted in December, 2009 frm the internatinal meetings that tk place t create the next wave f cmmitments n climate change in advance f the Kyt Prtcl expiratin in This is a nn binding dcument in which develped natins agreed t reduce their carbn emissins and develping natins agreed t slw their carbn emissins with a gal f limiting glbal warming t a 2 degree Celsius increase during this century. The United States, under the guidance f President Obama, has pledged t reduce carbn emissins accrding t the fllwing schedule (all frm 2005 levels): 3% by 2012, 17% by 2020, 42% by 2030 and 83% by A climate change bill, entitled the American Clean Energy and Security Act, has been passed by the Huse f Representatives and is currently under negtiatins in the Senate. This bill includes the same targeted carbn emissin reductins as the Cpenhagen Accrd. This bill als includes a cap and trade plan fr carbn emissins. Similarly, New Yrk State Gvernr Patersn issued Executive Order 24 which called upn New Yrk state agencies t reduce emissins by 80% f 1990 levels by In the absence f natinal legislatin, the EPA has taken steps t limit carbn emissins. The Supreme Curt ruled in 2007 that the EPA had the right t regulate greenhuse gases. Since then, the agency has determined greenhuse gases t be harmful t public health and have prpsed stricter regulatins. A recent Senate bill attempting t limit this pwer was defeated. One federal regulatin already in place requires facilities with pwer plants releasing ver 25,000 metric tns f CO 2 submit annual emissin reprts t the EPA. This ges int effect in January At the present time, the university wuld nt be required t cmplete these reprts as ur emissins are under this threshld. Hwever, since ur level f emissins frm the pwer plant is hvering near this limit, the mandate culd apply if ur need fr energy prductin frm the plant increases r if ur energy mix shifts twards il due t interruptins in natural gas supply. Histry f Envirnmental Sustainability at UAlbany The University at Albany has been instituting new ideas and prgrams fr a mre envirnmentally friendly way f cnducting business fr several years. Envirnmental interests were frmally culminated by the develpment f the Task Frce n Envirnmental Sustainability by then President Kermit Hall in February In creating the Task Frce, President Hall utlined its brad gal by stating; "as a public higher educatin institutin, the 5

6 University at Albany has bth an bligatin and an pprtunity t be a leader in envirnmental sustainability. Our institutin can and shuld serve as a mdel fr ther clleges and universities as well as fr ur wn students and the cmmunity arund us. This campus wide envirnmental initiative was started t encurage faculty, staff, and students t embrace the university s respnsibility t cnserve, prtect, and enhance the beauty f the campus and the surrunding cmmunity. The Task Frce cmprised f six cmmittees frmed with a gal t lwer cnsumptin, prtect envirnmental resurces, imprve transprtatin efficiency, and reduce waste n campus thrugh the prmtin f educatin and research. In Octber f 2006, the Task Frce was respnsible fr the highly successful launch f the g green initiative n campus. Prgrams develped by the task frce include; the annual Farmer s Market, the fall energy campaign and participatin in Recyclemania. In 2007, the State University f New Yrk assumed a natinal leadership rle in energy sustainability and educatin by establishing an envirnmentally cnscius SUNY wide plicy. This plicy, knwn as the SUNY Plan, utlines specific prcedural guidelines fr campus cnservatin by prmting sustainable practices n SUNY campuses. The gal f this plan is t reduce all GHG emissins by 20% frm 2007 levels by 2014 as well as set specific energy and green building plicies fr campuses t fllw. The UAlbany Task Frce, realizing the need fr a pint persn t crdinate and achieve these gals, recmmended the creatin f a new psitin t assume these respnsibilities. In January 2008, the university hired its first Directr f Envirnmental Sustainability and the Office f Envirnmental Sustainability was frmed t crdinate task frce activities and ther envirnmental activities and prgrams n campus. Since then, numerus prjects have been undertaken by the university t increase awareness n ur campus cmmunity regarding sustainable practices and t reduce ur carbn ftprint. President Gerge Philip, recgnizing the unique respnsibility that institutins f higher educatin have as rle mdels fr their cmmunities, signed UAlbany n as a member f the American Cllege and University Presidents Climate Cmmitment n May 5, This is a high-visibility effrt t address glbal warming by garnering institutinal cmmitments t neutralize greenhuse gas emissins and t accelerate the research and educatinal effrts f higher educatin t equip sciety t re-stabilize the earth s climate. f This cmmitment has ver 670 signatries including SUNY Buffal, Binghamtn and Stny Brk as well as lcal clleges, St. Rse and Unin Cllege. As part f this cmmitment, the university has agreed t establish an institutinal structure t guide the develpment and implementatin f sustainability prgrams; cmplete a cmprehensive greenhuse gas emissins inventry annually and establish an actin plan fr carbn neutrality. Under the guidance f the Office f Envirnmental Sustainability and the Office f Energy Management, with input frm ur Task Frce, sme immediate interim actins t reduce greenhuse gas emissins were adpted. These include: Establishing a plicy that all new campus cnstructin will be built t at least the U.S. Green Building Cuncil's LEED Silver standard r equivalent Adpting an energy-efficient appliance purchasing plicy requiring purchase f ENERGY STAR certified prducts in all areas fr which such ratings exist Encuraging the use f and prviding access t public transprtatin fr all faculty, staff, students and visitrs at ur institutin Participating in the Waste Minimizatin cmpnent f the natinal Recyclemania cmpetitin, and adpt 3 r mre assciated measures t reduce waste. Greenhuse gas inventries were first develped fr the university fr the years 2005 t The inventry fr 2010 will be cmpleted at the end f this academic year. The year 2005 was chsen as the base year fr several reasns. First, it marks the year prir t the creatin f the G Green initiative n campus when significant awareness and actin fcused n envirnmental sustainability was started. Secnd, the mst accurate and available data dates back t this year. Third, this als cincides with the base year fr the American Clean Energy and Security Act and the US targets prpsed in the Cpenhagen Accrd. 6

7 An inventry was als drafted fr 1990 in accrdance with the baseline set by Executive Order 24. The energy numbers fr this year were prvided by SUNY central administratin and ther data pints were estimated based n histrical averages. Details f the findings and methdlgy f these inventries are described in the next sectin. 3. GHG inventry Explanatin f terms A cmprehensive greenhuse gas (GHG) inventry prvides fr the quantificatin f emissin surces thrugh an accunting f the amunts and surces f emissins f greenhuse gases attributable t the varius peratins f an institutin. The cmpletin f an inventry will prvide an essential fundatin fr fcused, effective appraches twards mitigatin f negative envirnmental effects and prvide the fundatin fr utreach n the issue f climate change at a cllege r university. The inventry reprts n the six greenhuse gases cvered by the Kyt Prtcl carbn dixide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrus xide (N 2 O), hydrflurcarbns (HFCs), perflurcarbns (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluride (SF 6 ). It shuld be nted that at this pint, mst greenhuse gas inventries mainly accunt fr emissins frm direct university activities. With the exceptin f electricity, it generally des nt take int accunt the indirect r embedded emissins assciated with the purchase f a prduct. Fr example, an apple bught frm a lcal farmer will mst likely have a lwer emissin assciated with it than ne that is shipped acrss the cuntry. These indirect transprtatin emissins are nt included in the inventry. Emissins are categrized int three scpes. Scpe 1 emissins refer t the direct GHG emissins ccurring frm surces that are wned r cntrlled by the institutin. This is applicable t energy surces that the university uses and includes emissins frm the campus pwer plant peratins, fleet use, refrigerants and chemicals and use f nn-rganic fertilizer. Refrigeratin gases and chemical emissins can ccur due t equipment leaks r discharge during nrmal recharging. These are significant factrs in glbal warming because f their high glbal warming ptentials (GWP). Scpe 2 emissins refer t indirect emissins generated in the prductin f electricity cnsumed by the institutin. Scpe 3 emissins refer t all ther indirect emissins, thse that are a cnsequence f the activities f the institutin, but ccur frm surces nt wned r cntrlled by the institutin. Reprted variables within this scpe include cmmuting by students, faculty and staff, slid waste generatin, academic travel, use f water, the purchase f paper and transmissin lss assciated with purchased electricity. Findings The university currently has inventries frm the years 2005 t 2009 as well as Emissins are being reprted in metric tns f carbn dixide equivalents (MTeCO 2 ). A metric tn equates t 2,200 punds while a standard tn is 2,000 punds. Three f the mre significant years are discussed belw The academic year , cmprising ur 1990 inventry, was calculated based n infrmatin derived frm SUNY central administratin and histrical averages. This inventry was develped in rder t track ur prgress in accrdance with Executive Order 24. The university prefers t use 2005 as its base year as there is mre cnfidence in the accuracy f the data. Accrding t ur calculatins, 72,838 MTeCO 2 were emitted in Of this, Scpe 1 accunted fr 47% with 34,308 MTeCO 2, scpe 2 fr 32% with 23,396 MTeCO 2 and scpe 3 fr 21% with 15,134 MTeCO 2. Additinal infrmatin n emissins frm this year is available in Appendix A. 7

8 2005 The academic year , cmprising ur 2005 inventry, was the first calculated year in accrdance with the mst accurate and available data. The results frm this GHG inventry revealed that the university emitted a ttal f 74,874 MTeCO 2. The largest surce f GHG emissins came frm Scpe 2, which accunted fr 43% (31,845 MTeCO 2 ) f the university s ttal GHG emissins. Scpe 1 emissins were 28,034 MTeCO 2, which were 37% f UAlbany s emissins. Tgether, these scpe emissins accunted fr 80% f the carbn ftprint. Scpe 3 emissins made up the remaining 20%, with ttal emissins f 14,996 MTeCO 2. A mre detailed breakdwn is available in Appendix B The academic year , cmprising ur 2009 inventry, is being highlighted here as the mst current year emissins. The 2010 inventry will be cmpiled at the cnclusin f the academic and fiscal year in June f The results fr this inventry shwed that emissins fell t 63,351 MTeCO 2, a decline f 15% frm Scpe 1 emissins were the largest surce with 41% (25,725 MTeCO 2 ) f UAlbany s ttal. Scpe 2 emissins were 23,132 MTeCO 2 r 36% f the ttal. This represented a decrease f 7% frm This drp is thught t be the result f preliminary energy efficiency prjects and behaviral changes brught abut by energy cnservatin campaigns n campus. Similar t 2005, Scpe 1 and 2 emissins made up 77% f the inventry. Scpe 3 emissins rse 4% frm 2005 levels t accunt fr 24% f GHG emissins, releasing 15,172 MTeCO 2 int the atmsphere. Further details f this year s inventry are in Appendix C. Cmparisn f the years 1990 and 2005 t 2009 In the nearly twenty year time perid cvered by this reprt, the university has experienced an verall decline in ur carbn emissins f 13%. The largest decrease was realized in ur Scpe 1 emissins. This is mainly due t the shift in the use f number 6 il t natural gas as ur main means f heat as well as efficiency prjects. Scpe 2 emissins increased frm 1990 t 2005 but have declined dramatically in the last furs. The decrease frm 2005 can be attributed t efficiency prjects and behaviral and plicy changes instituted n campus. Scpe 3 emissins remained virtually unchanged ver the time perid. A mre detailed breakdwn f the percent changes can be fund in Appendix D. 8

9 Methdlgy In the initial stages f the GHG emissin inventry, methdlgies t calculate ur carbn ftprint were reviewed and it was decided t use the Clean Air Cl Planet calculatr given its applicability fr universities, its widespread use by ther institutins in higher educatin and its adherence t GHG prtcls. As is standard practice, a 12 mnth perid was cvered in the reprt ver which data was cllected and calculated. The base year fr the greenhuse gas inventry was chsen as academic year in accrdance with the inceptin f the G Green initiative cupled with the best available and accurate data, as previusly discussed. This base year represents the emissin levels which the university will use as a pint f reference t reduce GHG emissin levels in the future. The data fr this reprt was cllected in fiscal year frmatting rather than by calendar year in rder t simplify cllectin effrts. An example f the university s fiscal year frmatting is as fllws: the dates 7/1/90 t 6/30/91 wuld be entered in year 1990 fr the inventry. An peratinal cntrl apprach was chsen as the cnslidatin methd t determine an rganizatinal bundary meaning that nly peratins frm an entity that is entirely wned and/r managed by the university are reprted. The University at Albany des have sme entities, mst ntably the Cllege f Nanscale Science and Engineering (Nantech) and the Schl f Public Health n the East Campus, whse facilities are nt managed by the university s physical plant. Therefre, the emissins frm these externally managed prperties are nt included within the university s inventry. As mentined, the GHG emissins were determined using the Clean Air-Cl Planet calculatr. The Campus Carbn Calculatr was develped by Clean Air-Cl Planet, a science-based, nn-partisan, nn-prfit rganizatin whse sle missin is t help prmte and find slutins t help stp glbal warming. g The calculatr prvides prcedural prtcls and a framewrk fr investigatin. The excel-based spreadsheet tls are based n wrkbks by the Intergvernmental Panel n Climate Change (IPCC) fr natinal inventries and have been adapted specifically fr cllege and university campuses. It als cmplies with the standards f the Greenhuse Gas Prtcl (GHG Prtcl) created by the Wrld Business Cuncil fr Sustainable Develpment (WBCSD) and the Wrld Resurces Institute (WRI) and cvers the accunting and reprting f the six greenhuse gases cvered by the Kyt Prtcl. The emissins in the calculatr are reprted in metric tns carbn dixide equivalents (MTeCO 2 ). This value takes int accunt the Glbal Warming Ptential (GWP) f the individual gases recrded and cnverts their frcing pwer int carbn dixide equivalent values. h The default emissin cefficients supplied in Clean Air-Cl Planet Campus Carbn Calculatr v6.5 were used fr the inventry. The default emissin factrs are averages based n extensive data sets and are largely identical t thse used by the Intergvernmental Panel n Climate Change. Versin 6.5 f the Clean Air-Cl Planet (CA-CP) Campus Carbn Calculatr uses the GWPs (glbal warming ptential) frm the Third Assessment Reprt, issued in 2001 by the IPCC. i The university emplyed different cllectin effrts t furnish the data fr the GHG Inventry, which included cllecting institutinal data and emissin surce data. Emissin surces can be either direct r indirect and further brken dwn int three brad scpes discussed previusly (Scpe 1, Scpe 2, and Scpe 3 type emissins). The institutinal data that was required fr the inventry included budget, ppulatin and physical size data. The Office f Financial Management and Budget prvided the Operating Budget; the Office f Facilities Management prvided the Energy Budget; the Office f Institutinal Research, Planning, and Effectiveness prvided ppulatin data; and the Office f Finance and Business prvided data fr physical size. The data fr the Scpe 1 emissins was prvided by the Office f Facilities Management and by the Office f Administrative Services and Grunds. Infrmatin fr Scpe 2 emissins were prvided by the Office f Facilities Management. 9 Scpe 3 Infrmatin came frm varius surces. Cmmuting figures were derived frm a cmbinatin f institutinal data and estimates abut transprtatin behavirs. The Office f Institutinal Research, Planning, and Effectiveness prvided the ppulatin data that was used in the calculatin fr cmmuter miles. Within ur mileage calculate assumptins were made n the amunt f students that cmmute t campus (calculated by percentages derived frm a campus wide survey); the number f times that a student, faculty r staff member travels t campus each week, the amunt f weeks per year that faculty, staff, r student travel t campus and the average number f cmmuting miles (calculated frm

10 survey and parking permit data). A cmprehensive transprtatin survey was cnducted in the fall f 2009 which garnered cmmuting patterns fr the university. The percentages n mdes f transprtatin and average distance travelled derived frm this study were inputed in the Clean Air Cl Planet cmmuting calculatr t determine the number f miles travelled and GHG emissins. In 2009, faculty and staff cmbined traveled apprximately 14,043,098 by car and 554,333 by bus, emitting a ttal f 5,814 MTeCO 2, Students traveled apprximately 7,810,500 miles by car and 5,029,200 by bus, emitting a ttal f 4,433 MTeCO 2. Waste figures were prvided by the Grunds Department. Wastewater figures were prvided by the Office f Energy Management. Paper use figures were gathered frm ur Purchasing Department as reprted fr Executive Order 4. Transmissin and delivery lsses due t purchased electricity were calculated autmatically by the CACP based n reprted electricity usage. An area f Scpe 3 nt included in the UAlbany inventry is academic travel. It was discvered that data did nt exist t track the number f miles that emplyees travel fr university-related business. Only the dllar amunts f travel are recrded with n indicatin f the destinatin. Since it wuld be a large undertaking t piece tgether the emplyee travel, it was decided t eliminate this sectin f the inventry at this time. Additinally, it was decided that since emplyee travel data was nt included, study abrad travel data wuld als nt be included. While it wuld be fairly feasible t btain this data, it was determined that this wuld create an inequity in reprting activities f the campus ppulatin, unduly singling ut student but nt emplyee travel. In 2009, the university made its first purchase f renewable energy credits and carbn ffsets. These were made t accunt fr the electricity and heat use f the campus administrative building, University Hall. Further details n the methdlgy are in Appendix E. 4. Reductin targets Over the last few years, there has been grwing effrts t create carbn reductin targets n the state, natinal and internatinal levels. These include the previusly discussed Kyt Prtcl, Cpenhagen Accrd, Executive Order 24, American Clean Energy and Security Act and EPA actins. At the state level tw definitive targets have been set which wuld apply t the University at Albany. The first was develped under the SUNY Plan issued in Nvember 2007 and the secnd is Gvernr Patersn s executive rder issued in August These tw mandates, detailed belw, will serve as ur guide in cutting carbn emissins ver the next several decades. SUNY Plan Target reductin: 20% carbn reductin frm 2007 levels by This plan calls fr a 20% reductin in current (at that time 2007) GHG levels by 2014 and a 37% reductin in energy use (BTU/SF basis) frm 1990 levels by A cpy f this plan can be fund in Appendix H. We have determined ur 2007 baseline data in rder t mark ur prgress twards a 20% reductin gal by Future emissins were prjected t include expected decreases frm planned efficiency prjects and expected increases due t expansin n campus. This trend is illustrated in Appendix F. This shws that ur emissins in 2007 equaled 71,152 MTeCO 2. A 20% reductin sets a gal f 56,922 MTeCO 2. Current estimates predict that the university will emit 62,014 MTeCO 2 in 2014, which wuld make us shrt f ur gal. Hwever, this amunt will vary depending n the accuracy f estimates, the energy use and surce mix f new buildings and unanticipated efficiency r renewable energy prjects, making the 20% gal within reach. 10

11 Executive Order 24 Target reductin: 80% carbn reductin frm 1990 levels by In August 2009, Gvernr David Patersn issued Executive Order 24 which calls fr an 80% reductin f carbn emissins frm 1990 levels by A cpy f this directive is in Appendix I. This is a highly aggressive gal that is in line with what envirnmental scientists recmmend t avid irreversible climatic changes. Appendix G calculates the level f carbn emissins in MTeCO2 fr the university t meet this rder alng with ther relevant targets. As this illustrates, a drastic reductin will need t be achieved in rder t cmply with this gal. This implies future energy and electricity use based n nn-carbn surces (i.e. renewable).and/r the purchase f carbn ffsets and renewable energy credits as the university will nt be able t reach an 80% decrease frm the cmbinatin f efficiency prjects and behaviral changes. Further analysis n hw t achieve this reductin will need t be undertaken. ACUPCC carbn neutrality requirements As signatries f the ACUPCC cmmitment, the university has pledged t take interim actins t reduce carbn emissins, calculate and track ur greenhuse gas emissins, and develp a carbn neutral plan. Even reaching the target f Executive Order 24, the university will still need t reduce its carbn emissins by 14,568 metric tns t achieve zer carbn emissins (assuming all scpe 3 emissins currently calculated are included). In rder t cntinue t develp a climate actin plan, a mre cmprehensive definitin f carbn neutrality fr the university will need t be determined. This will include decisins n what emissins t calculate and include in ur inventry. Currently Scpe 1, 2 and 3 emissins are incrprated. The university may chse t include nly thse activities ver which the university has direct cntrl. There will als need t be a determinatin as t whether emissins frm academic travel shuld be calculated and included. Under the current methdlgy, facilities that are nt under the direct management f the institutin are nt included in the GHG inventry. Fr UAlbany, this wuld include the activities f the Cllege f Nanscale Science and Engineering as well as the East Campus. If these entities are included, a recalculatin f the inventry wuld ccur, an increase in the reductin necessary wuld take place and carbn reductin initiatives in line with ur targets wuld need t be put in place by the administratin and facility managers f thse campuses. Finally, while the university is affected by the guidelines set ut in the SUNY Plan and Executive Order 24, it has the pprtunity t set mre aggressive targets with an accelerated date f reaching carbn neutrality. 5. Recmmendatins There are a variety f actins that can be taken t achieve carbn neutrality which will cme frm a cmbinatin f surces. These include the implementatin f cnservatin measures and educatinal prgramming, energy efficiency prjects, nsite renewable pwer and electricity generatin and the purchase f carbn ffsets, renewable energy credits and green energy. The applicability f these will need t be examined in rder t priritize and implement effective strategies. The aggressive carbn reductins targets will require a university-wide apprach with significant financial and human investment. A prtfli apprach twards payback shuld be taken when implementing actins. Fcus shuld nt just be n financing the lw hanging fruit r thse with a quick payback, but simultaneusly addressing and investing in thse carbn neutral techniques with lnger term requirements in rder t have thse initiatives in develpment fr the time when the prjects with quick returns run ut. 11

12 T fully develp a cmprehensive sustainability plan that will incrprate ur climate actin gals, the Office f Envirnmental Sustainability and Office f Energy Management are recmmending the frmatin a frmal sustainability and climate actin plan. Specifically this wuld include: Establishing the sustainability and climate actin plan as a directive f the President s ffice. Cnvening a steering cmmittee that will versee the develpment f the plan. This shuld have diverse representatin frm senir staff, faculty, administrative staff and students. Sub cmmittees shuld be frmed in additin t this grup t develp strategies fr majr sustainability cmpnents. Financing a cnsultant t guide the prcess and create the dcument. The cnsultant will reprt t and take directives frm the steering cmmittee. As part f their duties, the cnsultant will: Hst charrettes t develp shared values and visins, hld twn halls and/r discussin frums t gather input frm a wider range f university participants and develp an electrnic medium fr cmmunicating and gaining input. Prvide life cycle csting and estimated carbn reductins frm actin items identified within the plan and help priritize implementatin items. Review existing and cncurrent studies, such as the lighting master plan, landscaping master plan, energy master plan, facilities master plan and the high perfrmance building guidelines and crdinate them with the gals f the climate actin plan. Updates t cmpleted plans shuld be made if necessary. Identifying financing streams t fund actin items. Ensuring that widespread disseminatin f this plan with specific respnsibilities and timelines fr implementatin are develped acrss the university departments and divisins. Develping a prcess whereby interim reprts n carbn reductins are presented t senir staff and the campus cmmunity ensuring apprpriate reflectin and identifying crrective measures t reach gals. 6. Areas f Actin t reduce carbn emissins There exists a myriad f ptins t wrk twards creating a carbn neutral campus. Thse implemented will be determined within the frmal planning prcess. Specifically, identifiable actin items shuld be develped in the fllwing areas: Buildings Educatinal campaigns Envirnmental landscape Energy Fd and dining Infrmatin Technlgy Purchasing Transprtatin Waste diversin Water use Rather than identifying specific actins, which wuld be ne f the gals f ur sustainability and climate actin plan, this sectin seeks t identify special challenges that the university shuld examine in rder t develp and strengthen sustainability prgrams and create a carbn neutrality radmap. One f ur main challenges will be t develp strategies that will mre aggressively incrprate renewable energy techniques that have zer carbn emissins. Given that ur pwer plant currently relies n fssil fuels and the university purchases nearly all f its electricity as part f a buying grup, these present ur mst significant challenges t carbn neutrality. The higher cst f renewable energy systems, technical limitatins and little t n cntrl ver ur electric generatin mix hinder ur ability t achieve significant carbn reductins. Addressing ur surce f energy and electricity surces prvides us the greatest pprtunity t lwer ur carbn ftprint. This will be even mre apparent as we cntinue t build and expand n ur campus. On a related nted, we will be challenged t preserve and utilize the green space we have remaining in rder t maintain a cnnectin t ur ecsystem fr ur campus cmmunity. 12

13 The university als faces challenges that have larger sustainability implicatins but less ptential fr carbn reductins. One f these issues is reducing the amunt f waste sent t the landfill and increasing ur recycling rates. Specifically, the university needs t implement techniques that divert fd waste frm the landfill. A trickier challenge is affecting behaviral change. Increased resurces are needed t prvide effective cmmunicatin and training n sustainability initiatives t ensure they are implemented effectively. Success in this area can reap benefits by helping t achieve carbn reductins in many areas thrugh higher recycling rates, lwer waste rates, lwer energy and water cnsumptin. In additin, a cncerted effrt n encuraging less reliance n single ccupancy vehicles when cmmuting t campus and educating abut the alternative ptins can achieve a mre significant decrease in ur ftprint as cmmuting is the third largest surce f ur carbn emissins. A cmprehensive sustainability plan will help guide the grwth f ur campus cmmunity t ne that is aware f and expects envirnmentally respnsible behavir frm its members. A final challenge is t better identify the purchasing behavirs f ur emplyees and develp prcesses that supprt a culture that makes better envirnmental decisins when purchasing prducts. 7. Cmplementary Actins In additin t thse items that directly affect ur peratinal aspects, it is imprtant that the university als seek t teach and research sustainability and include this as part f ur utreach. These principles are in line with the SUNY wide strategic plan that seeks t teach, learn and serve. As with the previus sectin, the specifics f these cncepts shuld be further develped within a cmprehensive sustainability plan but a brief examinatin f the ptential areas that will cntribute t increased knwledge n reducing carbn emissins is prvided. The fllwing areas are highlighted: Curriculum develpment Research Student life (residential life, athletics, student rganizatins) Special events Cmmunity engagement Gvernmental relatins Investments Much f ur past effrts have fcused n sustainable peratins leaving these cmplementary actins relatively undevelped. Yet, these are very imprtant in helping t lay the grund wrk, investigate emerging pssibilities and prvide a culture f supprt fr sustainable practices. We face challenges in develping interdisciplinary academic cllabratins in sustainability as well as identifying and highlighting ur current research in the field. Burgening effrts have begun within student life and special sustainability events are being established but these have barely begun t meet their ptential. We are unable t fully advcate ur needs r cnduct quality utreach prgrams due t lack f resurces. Our investment decisins shuld als be in line with ur sustainability initiatives. Sustainability is nt ne persn s jb r a task t be checked ff a list but a shared value that we all must seek t achieve. Carbn neutrality will nly happen with careful thught, debate and cnsideratin. The recmmendatins cntained within this dcument will help put us n the path t creating a culture f awareness, participatin and respnsibility twards ur envirnment and drafting a plan that will prvide fr a carbn neutral university. 13

14 8. Ntes a. Petra, Greta. UAlbany s Uptwn Campus; a wrk f art. UAlbany Magazine. Spring Magazine n-line. Available frm Accessed n 20 August b. United Natins Envirnment Prgramme website. Accessed n 17 August 2009 at c. Intergvernmental Panel n Climate Change (IPCC) website. Accessed n 20 August 2009 at d. Sulfur Hexafluride-Science Reference. Science Daily. Accessed n 21 August 2009 at e. United Natins Framewrk n Climate Change website. Accessed n 17 August 2009 at f. American Cllege and University Presidents Climate Cmmitment. (2007) Implementatin Guide, V.1.0, p. 6 g. Clean Air-Cl Planet website. Accessed nline 21 August 2009 at h. American Cllege and University Presidents Climate Cmmitment. (2007) Implementatin Guide, V.1.0, p. 11 i. Greenhuse Gas Prtcl Initiative website. Accessed nline 17 August 2009 at The climate actin plans fr the fllwing campuses were reviewed fr reference in cmpiling this reprt: *Binghamtn University Cllege f the Atlantic Middlebury Cllege Oberlin Cllege State University f New Yrk Cllege f Envirnmental Science and Frestry State University f New Yrk at Frednia State University f New Yrk at Genese State University f New Yrk at Osweg State University f New Yrk at Purchase **Stny Brk University **University at Buffal University f Califrnia at Berkeley **University f Califrnia at Irvine **University f Califrnia at Santa Barbara **University f Califrnia at Santa Dieg *University f Clrad at Bulder *University f Cnnecticut University f Flrida *University f Hawaii at Mana University f Maryland **University f Oregn University f Wiscnsin at Osh Ksh *University f Vermnt Yale University * indicates a peer institutin ** indicates aspiratinal peer 14

15 9. Appendices Appendix A: 1990 GHG Emissins WO RKSHEET O verview f Annual Emissins UNIVERSITY University at Albany Select Year --> 1990 Energy Cnsumptin CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O eco 2 MMBtu kg kg kg Metric Tnnes Scpe 1 C-gen Electricity C-gen Steam Other On-Campus Statinary 447, ,159, , ,342.2 Direct Transprtatin 13, , Refrigerants & Chemicals Agriculture Scpe 2 Purchased Electricity 316, ,319, ,395.8 Purchased Steam / Chilled Water Scpe 3 Faculty / Staff Cmmuting 74, ,249, , ,381.3 Student Cmmuting 64, ,591, ,687.6 Directly Financed Air Travel Other Directly Financed Travel Study Abrad Air Travel Slid Waste , ,750.8 Wastewater Paper Scpe 2 T&D Lsses 31, ,306, ,313.9 O ffsets Additinal - Nn-Additinal - Ttals Scpe 1 460, ,095, , ,308.2 Scpe 2 316, ,319, ,395.8 Scpe 3 170, ,146, , ,133.7 All Scpes 947, ,561, , , ,837.7 All Offsets - Net Emissins: 72,837.7 Scpe emissin percentages Percentages f emissin variables within each scpe 15

16 Appendix B: Base year 2005 GHG Emissins WO RKSHEET O verview f Annual Emissins UNIVERSITY University at Albany Select Year --> 2005 Energy Cnsumptin CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O eco 2 MMBtu kg kg kg Metric Tnnes Scpe 1 C-gen Electricity C-gen Steam Other On-Campus Statinary 510, ,995, , ,079.5 Direct Transprtatin 13, , Refrigerants & Chemicals Agriculture Scpe 2 Purchased Electricity 430, ,740, ,844.5 Purchased Steam / Chilled Water Scpe 3 Faculty / Staff Cmmuting 69, ,868, ,990.3 Student Cmmuting 58, ,113, ,198.6 Directly Financed Air Travel Other Directly Financed Travel Study Abrad Air Travel Slid Waste , ,657.7 Wastewater Paper Scpe 2 T&D Lsses 42, ,139, ,149.5 O ffsets Additinal - Nn-Additinal - Ttals Scpe 1 523, ,932, , ,033.7 Scpe 2 430, ,740, ,844.5 Scpe 3 170, ,120, , ,996.2 All Scpes 1,124, ,793, , , ,874.4 All Offsets - Net Emissins: 74,874.4 Scpe emissin percentages Percentages f emissin variables within each scpe 16

17 Appendix C: 2009 GHG Emissins WO RKSHEET O verview f Annual Emissins UNIVERSITY University at Albany Select Year --> 2009 Energy Cnsumptin CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O eco 2 MMBtu kg kg kg Metric Tnnes Scpe 1 C-gen Electricity C-gen Steam Other On-Campus Statinary 462, ,702, , ,782.9 Direct Transprtatin 12, , Refrigerants & Chemicals Agriculture Scpe 2 Purchased Electricity 290, ,040, ,131.5 Purchased Steam / Chilled Water Scpe 3 Faculty / Staff Cmmuting 80, ,672, , ,814.5 Student Cmmuting 61, ,343, ,433.2 Directly Financed Air Travel Other Directly Financed Travel Study Abrad Air Travel Slid Waste , ,360.7 Wastewater Paper Scpe 2 T&D Lsses 28, ,278, ,287.7 O ffsets Additinal - Nn-Additinal (677.6) Ttals Scpe 1 475, ,613, , ,725.0 Scpe 2 290, ,040, ,131.5 Scpe 3 170, ,293, , ,172.4 All Scpes 936, ,947, , , ,029.0 All Offsets (677.6) Net Emissins: 63,351.4 Scpe emissin percentages Percentages f emissin variables within each scpe 17

18 Appendix D: Cmparisn f GHG emissins between 1990, 2005 and 2009 Scpe emissins in MTeCO % change frm 1990 t 2009 % change frm 2005 t 2009 Scpe 1 34,308 28,034 25,725-25% -8% Scpe 2 23,396 31,845 23,132-1% -27% Scpe 3 15,134 14,996 15,172 0% 1% Ttal 72,838 74,875 64,029-12% -14% Offsets N/A N/A Net emissins 72,838 74,875 63,351-13% -15% Surce emissins in MTeCO % change frm 1990 t 2009 % change frm 2005 t 2009 Heat 33,342 27,080 24,783-26% -8% Fleet % -3% Electricity 23,396 31,845 23,132-1% -27% Emplyee cmmuting 5,381 4,990 5,815 8% 17% Student cmmuting 4,688 4,199 4,433-5% 6% Waste 2,751 2,658 2,361-14% -11% T & D lsses 2,314 3,150 2,288-1% -27% 18

19 Appendix E: Methds and Surce f Data Cllectin fr GHG Inventry Institutinal Data Budget Denise Hecker, Assciate Directr fr Financial Management and Budget prvided the perating, research and energy budget data. Ppulatin Bruce Szelest with the Office f Institutinal Research, Planning, and Effectiveness prvided the initial infrmatin fr the University s ppulatin. The faculty and staff data were used as is. Hwever, the ppulatin data fr the faculty and staff were nt available fr all f the fiscal years. Missing ppulatin data was estimated using the data frm the previus and pst fiscal years. An average was fund between the tw and the crrespnding number was used fr each missing set f faculty and staff ppulatin. The Nantech and East Campus ppulatin were nt included. The student ppulatin data fr Nantech and the East Campus were taken ut f the ttal ppulatin data fr each fiscal year using undergraduate and graduate enrllment infrmatin fr the individual prgrams within each f the schls. The enrllment data used fr this was fund n the hmepage f Office f Institutinal Research, Planning, and Effectiveness. Physical Size Stacy Stern, Assistant t the Vice President, Divisin f Finance and Business prvided research/nn-research square ftage data. Nantech and the East Campus square ftage were nt included in final data. Scpe 1 Data Energy Indu, University Energy Officer fr Facilities Management prvided data fr fuel cnsumptin and purchasing by type. This usage and energy budget includes Uptwn campus (incl. CESTM), Dwntwn campus and Whiteface but excludes Nantech, East Campus and Empire Cmmns. Data fr Empire Cmmns was nly available fr and 2009 will be added when that is available. We did nt input data fr an n-campus Cgeneratin Plant because at this time, the University at Albany des nt have r utilize the services f a cgeneratin facility. On-Campus Cgeneratin Plant(s) Currently, the university des nt use any energy frm a c-generatin plant (Residual Oil #5-6, Distillate Oil #1-4, LPG, Cal/Steam, Incinerated Waste, Wd Chips, Wd Pellets, Grass Pellets, Residual BiHeat, r Distillate BiHeat). On-Campus Statinary Surces The university uses r has used Natural Gas and Residual Oil #6 and Distillate Oil #2, and LPG. We d nt use: Cal/Steam, Incinerated Waste, Wd Chips, Wd Pellets, Grass Pellets, Residual BiHeat, r Distillate BiHeat. Direct Transprtatin Surces-University Fleet Angel Chrismalis and Vincent Marini, Facilities Management and Administrative Services- prvided the fleet infrmatin including fleet vehicles by fuel type: gas, diesel, natural gas, E85, bidiesel blends, and electric. Refrigerants & Chemicals Jhn C. McCrmick, Refrigeratin Shp Supervisr, prvided infrmatin n refrigerant use in chillers and clers. This data was cncluded t have such a minimal impact (de minimis emissin) that it was excluded frm ur calculatins. 19

20 Agriculture Surces-Fertilizer Nancy Dame and Tim Reilly frm the grunds department prvided infrmatin fr fertilizer usage n campus. The percentage f nitrgen in the fertilizer was estimated by Mary Ellen Mallia, the Directr f Envirnmental Sustainability. The cncentratin was derived frm the weighted average f all applicatins f the different nitrgen cncentratins. Agriculture Surces-Animal Husbandry Agriculture data was nt included because the University at Albany des nt currently have an animal husbandry prgram. Scpe 2 Data Purchased Electricity, Steam, and Chilled Water The University at Albany nly purchases electricity. Electricity is purchased by Je Fx, SUNY Administratin, Directr f Energy, Planning, and Management. Indu, the University Energy Officer, prvided the data n purchased electricity. Scpe 3 Data Cmmuting A cmprehensive transprtatin survey, tracking the cmmuting mdes, patterns and behavir was cmpleted in the fall f This prvided the percentage f mdal travel and average cmmute infrmatin. The assumptins as t the frequency f cmmuter travel ais as fllws: 1. Students traveled t schl 4 days a week, 30weeks/year, 10 miles rund trip.. 2. Faculty traveled t schl 4 days a week, 30 weeks/year, 30 miles rund trip 3. Staff traveled t schl 5 days a week, 50 weeks/year, 30 miles rund trip. Directly Financed Outsurced Travel and Study Abrad Travel Air Travel mileage related t academic endeavrs such as cnferences fr faculty and staff and students studying abrad were nt included in the inventry. Lauren Effinger, wh tracks all the billing frm academic travel thrugh ur travel agencies, was cnsulted n data gathering fr academic travel. All emplyees f UAlbany must bk travel thrugh the agencies t get reimbursed. Unfrtunately, billing nly gives cst f travel but des nt indicate where the persn is traveling t and frm. Therefre, it is extremely difficult t track mileage in this categry. Per cnversatins with Ray Brmley, head f the study abrad prgram, current mileage frm travel is nt tracked. The ffice des maintain data n the number f students studying abrad and their cuntry f travel. Therefre, it wuld be pssible t calculate the mileage frm study abrad. Hwever, given that faculty and staff academic travel was nt ging t be included, it was decided t nt include study abrad travel. The belief behind this decisin is that either all types f academic travel shuld be included r nne s as t nt single ut ne sectr f the university. This philsphy applied t ther areas f the calculatr as well. Fr example, all frms f cmmuting were included and nt simply faculty/staff cmmuting. Reasn fr nt including the air travel mileage: 1. Difficulty in getting accurate data (especially in the case f academic travel) 20

21 2. The gal is t measure and target thse categries which we wish t reduce. While the University will prmte the use f telecnferencing, webinars and ther avenues fr emplyee enrichment, we d nt wish t discurage this frm f travel. We als d nt wish t discurage the experience f studying abrad, which des nt have a viable alternative. Slid Waste Tim Reilly, Head f Grunds, prvided data and type f landfill dispsal methd. Data was calculated based ff f Albany Cunty Landfill Cntract measurements. Data n waste fr 2005: Data was received frm Tim Reilly during the time perid 12/04 t 6/05. The ttal fr these mnths were added tgether t achieve a result f 1,332 tns. An estimate f waste fr the mnths f July, August, Sept, Oct and Nvember was made in the fllwing manner. The ttal f 7/05 t 11/05 was generated (1,005 tns). Given the trend f a 10% increase in waste frm previus data, it was estimated that there wuld be 10% less waste between 7-11/05. Therefre 100 tns was subtracted frm 1,005 with a remainder f 905 tns. This was added t the 1,332 frm 12/04-6/05 t btain a final number f 2237 tns fr 2004 fiscal year. Wastewater Indu, University Energy Officer/Facilities Management, prvided wastewater usage. The university des nt measure waste water, but assumes it t be equal t the city water it uses. This infrmatin is derived frm the water bills issued by the City f Albany based n water meter readings. Tim Reilly, Head f Grunds, prvided type f water filtratin methd. Paper Alicia Kwsky, Graduate student cllected the infrmatin n paper use n campus in 2008 and Mary Ellen Mallia calculated the use f paper in The purchasing ffice cllects data n the dllar value f the paper purchased fr ur EO 4 reprt (NYS Executive Order 4). This data is segregated int virgin and recycled cntent. The varieties f paper will vary between ffices. T determine the punds fr each type (0% and 30% recycled cntent), the dllar value was btained frm the EO 4 reprt. This was divided by the price per case t btain the number f cases purchased. The number f cases was then multiplied by the shipping weight per case t btain the ttal number f punds. Offsets with Additinality The university des nt engage in n-campus cmpsting r purchase carbn ffsets. Alicia Kwsky analyzed data cllected by Gerge Rbinsn, prfessr f Bilgy. There exists n the equivalent f 88 acres f frested land n the uptwn and dwntwn campus befre 2006 and 70.4 acres after 2006, plus additinal acreage at the Whiteface campus. (Nte; in 2006, the Nantech campus was develped, thus reducing the number f frested areas) These numbers were then translated int metric tns f CO2 using the fllwing steps. Using 2,000 kg CO2/ha/yr, the number f kg f CO2 was calculated and translated t metric tnnes f CO2. This resulted in 57 metric tnnes after 2006 and 71 metric tnnes prir t Hwever, these areas are nt specifically set aside fr frest preservatin and d nt meet the definitin described in the Clean Air Cl Planet user s guide t be cnsidered fr inclusin in the inventry. Nn-Additinal Renewable Energy Credits (REC)/ Offsets In 2009, the university made its first purchase f renewable energy credits and carbn ffsets in accrdance with the amunt f electricity and heat used in the main administrative building n campus (University Hall). The amunt f REC s and ffsets were derived frm the cntract with the wind energy cmpany frm which the prducts were purchased. 21

22 Appendix F: Emissins Prjectin , expected prjects vs. cuts needed t meet SUNY Plan Prjected Emissins 2007 t 2014 University at Albany Table f planned prjects and expected reductins Prject Name Hybrid fleet (NYSERDA grant) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Slar Panel 49kw ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) NYPA prject ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Cgen 2mw ( ) Windw replacement ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) SBA renvatin ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Rf replacement ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Air handling scheduling ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Divert Fd waste Increase recycling rate by 10% Reduce cmmuting by 2% New Cnstructin ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T tal reductins ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Additinal annual reductin ( ) ( ) - ( ) ( ) Additinal annual increase Prjected Emissins 71,153 67,545 63,351 62,198 58,890 58,890 62,409 62,014 22

23 Appendix F: Emissins Prjectin , expected prjects vs. cuts needed t meet SUNY Plan, cntinued 23