Presidents Climate Commitment Climate Action Plan

Presidents Climate Commitment Climate Action Plan January 2012

Contents Executive Summary 1. Introduction and background 2. Campus Emissions 3. Mitigation Strategies 4. Educational, Research, Community Outreach Efforts 5. Financing 6. Tracking Progress Conclusion Page 2 of 16

Executive Summary Lorain County Community College President Dr. Roy Church signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) pledging that the institution would reduce its impact and contribution to global warming over time. This climate action plan reports that the college s GHG emissions from the (FY) 2005 through (FY) 2011 time period. This plan also identifies carbon footprint reducing mitigation strategies and educational outreach efforts that the college is pursuing or has implemented. The emissions calculator tool that was adopted and used in the assessment of the college s carbon footprint was the Clean Air Cool Planet calculator. This GHG inventory tool represents a true and fair account of a facility s emissions, through the use of standardized approaches and principles and is recommended by ACUPCC. The emissions assessment included identifying and quantifying carbon emissions related to the college s operation in which data was available. The report includes carbon emissions from commuter traffic, on-campus generation, natural gas and electricity purchases, fleet transportation fuel, agricultural fertilizer, paper use and solid waste. Fiscal Year 2008 was used as the annual baseline for total emissions and the GHG emissions was calculated to be 30,842 MT ec02 for FY2008. Emissions scope 1 and 2 direct and indirect emissions, which are controlled by the institution, were calculated as 12,564 MT ec02. A goal of reducing energy consumption 20% by 2014 was established and is equal to a reduction of 2,513 MT ec02 annually. A goal of working towards becoming carbon neutral for the Main Campus by 2050 was established. A breakdown of the FY2008 baseline GHG inventory includes 58% from commuting, 27% from purchased electricity, 13% combustion sources, 1% air travel and 1% solid waste. A few influences that are affecting the Campus carbon footprint include enrollment which has risen from FY2005 through FY2011 in excess of 10% and the Institution s growth support plans which have created the construction of new facilities on the Main campus. The Campus buildings total square footage was increased by 16% from FY2005 FY2011 and will increase another 18% with future building growth plans. A number of GHG reduction mitigation efforts have realized an11.8% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The Campus energy consumption index was reduced from.0144 MT ec02/sf in FY2008 to.0127 MT ec02/sf in FY2011. Some of the direct reduction mitigation efforts include: Energy policies and Campus Community behavioral changes. The Construction of the Bass library and EIC buildings which are both energy efficient LEED Silver buildings and have reduced GHG emissions 337 MT ec02 compared to the ASHRAE 90.1 standard. Page 3 of 16

The Institution has 4 new buildings either in construction or being planned which will increase the total square footage another 18%. These new buildings are energy efficient and will reduce the GHG 493 MT ec02. Operation and Maintenance improvements including HVAC & R automation, technology efficiencies and changes in maintenance processes. IT Department process improvements including Data Center efficiencies and technology advances. Listed are a few other initiatives that have positively influenced the overall Campus Carbon Footprint: Recycling Program which diverted 89.23 tons of waste from the landfill and reduced GHG emissions by 105 MT ec02. Paper Print Management Process which reduced consumption of printed paper by 63% and reduced GHG by 33 MT ec02. Landscape Master Sustainability Plan Community Outreach Centers and Programs. 1. Introduction and background Established in 1963, Lorain County Community College is the first community college in Ohio with a permanent campus. For 48 years LCCC has served the diverse needs of Lorain County and the region by providing affordable access to high quality higher education. Lorain County Community College offers a progressive, diverse educational environment offering more than 100 academic programs and majors. LCCC has emerged as an innovator in higher education through the success of its University Partnership the only one of its kind at an Ohio community college where more than 3,000 students are able to pursue 31 bachelors and nine masters degrees from eight of Ohio s leading universities on LCCC s campus. LCCC offers theater and arts opportunities, men s and women s athletics and a variety of clubs to engage students and enhance their experience. Lorain County Community College (LCCC) has a tradition of being a leader in driving sustainability in its culture, education and strategic business operations and is committed to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) to reduce the environmental impacts of global warming with the intent to sustain the environment for future generations. A goal was set by Lorain County Community College to create an action plan to work towards being carbon neutral by 2050 for the site boundary of the Main Campus. A Page 4 of 16

desired energy GHG emissions reduction goal of 20% by 2014 was established. The intent of the plan is to also drive energy efficiency to meet the energy efficiency guidelines and goals of Sub. H. B. No 251. Lorain County Community College is a growing institution that is a 100% commuter campus with facilities totaling over 1,039,463 square feet. The institution serves 18,269 credit students, 2142 non-credit students and hosts over 250,000 visitors annually. The college enrollment has grown by more than 10% from FY2005. This positive growth will have an impact on the overall campus carbon footprint. This growth has also made it necessary for the institution to engage in the new building construction of 3 educational and 1 sensor commercialization facility totaling over 223,621 square feet. These facilities are expected to be completed between 2012 and 2013. The educational facilities include a lab science and culinary arts facility which is used solely for educational purposes. These two buildings are expected to be high energy use facilities due to the process equipment they will contain. The sensor commercialization facility will be owned and operated by the college and its services and processes leased to industry. This facility is expected to be a high energy use facility due to the required process equipment needed by industry to operate. These new facilities along with LCCC s population growth will have a significant impact on the campus carbon footprint and mitigation efforts and a roadmap to reduce the GHG emissions will be required. The ACUPCC commitment requires the college to implement 2 or more of seven tangible actions to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Lorain County Community College committed to perform the following three tangible actions: 1. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard or equivalent. 2. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist. 3. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution. In order to comply with the requirements of ACUPCC and establish a sustainability and carbon reduction roadmap for LCCC the following steps were implemented: 1. Creation of a committee of subject matter experts and stakeholders. 2. Development of the main campus GHG emission s inventory. 3. Commissioning of an energy feasibility assessment by Garforth International. 4. Establishing GHG mitigation strategies. 5. Determination of GHG reduction levels. 6. Documentation of current educational, research and community outreach efforts. 7. Development of a campus energy policy and procedure. 8. Identification of project financing strategies. 9. Program tracking and modification. Lorain County Community College has completed tangible actions 1 and 2 with the creation and adoption of Procedure VI-305: The Environment-Energy Standards. Page 5 of 16

Tangible action 3 was completed with the assistance of the Lorain County transit system in which a transit bus route was integrated into the College. 2. Campus GHG Emissions Lorain County Community College performed its main campus GHG inventory utilizing the Clean Air-Cool Planet emissions calculator. This GHG inventory tool was selected because it represents a true and fair account of a facility s emissions, through the use of standardized approaches and principles and is also recommended by ACUPCC. The emissions assessment included identifying and quantifying carbon emissions related to the colleges main campus operational boundary in which data was available. The base year was FY2008 and some assumptions had to be prepared for data that was unknown in order to have an equitable comparison from year to year. The emissions inventory includes data from the following sources: Scope 1 Emission Sources This category includes the direct GHG emissions from sources the institution owns and controls. In this report this includes fuel oil burned from generators, fleet vehicle fuel consumed, fertilizers consumed and natural gas consumption from boilers, HVAC and kitchen equipment. Scope 2 Emission Sources This category accounts for indirect GHG emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by equipment or operations owned and controlled by the institution. Scope 3 Emission Sources This category accounts for indirect GHG emissions from all other sources that occur as a consequence of the institution s activities but are not owned or operated by the institution. In this report this includes commuting from faculty, staff and students, busing, paper consumed and solid waste streams. Baseline Page 6 of 16

The following charts are a summary of the FY2008 Baseline GHG inventory and compares the inventory to the FY2011 GHG inventory. Baseline Fiscal Year Stationary Combustion Mobile Combustion Purchased Electricity Commuting Air Travel Solid Waste Totals MT eco 2 MT eco 2 MT eco 2 MT eco 2 MT eco 2 MT eco 2 MT eco 2 2008 4,141 66 8,357 17,876 206 196 30,842 2009 3,786 66 8,500 18,322 220 477 31,371 2010 3,737 66 8,715 19,802 285 515 33,118 2011 3,932 71 9,176 18,661 239 514 32,593 Page 7 of 16

The Institutions GHG contribution to the environment is trending higher as the institution grows and the following charts show year to year comparisons from FY2005 FY2011. The following graph shows a historical increasing trend in the Main Campus GHG emissions from FY2005 through FY2010. The trend has started to decline in FY2011 as enrollment slightly declined and GHG mitigation efforts are being established. This chart confirms the trend of growth in enrollment from FY2005 FY2011. Credit and non credit students 21,500 21,000 20,500 20,000 19,500 19,000 18,500 18,000 17,500 17,000 16,500 Enrollment FY2005 - FY2011 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Fiscal Year Page 8 of 16

This chart illustrates the increasing square footage of the Main Campus to support the institutions growth plans. 3. Mitigation Strategies Lorain County Community College assesses energy and carbon reduction potential in a cross functional team environment and considers financial impacts, technological considerations, social aspects and long term operational strategies in its decision to move forward on initiatives to work toward being carbon neutral. LCCC has obtained external support and performed baselines against other institutions in order to develop a resourceful and effective plan to become carbon neutral that utilizes efficient use of resources. The following are some of the initiatives and programs the institution has engaged in with the goal of reducing campus GHG emissions: External consultant energy assessment: An external energy feasibility assessment was performed in 2008 by Garforth International LLC. with the goal to baseline the campus energy performance and perform a gap analysis so that an energy and carbon footprint reduction road map can be established. The following are some of the recommended actions from the assessment that the college has completed and/or is working towards: 1. Energy conservation communication has been sent out to the Campus Community. 2. Vending machines have been replaced with Energy Star rated machines. 3. Roof replacements where performed in the Advanced Technology Center and Physical Science buildings with a white TPO membrane and R30 insulation. Page 9 of 16

4. Lighting control systems and daylight harvesting where installed in College Center and the Bass library. 5. A campus wide integration of the building automation system is being performed and is about 90% complete. 6. Window replacements in older buildings will be included in future renovation projects. 7. Lighting upgrades are being evaluated and will be completed during renovation projects or future energy projects. 8. Major HVAC upgrades will be completed during building renovations. Energy Policy & Behavioral Changes: LCCC recognizes the importance of educating and driving behavioral changes in the Campus Community to support and contribute to energy conservation and GHG reduction campaigns. The college has adopted an energy policy and communicates energy conservation measures and campaigns through email communications, Earth Day events, cost savings initiatives programs and in the integration of the campus built environment including people, place and technology. The adopted Energy policy is Procedure VI-305: The Environment-Energy Standards. In this procedure it addresses the use and operation of space heating and cooling set points, lighting including levels, types and controls, HVAC time schedules, personal energy consuming devices and heaters. Included in the procedure is an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring the purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in areas for which these ratings exist. This procedure also defines that for new construction and renovations projects that the buildings will be designed and built to current LEED and ASHRAE energy standards. A minimum of LEED Silver rating will be required for the new buildings and for renovations of existing buildings LEED concepts will be followed. The Physical Plant department is perusing the design of an energy and environmental dashboard to communicate to the Campus Community real time energy consumption in buildings and environmental concerns with the goal of changing occupants behaviors to reduce and conserve energy, and to reduce operating costs and GHG emissions. Recycling Program: LCCC has evaluated its waste streams to determine opportunities to divert waste from the landfill in order to reduce GHG emissions. The institution implemented a single stream recycling program to recycle and comingle plastic, paper, aluminum and metal with the goal to reduce waste to the landfill. The LCCC Arts & Humanities division classes have prepared a Campus wide recycling awareness plan including signage to drive this initiative across campus. This effort in FY2011 has already reduced waste to the landfill by 71 tons or 84 MT ec02. LCCC has also implemented a printed paper community recycling program as well. This effort has diverted 18.23 tons of waste from the landfill and reduced the GHG environmental impact by 21 MT ec02. LCCC is also recycling steel scrap and has recycled 8.46 tons in 2011. Paper Print Management System Processes: LCCC realized the Campus Community was consuming large volumes of copy paper each year which directly effects GHG emissions and the sustainability of forests. A Page 10 of 16

print management system was implemented across campus to monitor, control and reduce the volume of paper used by the campus community. The copy machines and printing processes have also been changed to require double sided printing as the standard printer default. This effort in FY2011 has reduced the consumption of printed paper by 63% or 68,867 lbs. or 33 MT ec02. New Construction Procedure Impacts: LCCC is an educator and leader in the community in sustainability and is committed to ensuring the educational experience includes sustainability in the built environment. The institution has adopted a standard to comply with LEED concepts and ASHRAE energy standards for new construction and renovation projects. LCCC has completed on the Main Campus the construction of 2 LEED-NC Silver buildings (131,316 SF) and 2 more are currently under construction and 1 additional building is in the design phase. In addition, a full building renovation of an existing building is nearing completion and has been designed using LEED concepts. The total square footage of the site is planned to increase by 223,621 SF upon completion of these four buildings. The Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (48,316 SF) was completed in 2008 and was awarded LEED Silver by the USGBC. This building reduced its energy consumption for by 11% from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline standard and impacted the environment by reducing GHG by 123 MT ec02. The Bass library/community Resource Center (83,000 SF) was completed in 2010 and also earned LEED Silver by the USGBC. This building reduced its energy consumption by 28.8% from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline and impacted the environment by reducing GHG emissions by 214 MT ec02. The ILOFT Building (88,127 SF) full building renovation is nearing completion and expected to open in 2012. This building was designed utilizing LEED concepts. This building has reduced its lighting and controls energy consumption by 16% from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline and is expected to impact the environment by reducing GHG by 155MT ec02. The Culinary Arts and Convergent Digital Arts Building (38,243SF) is under construction and is expected to earn LEED Silver. This building reduced its energy consumption by 18% from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline and is anticipated to reduce GHG by 256 MT ec02. The SMART Commercialization Center (46,408 SF) is under construction and is expected to earn LEED Silver. This building reduced its energy consumption for lighting and controls by 26% from the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline and impacted the environment by reducing GHG by 82MT ec02. A new Science building (50,843 SF) is in the design phase and construction is expected to begin in late 2012. This building is also being designed to achieve the LEED Silver rating from the USGBC. The new buildings that LCCC has constructed and or designed to the LEED rating system will impact the environment by reducing GHG by at least 830MT ec02 annually. Page 11 of 16

It is anticipated that the main campus overall energy intensity unit per square foot measure will decrease upon completion of these buildings. Operations & Maintenance: The Physical Plant department is engaged in continuous improvements efforts to drive the overall energy use of the site down and to operate the site as efficiently as possible. Several operations and maintenance energy reduction strategies have been identified and are being performed. 1. Decentralization of steam and chiller plant allowing independent operation of HVAC-R systems in new buildings in which heat and cooling would be on demand for that building and on time schedules. 2. Steam trap assessments, repair of steam leaks and piping insulation. 3. Improving condensate return stations. 4. Reducing chemical treatment and water use for processes. 5. Optimizing HVAC time schedules to coordinate with space occupancies. 6. Conversion of incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent or LED. 7. Process set up to replace motors when needed with premium efficient motors. 8. Reviewing opportunities to utilize variable frequency drives on older equipment. 9. Campus utility sub metering is being planned. IT Department: The Information Technology Department has performed or is pursuing a number of energy reduction measures for the Data Center and technology used on Campus as part of the strategy to reduce GHG emissions. Below are some details of the IT Department strategy: 1. In the Data Center a strategy was implemented to replace physical computer servers with virtual servers to reduce the energy consumption required for the operation of the servers and related controlled environmental energy costs. 2. On Campus a strategy has been implemented to replace physical desktop computers with virtual server clients to reduce the energy consumption required for the operation of the desktop computer equipment. 3. In the Data Center a review of the air flow is planned in an effort so see if a modification can be made to reduce the cooling load. 4. A review of current temperature set points in the Data Center is being made to determine the potential for reducing energy consumption. 5. A review of the current network equipment is planned to determine the feasibility of reducing network services during non-operational periods such as late nights and early mornings. 6. A review of the Campus population usage of power settings for monitor and computers is planned and may include scheduling power-off settings for lab computers in an effort to reduce energy consumption. Page 12 of 16

Commuting: One of the largest challenges LCCC has in regards to reducing GHG emissions is the growth of the institution and being a 100% commuter campus. This growth has caused the commuting GHG contribution to the environment to increase due to the increases in faculty, staff and students. Another challenge to commuting is that the campus has limited access to public transportation service due to a weak economy which has caused the local Lorain County Transit System to eliminate routes. A number of college initiatives have been implemented to offset this expected GHG increase and the calculated commuting GHG has decreased 1% from FY2008 to FY2011. The institution has implemented a number of educational strategies to help reduce commuting distances and bring higher learning services closer to the community in which it serves. LCCC has implemented distance learning courses (on-line courses) and interactive video distance learning (IVDL) courses in an effort to utilize technology to reduce commuting and bring the classroom to multiple institutions. A strategy of creating Community Outreach centers has been implemented where small educational facilities have been formed in remote lower income neighborhoods closer to populations that don t have access to resources and to reduce their travel distance to the Main Campus. The University Partnership was created between LCCC and several four year Institutions to offer courses at LCCC where a student could achieve a four year degree without leaving the LCCC Main Campus. This effort contributes and reduces commuting distances to other institutions, but doesn t necessarily contribute to the reduction of LCCC s GHG emissions except for the distance learning courses. Travel Mileage: LCCC has included known air and financed vehicle mileage in the emissions GHG calculator for FY2010 and FY2011 but had to make assumptions for earlier years as no data was available. The GHG contribution for air mileage in FY2011 was 239 MT ec02 which is down 16% compared to 2010 data of 285 MT ec02. Financed vehicle mileage GHG in FY2011 increased 53% compared to the 2008 baseline. The institution encourages faculty, staff and students to utilize technology such as Interactive video distance learning (IVDL), video & teleconferencing and online courses in an effort to reduce travel miles and operating expenses. Grounds Maintenance: LCCC operates it own grounds maintenance and snow removal equipment and also supports the Campus fleet vehicles. The combined fuel mobile combustion GHG impact from the operation of these vehicles grew from 66 MT ec02 in FY2008 to 71 MT ec02 in 2011. The growth was primarily due to volume of snow received in FY2011 and support travel to Outreach centers. Page 13 of 16

The Physical Plant department uses battery powered lift equipment and electric small transporting equipment as an alternate to propane or gas powered vehicles in an effort to reduce the GHG impact. The institution is reviewing the feasibility of using electric or hybrid cars in its fleet vehicle pool. Landscape Plan: Sustainability is a major initiative supported by the Institution and is reflected in the Campus master sustainability landscape plan. The goal of the program is to preserve and maintain the natural habitat in an effort to reduce the environmental impact from green house gases. The intent is also to enrich the learning experience through the landscape and outdoor gathering spaces. The concept of outdoor classrooms is also being introduced. The plan includes: Preserving and allocating land not developable. Creating gardens and natural habitats for wildlife for the enrichment of campus community and environment. Utilizing native and drought tolerant plants to reduce irrigation. Invasive species control. Minimizing lawn mowing square footage to reduce mobile fuel combustion. Reduction in the use of fertilizer and herbicides. Using permeable pavers and permeable asphalt pavement to reduce heat island effect and improve storm water runoff. Rain gardens and Bio-swales for storm water control. Green roofs to reduce heat island effect. 4. Educational, Research, Community Outreach Efforts LCCC as a public institution fully supports sustainability in its mission and has sustainability programs in both educational curriculum and community outreach efforts. Educational: The educational plan to support sustainability includes educational curriculum programs along with experiences with sustainability in the built environment and campus processes. LCCC has a sustainable Agriculture Short-Term Certificate program that will allow LCCC students to explore careers in agriculture and food systems and they will learn key sustainability and land stewardship skills as they study the interactions between food in Sustainable Agriculture. The Engineering division has two alternative energy programs available one with a major focused on solar and the other on wind technologies. The programs offered can be completed as an Associate of Applied Science Degree, One year technical certificate or short term technical certificates in Alternative Energy. The Solar and Wind Technology Programs focus on a wide range of electrical, mechanical and computer skills that are required to compete in the emerging Alternate Energy Industry. Page 14 of 16

The physical Science division integrates sustainability learning into its ecology and biology courses in which sustainability and land stewardship skills are learned and the students study the interactions between biology of organisms; ecology, evolution and behavior; cell and regulatory biology. On Campus recycling programs offer students an opportunity to participate and learn about recycling and how it impacts the environment. The LCCC Arts & Humanities division classes are engaged in preparing the Campus wide recycling awareness plan and driving the initiative across campus. The LCCC campus has a number of sustainable gardens which invites the Campus Community to learn about sustainability such as water conservation, use of native plants and carbon sequestration. LCCC provides tours, upon request, of LEED Certified buildings to educate the public on sustainable technologies and processes. Community Outreach Efforts: The Institution is engaged in several Community outreach efforts to educate and promote sustainability which includes several programs and initiatives. A number of curriculum programs include Community service and service learning components that are integrated into a number of courses as a requirement to course completion. The student volunteers for meaningful service with the goal to promote positive changes in the community. Sustainability is always a key focus to promote these positive changes. LCCC offers preschool daycare services on campus to support the Campus Community and sustainability learning opportunities are provided to children such as recycling, gardening and conservation. A Cable television channel was created to broadcast specific courses on television to further reach into the Community. This technology also serves as a Campus information bulletin board. LCCC participates in over 40 external events and parades each year in an effort to support our local communities. The institution encourages higher learning and fosters sustainability in its programs. 5. Financing LCCC is a public institution. Its main sources of income come from tuition fees, General and Technology fees, State Support and levies. Initiatives and projects are evaluated based on the benefit it provides to the Campus Community and how it aligns with the Institution s Strategic Plan in regards to educational value. Some of the challenges the Institution is experiencing in regards to funding is a weak economy and State of Ohio budget funding cuts that have reduced the Institution s financial operating budget. The college is an active proponent in seeking out various grant programs whenever the Page 15 of 16

college is eligible and takes advantage of all financial incentives to support projects. The following are a few of the finance streams that the college utilizes to support projects. Capital plan Grant programs Federal & State level funding Financial endowments Energy performance contracts The Institution is currently reviewing the feasibility of perusing a H.B. House Bill 7 (HB7) that permits state universities to implement energy saving measures for their buildings using installment plans and to enter into contracts for implementing the energy reduction measures with a ROI of less than 10 years. 6. Tracking Progress LCCC is an advocate in driving continuous improvement and has some processes in place to track and monitor its energy performance. The college is currently seeking technologies to improve the level of energy data it receives. Data will become more accurate over time as the data gathering processes are improved. The Clean Air-Cool Planet GHG calculator will continue to be the emissions calculator of choice used by the Institution. Continuous monitoring and reporting of energy performance is required by State Of Ohio Sub. H. B. No 251 as well as the requirements of ACUPCC. Periodic monitoring of performance occurs through the Physical Plant office and overall GHG reduction goals and performance is reviewed by the committee and adjusted as the institution evolves. Conclusion: Lorain County Community College s commitment to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment demonstrates that the Institution recognizes that the effects of climate change and global warming are the greatest threats facing the planet. The Institution realizes it must act to preserve the environment for future generations and this is a first step in demonstrating to and educating the Community about the long term environmental effects of Green House Gases. LCCC has created this Climate Action Plan to drive and sustain its environmental responsibilities and social goals for the advancement of the environment and future generations. LCCC understands that time is of the essence and has implemented a number of strategic, operational and process changes that some have already had an immediate positive impact on sustaining the environment. The institution believes it is an educator in sustainability and must remain a leader for environmental progress. As the world evolves around global warming LCCC will react and take necessary steps to adapt and preserve our environment. Page 16 of 16