Sustainability Guide

The Educational Facilities Professionals

Practical Guide to Reducing the Campus Carbon Footprint

The Educational Facilities Professionals

Practical Guide to Reducing the Campus Carbon Footprint

Published by:

APPA is the association of choice serving educational facilities professionals. APPAs mission is to support educational excellence with quality leadership and professional management through education, research, andrecognition. APPAs Center for Facilities Research was established to engage in a deliberate search for knowledgecritical to policymaking in education. CFaR encourages the study of the learning environment, appropriate management strategies, and their impact on education.

APPA1643 Prince StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-2818www.appa.org

With generous sponsorship from

AEI/Affiliated Engineers, Inc. is a mechanical, electrical, and piping consulting firm working nationally and interna-tionally on complex and large-scale projects. For higher education, the firm specializes in high-performance sustain-able building design and in energy systems master planning, design, and implementation. Energy-related specializa-tions include: alternative and renewable fuel analysis and implementation; performance modeling; climate action plandevelopment and emissions control planning; chilled water, steam, high- and medium-temperature hot water, and dis-tribution systems; thermal storage; and combined heat and power.www.aeieng.com

Primary author Karla Hignite is a freelance writer based in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Copyright 2008, 2009, by APPA. All rights reserved.

International Standard Book Number: 1-890956-48-1Produced in the United States of America

Contents

Foreword: What We Dont Know Shouldnt Stop Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1A roadmap for reducing emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1How to use this guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

1. Form a Stakeholder Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Guiding Principle: Organize for Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3New roles for the facilities manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Individual roles, team responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4The whole campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2. Complete a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Guiding Principle: Build Baseline Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Why measure your emissions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Before you measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Tips for getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8The emerging carbon marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8The pros and cons of offsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Document your progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

3. Develop a Strategic Climate Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Guiding Principle: Start with the End in Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Charting a course, setting a timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11The best ways to lose big . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Policies checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Other key discussion points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Institution-specific considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Giving structure and substance to your plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

4. Identify Resource Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Guiding Principle: Quantify What You Can Commit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Think of funding as fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Applying resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Contents cont.

5. Implement a Tactical Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Guiding Principle: Name the Nitty Gritty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Conservation and energy efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Energy production and procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Green construction and renovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Space utilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Waste reduction and recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Food services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Education and research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Outreach and awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Conclusion/Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24A different way to gauge success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24The social call for a climate solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Excess emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25A higher calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Appendix A: Participants in the APPA Thought Leaders Sustainability Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Appendix B: References and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

1What We Dont Know Shouldnt Stop Us

The phrase cone of uncertainty is one you might hear weatherforecasters use when describing a gathering storm. Early on,as a storm is taking shape, its difficult to know how fast it willpick up speed, how forceful it may be, where it will hit withgreatest impact, and the extent of the damage it may leavebehind.

This term is also used by project engineers whose modelingtechniques attempt to predict outcomes before they have fullknowledge of what will happen or when. At the outset, the proj-ect may be fraught with uncertainty about the best course ofaction, or how long it will take to deliver the desired results, orwhat it will end up costing. At the beginning, the cone is wide,but through a series of adjustments, the cone eventually narrowsto zero percent.

Tackling climate change can be viewed in both these contexts.As in the case of the storm, we may feel like spectators, withcircumstances seemingly outside our control. In reality, this isnta localized storm. The entire planet is in peril, and we need todo much more than wait and watch. We can and must act toinfluence the outcomes, despite the things we dont yet know.

Recent energy and economic pressures in the United States arein some ways reminiscent of the 1970s, when concerns aboutthe availability of fuel sparked an energy crisis leading towide-scale interest in energy conservation and alternative energysources like solar power. At that time, many college and univer-sity facilities departments launched major efforts to increaseenergy conservation and efficiency on campus.

Of course, conditions on the ground and in the air have changeddramatically in the past four decades. The Earth has addedanother 2.5 billion people. And the developing economies ofpopulation giants China and India are showing a growingappetite for fossil fuelsnot unlike the cravings of the UnitedStates, which represents only 5 percent of the worlds popula-tion yet accounts for nearly 25 percent of total energy consump-tion. While the supply of energy remains a concern, this timearound the energy crisis is primarily about an even larger prob-lem: Theres too much carbon in the air, and the atmosphere iswarming.

We dont know how long it may take. This is not a short-termproblem with a near-term solution. It goes beyond the tenure ofmany who will be charged today with beginning the process toreduce the campus carbon footprint.

We dont know the perfect way to proceed. There is neither astraight path to carbon neutrality nor a one-size-fits-all-institu-tions solution. Specific approaches will vary based on an institu-tions size and mission, its geographic location, and numerousother factors. What is known is that the best strategies willemploy multiple long-term and short-term tactics simultaneous-ly to bring about as dramatic a reduction in greenhouse gasemissions as possible.

We dont know what new solutions will emerge. As oneexample, while the idea of carbon capture and sequestration isbeing explored for its potential for safely storing emissionsrather than releasing them into the atmosphere, those markettechnologies and processes are only beginning to be understood.Other helpful breakthroughs are likely to occur, but it would benave to assume that a magic bullet will emerge to save the day.We must act now on the basis of current knowledge, whileremaining ready to shift our approach as opportunities arise.

We dont know how much it will cost. Most likely, it will costa lot, but inaction could prove far more expensive. By all indica-tions, climate protection legislative and regulatory requirementsfor reducing carbon emissions are forthcoming and are certainto factor into the cost of future business operations. Some statesalready have legislation on the books aimed at compliance withcarbon limits or are introducing their own forms of cap-and-trade systems or carbon taxes that provide incentives to reducegreenhouse gas emissions. Similar actions are expected to fol-low at the national level. Fines for emissions and the cost ofpurchasing offsets are expected to rise precipitously as a sharedstandard emerges for how to value carbon. Institutions that showleadership in getting ahead of the climate change issue now willbe well positioned to pay far less in the future.

A roadmap for reducing emissionsExcellent instruments and resources have already been devel-oped to support the American College & University PresidentsClimate Commitment (http://www.presidentsclimatecommit-ment.org/). Rather than duplicate those efforts, this implementa-tion guide is intended to give educational facilities professionalsa practical companion framework for moving forward in theirunique role within this process. The intent is to help facilitiesprofessionals maximize their specific contributions and sharetheir expertise and knowledge while working in tandem withother campus stakeholders to meet their institutions goals ofcarbon neutrality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

FOREWORDWhat We Dont Know Shouldnt Stop Us

The Educational Facilities Professionals Practical Guide to Reducing the Campus Carbon Footprint2

How to use this guideOne way to view the steps articulated in this guide is in a circu-lar fashion. Once all stakeholders are identified, an initial carboninventory forms the basis for setting strategic goals, applyingresources, and engaging in specific actions to reduce emissions.Improvements achieved allow stakeholders to then reset the bar,reassess strategies, reallocate funding, and recalibrate tactics toaddress the next round of reductions.

A solid process and structure are imperative for maintainingmomentum for the long journey of achieving carbon neutrality.However, do not let formal processes impede important near-term progress.

Some facilities professionals may want to dive into the meat ofthis guidedeveloping and implementing a tactical plan (chap-ter 5)to identify specific actions they can take immediately torealize important near-term carbon reduction results even asthey collaborate to build the kind of formal structures andfinancing commitments that will maintain ongoing attention andaction. In fact, the Presidents Climate Commitment calls forparticipating institutions to select, within two months of signingthe commitment, two or more tangible actions to complete dur-ing the two years that the long-term climate action plan is beingdeveloped.

Addressing the challenge of climate change and the carbon foot-print of your campus is not for the timid. Two key questions atthe outset are these:

1. Has your institution formalized its commitment to reducingits carbon footprint?

2. What is your institutions capacity to accept dramatic andswift change?

Your responses to these questions will provide a good gauge ofwhere in this process you may need to begin.

One key point for moving forward: Begin with the end in mind.Specific approaches and timelines taken by institutions willvary. What is universally true is that institutions must engage inasking the right questions and brainstorming all possible solutions. The process itself is on par with institutional masterplanning and requires the input and buy-in of all campus stakeholders.

The chapters that follow expand on five key action steps criticalfor reducing your campus carbon footprint.

1. Form a stakeholder group. Identify key roles and responsi-bilities.

2. Complete a greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Developbaseline measures through facilities and energy audits.

3. Develop a strategic climate action plan. Outline mission,goals, and timeframes; brainstorm all possible options; andcreate a roadmap to carbon neutrality.

4. Identify resource investments. Allocate financial, intellec-tual, and personnel resources to reduce emissions.

5. Implement a tactical plan. Identify and carry out specificprojects and initiatives, and monitor, report, and validateprogress.

Following the publication of this implementation guide, APPAwill launch a website in 2009 dedicated to expanding on theinformation presented in this document. This new site will pro-vide links to important resources and offer best practices andcase studies of specific actions being taken by colleges and uni-versities throughout North America.

1. Form a stakeholder group. 2. Complete a greenhouse gas emissions

inventory. 3. Develop a strategic climate action plan.4. Identify resource investments. 5. Implement a tactical plan.

GUIDING PRINCIPLEOrganize for Success

Before you can develop the necessary strategic,financial, and tactical plans to comprehensivelyaddress greenhouse gas emissions on your cam-pus, your institution must organize in a way thatbuilds bridges across your campus and into thecommunity. After you have identified all stakehold-ers and their roles, and have formally organizedas an institutional structure, you can move on tothe next steps of gathering relevant data, devel-oping institutional policies and strategies, consid-ering financial impacts, and outlining actions forimplementation.

Virtually every activity that takes place on an institutions cam-pus has an impact on its carbon footprint. From vehicular trafficto the food served and the waste generated to where thermostatsare set and how laboratory fume hoods are ventedall theseactivities carry a measure of greenhouse gas emissions.

Because the problem of carbon rests with all campus occupants,tackling emissions-reduction efforts will require a critical massof constituents across the institution. Only a wide range ofexpertise and input will yield the brainpower needed to developa viable plan for pursuing carbon neutrality. The effort musthave top-level support, but it also requires buy-in at all levelsand from all sectors to ensure that the strategies developed carryforward with the enthusiasm needed to build organizationalcapacity and sustain participation over the long haul.

In short, a new kind of support structure is required that con-nects the institutions enterprise to its academic mission ofteaching, research, and public service. The first step in organiz-ing to effectively engage the full campus is to identify keystakeholders and their roles and responsibilities.

Ultimately, this core stakeholder group, or subsets of it, will becharged with developing the institutions strategy for pursuingcarbon neutrality, gathering and evaluating critical data, identi-

fying the necessary financial and human resources, and carryingout specific priority actions aimed at curtailing greenhouse gasemissions. The kinds of issues discussed in this group will rangefrom energy loads and construction standards to greening cam-pus operations to integrating sustainability into the institutionsdegree programs and coursework.

New roles for the facilities professionalFor decades, many educational facilities professionals haveserved on the frontlines and spearheaded efforts to reduce energyconsumption and enhance operational efficiency of the physicalplant. The urgency of the need to significantly curb greenhousegas emissions requires a new model of thought and action.

Although educational facilities professionals will be instrumen-tal in meeting the challenge of guiding their institutions throughcarbon reduction initiatives, the changes needed go beyondenhancing operational efficiency into the roots of rethinking cur-ricula and the entire student experience. While in many respectsstill leading the charge, todays facilities professional mustunderstand that todays efforts to address climate change require campus-wide collaboration among many stakeholders. In thisnew environment, facilities professionals must be willing toserve in new capacities.

Subject expert. For the most part, the inner workings of a cam-puss physical facilities go largely unnoticed by the majority ofbuilding occupants. Most dont understand where energy iscoming from or how it is used (and often wasted) within build-ings and around the campus. A sense of the overall capabilitiesand complexities of current systems and their alternatives willallow all stakeholders to make better informed, strategic deci-sions about future directions. Faculty, staff, and students will allbenefit from having facilities staff share their knowledge aboutenergy sources and systems, construction standards, and theconservation measures already in place. Something as simple asproviding hands-on demonstrations and tours of facilities cangive students, faculty, and staff greater understanding of the sys-tems of the campus, how they interrelate, and the opportunitiesfor modifying them for low-carbon operation.

Academic liaison and partner. Facilities staff must be willingto work closely with faculty and students to fulfill the academicgoals related to the institutions climate change initiatives. This may include anything from guest lecturing in classes orpartnering with faculty to develop or round out curricula toshepherding students through the process of conducting facility

3Form a Stakeholder Group

1. Form a stakeholder group.

and energy audits, collecting data, and monitoring resource useand efficiency. Facilities staff can help develop research projectsthat will enable operations staff to measure and assess impactsand develop strategies for resource reduction.

Strategic administrative partner. Facilities professionals mustpartner with campus administrators to ensure that all theresourcestime commitments as well as financialare serious-ly considered and become part of the tactical (i.e., action) planas well as the strategic plan.

Communicator and motivator. In embracing these new roles,facilities professionals should not fail to ensure that their owndepartments are fully on board. In this regard, the facilities pro-fessional also assumes responsibility as a communicatorrein-forcing the messages and priorities of the institutions climatechange initiatives among all units, including utility operations,trades, environmental health and safety, purchasing, parking andtransportation, and housing and dining staff.

Individual roles, team responsibilitiesWhile some institutions have already formed cross-divisionalcampus sustainability committees or advisory panels, others arein the beginning stages of organizing. In addition to the key rolethat educational facilities professionals will continue to play, across-section of other key administrative and support staff, fac-ulty, and students round out the group.

Sustainability directors. In recent years, many institutions havehired sustainability directors or coordinators to provide oversightand leadership for green campus initiatives. Depending on theirknowledge and where they report within the institution, these peo-ple may or may not be the appropriate leaders of carbon reductionefforts, but they will certainly be key members of the team.

Top administration leaders and trustees. Without leadershipand support from the top, the chance that an institution willeffectively address its climate change commitments is dramati-cally reduced, if not nil. Yet, top leaders often need help under-standing real costs and viable solutions. Very often, it is thefacilities professional who has the greatest expertise and experi-ence to share in these areas. This person plays a crucial role inhelping to frame the issues, raise key challenges, suggest a fullrange of possibilities, and provide realistic assessments of therequirements and costs to enact specific energy initiatives andimprovements.

Faculty. With their direct contact with students, faculty can playa huge role in advancing a culture of sustainability on behalf ofthe institution and can help drive hands-on involvement in car-bon-reduction projects. In addition to informing course contentand serving as a resource to faculty instruction, facilities profes-

sionals also need to work with faculty to think through their useof classroom, office, and laboratory space, and partner with fac-ulty to develop meaningful learning opportunities for students.This partnership might include, for example, making centralplants a part of the research laboratory resources for engineeringfaculty and students.

Students. A primary stakeholder group in campus climatechange initiatives is the student population. Interest in environ-mental concerns is high among this group, and students areincreasingly making their voices heard with regard to expecta-tions they have for their institutions to set an example. In addi-tion to groups of students organized around sustainability effortson individual campuses, more students are joining initiativeslaunched through professional affiliations such as Engineers fora Sustainable World (www.eswusa.org) and through nationalcampaigns such as Campus Climate Challenge (www.climate-challenge.org). On a growing number of campuses, students arevoting to impose fees on themselves to purchase green energy orpay for renewable energy projects on campus. While the respon-sibility for buying green power or building renewable energysystems is institutional, such enthusiasm and commitment fromstudents should be embraced and encouraged. Facilities depart-ments would be wise to consider using resources to hire studentinterns for a range of special projects, including assistance withconducting energy audits. Students, as well as faculty, canbecome important additions on the green design teams for newbuildings.

Key professional staff. A cross-section of staff from importantcampus functions and departments round out the list of criticalstakeholders. For instance, student affairs staff offer expertise indeveloping student-led initiatives or events such as residence hallenergy and recycling competitions. Development and foundationstaff provide critical brainstorming of funding possibilities.Because the ongoing tracking and monitoring of a range of datapointsfrom enrollment statistics to parking permits issuedinstitutional research staff are invaluable in strategic and tacticalplanning efforts. Procurement staff can help others understandhow purchasing decisions impact emissions reduction efforts.Finally, a critical aspect of hammering home the importance of acampus climate change initiative and actually getting the wholecampus involved entails changing human behavior with regard tohow occupants use their buildings and travel to and from campus.Because communication is an essential element of raising aware-ness and maintaining interest, dont underestimate the importanceof involving communications and marketing staff.

The whole campusRecognize upfront that stakeholders will naturally come to thisshared challenge with different perspectives, whether driven bypolicy, finances, or academic or social concerns. A primarycharge for your stakeholder group is to remain committed to

4 The Educational Facilities Professionals Practical Guide to Reducing the Campus Carbon Footprint

building bridges across departments and disciplines, and to fos-ter a mindset of collaboration for looking broadly at campusenvironmental challenges in general and greenhouse gas reduc-tion solutions in particular. Ultimately, something as huge ascarbon neutrality requires that the entire campus community beengaged. This is not a project, but a shared journey that in manyaspects will redefine your institution and its relationship to thebroader community.

CONSIDER THISIn determining key stakeholders, dont forget about externalpartners who might provide valuable perspectives.

Consultants. A good deal of the work ahead to reducegreenhouse gas emissions is complicated and will likelyrequire the knowledge of key business partners, includingarchitects, engineers, and other experts.

Service providers. More opportunities will emerge to col-laborate with local utilities and other providers on specificenergy projects.

Community leaders. In the long term, as more institutionsbecome more efficient in their energy use and even becomeenergy producers, communities can benefit. Many communi-ties may be interested in collaborating on local solutions andtransportation challenges. Enlisting the participation of com-munity partners in specific projects further strengthens town-gown relationships.

On the unique role of facilities staffWhile all members of the campus community have apart to play in greening their campuses, facilities man-agers and their staff are in a unique position to make adifference because they are ultimately running the physi-cal plant of the campus. They have their hands on thelevers, switches, and controls of the largest pieces ofequipment on campus that use the energy. They can runthis equipment efficiently or wastefully; they can chooseto retrofit it so that it is more efficient. They manage thesolid waste stream and can implement or improve cam-pus-wide recycling efforts. Facilities managers and theirstaff manage the campus grounds and can do so sustain-ably or not. They manage the design and construction ofnew campus buildings, which if not done right will beenvironmental liabilities for 50 or 100 years to come.They are responsible for water and sewer and so muchmore that defines the campus environmental footprint.None of this is to say that facilities units can do it allwithout the support and active involvement of students,faculty, administrators, and staff, but it is clear that facil-ities units are well positioned to provide critical greencampus leadership.

Walter Simpson, A Reflection on Green Campuses,The Green Campus, page 8.

A Separate Role: The Energy CommitteeInstitutions serious about carbon neutrality shouldestablish a facilities energy committee. This commit-tee is distinct from a climate action stakeholdergroup or any other sustainability council or campus-wide environmental task forcethough is represent-ed on these bodies. The job of the facilities energycommittee is to ensure steady progress on energyconservation.

Walter Simpson, retired University at Buffalo energyofficer, describes the role and function of such a com-mittee in the following excerpt.

This committee should be chaired by a conserva-tion advocate with enough rank and resourcesto get things done.A facilities energy commit-tee should be comprised of facilities supervisorswho are responsible for energy managementsystems, temperature control, heating and cool-ing plant and distribution systems, electrical,mechanical, and boiler maintenance, as well asplanning and design. The energy committeeshould meet frequently, e.g., every other weekwhen starting up and monthly or every othermonth when established.All mid- to large-sizecampuses should have a full-time energy officerin addition to energy managers who superviseutilities operations and energy purchasing. Theenergy officer should be a free agent whodevelops large and small energy conservationprojects, spearheads awareness efforts, and pro-vides overall leadership to the energy program.Needless to say, it is essential that the energyofficer report to the top of the organizationalladder and have the full cooperation of facilitiesdirectors and staff.

Of course, saving energy is not just up to theenergy officer. It is a team effort. All facilitiesstaff members that are in a position to spotenergy waste or implement energy conservationshould be doing so. This expectation can be for-malized by supervisors who get it and carrythe torch and by rewriting job descriptions sofacilities staff are evaluated on the basis of theirenergy performance.

Walter Simpson, Organizing an Effective CampusEnergy Program: Lessons from the University atBuffalo, The Green Campus, page 69.

5Form a Stakeholder Group



GUIDING PRINCIPLEBuild Baseline Measures

Engaging in a greenhouse gas assessment pro-vides a starting point for measuring progress andallows institutional leaders to identify specificareas where dramatic reductions can likely bemade in the short term, even as they worktoward longer term adjustments, which couldprove more difficult. The baseline inventory alsoprovides a common data set for establishingbenchmarks and priorities during the strategicplanning stage and a means for estimating asso-ciated resource costs and benefits.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires preliminary datagathering to establish baseline measures as a cornerstone for set-ting climate neutrality goals and targets during the strategicplanning process and for measuring progress toward those goals.Conducting the assessment and explaining the data are areas inwhich stakeholders will likely look to campus facilities profes-sionals to provide leadership. The inventory also serves as abaseline educational tool that will help all stakeholders gain asense of the scope of the problem, the opportunities, and theconstraints for their institution in moving toward carbon neutrality.

Why measure your emissions?ACUPCC signatories are expected to track six greenhousegasses that are recognized in the Kyoto Protocol, but the mainfocus by far is on the most significant greenhouse gas: carbondioxide. A key reason for performing an inventory at the start ofthe strategic planning process is to ensure that decision makingabout specific goals and resource investments will be data driv-en. Conducting an inventory also allows stakeholders to gain asolid understanding of the types and sources of greenhouse gasemissions on campus and how each of these affects climate.

Conducting a carbon inventory carries multiple benefits:

Provides baseline measures for monitoring ongoing progress. Reveals main sources and causes of emissions, which assists

in identifying emission reduction strategies and tactics. Identifies areas of potential risk that an institution may need

to address from a legal or regulatory standpoint. Points to specific opportunities for purchasing renewable

energy or investing in renewable energy projects, engagingin performance contracting, or purchasing carbon offsets.

Informs the strategic and financial planning stages by high-lighting the need for specific institutional policies.

Underlines the importance of dealing with the carbonimpacts of commuting to and from campus by students, fac-ulty, and staff.

Before you measureBefore engaging in a greenhouse gas inventory, leaders willneed to make some decisions about process and about the definitions and measures that will be used to monitor progressover time.

1. Choose your methodology. Should you conduct the assess-ment in-house or contract those services?

2. Select a reference year. In addition to identifying what tomeasure, the ACUPCC specifies that signatories determine anappropriate baseline year for evaluating emissions on an annualbasis. Whether you choose a fiscal, academic, or calendar year,select a reference year for which you can provide an accuratesnapshot of facilities (age and types of buildings, types of equip-ment and technologies, and types of building occupants), cam-pus populations, and seasonal data (e.g., building use and occu-pancy at various times of the year). Decide what measures youwant your baseline inventory to incorporate for comparison withfuture inventories.

3. Determine your emissions scope. There are a variety ofscope issues to consider including organizational boundaries.Which departments, schools, joint ventures, and so forth willyou include? Obviously, it is desirable to be as inclusive as pos-sible, but there may be special reasons for excluding some func-tions. Then there is the important question of emissions types.Which types of greenhouse gas generation will your institutioninclude in its climate inventory initiative?


2. Complete a greenhouse gas emissions inventory.

Scope 1: Direct emissions include all physical plant fossilfuel combustion emissions, as well as those from fossil fuel-consuming boilers, fleet vehicles, and fugitive emissionsfor example, agricultural/livestock (methane) emissions.Direct emissions result from sources owned or controlled bythe institution.

Scope 2: Indirect emissions include emissions generatedfrom purchased electricity used by equipment that an institu-tion owns or operates.

Scope 3: Other indirect emissions include air and vehiculartravel, solid waste, procurement-related emissions and otheremissions that occur consequentially from an institutionsactivities.

When considering Scope 3 emissions, will you factor in studentand employee commuting traffic or on-campus travel only? Willyou account for transport-related emissions associated with allproducts delivered to your campus? ACUPCC signatories agreeto report on Scope 1 and 2 emissions and two of the Scope 3emissions: student and employee commuting, and those result-ing from air travel for which the institution pays.

4. Select a calculation approach and tool. Which specificevaluative tools make the most sense for quantifying your green-house gas emissions? Which tool will best serve the purpose andneeds of your campus? There is more than one way to presentand examine your campus carbon footprint. For instance, meas-urements might be expressed as metric tons of CO2 per studentor per square foot as well as overall greenhouse gas emissions inmetric tons CO2e. (CO2e, or CO2 equivalency, is a measureused to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gasesbased upon their global warming potential in comparison to theprimary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.)

At the same time, be wary of creative indices. Relying too heav-ily on them may offer an appearance of success in reducing car-bon intensity even as overall emissions levels may be on therise. For instance, measurements might be expressed as metrictons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per student or per square foot.These approximations will be beneficial when determining thecost benefits and return on investment of specific carbon reduc-tion strategies. At the same time, be wary of considering theseas absolute measurements. Relying too heavily on indices maygive the appearance of success in reducing carbon intensity evenas overall emissions levels are on the rise.

Likewise, your choice of a calculator tool may vary dependingon factors such as the size and type of your institution. A small,single-campus institution, for which data will be mostlystraightforward, might use a different tool than a large multi-campus research institution uses. As a rule of thumb, choose a

tool that is simple to use but provides enough flexibility andcaptures enough data to assess and address future regulatory orcompliance standards that might emerge. A common tool thatmany institutions are using to audit their greenhouse gas emis-sions is the Clean AirCool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator,recommended by the ACUPCC (see Calculator Tools sidebar).

Calculator ToolsA variety of calculator tools are available and alreadybeing used by colleges and universities, includingtools developed by the Chicago Climate Exchange(www.chicagoclimatex.com) and the CaliforniaClimate Action Registry (www.climateregistry.org).However, the ACUPCC recommends that signatoriesthat are not already using these or other inventorytools use the Clean Air Cool Planet Campus CarbonCalculator (www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/toolkit/con-tent/view/43/124) to conduct their emissions invento-ry, and the vast majority of campuses currently usethis calculator. This tool, designed specifically forcampuses, provides procedural protocols and aframework for investigation. It is also consistent withthe standards of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol of theWorld Business Council for Sustainable Developmentand the World Resources Institute. Its spreadsheetsare based on workbooks by the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change for national inventories,which have been adapted for institutional use.(Version 6 of the calculator was released in October2008 and includes new projection and analysis toolsthat will be incredibly useful for campus planning.)

ACUPCC signatory campuses agree to inventory theiremissions produced through on-site combustion offossil fuels; electricity consumption; student, faculty,and staff commuting; and institution-funded air travel. To the extent possible, and as the inventorymethodology develops, institutions should alsoattempt to evaluate embodied emissions in pur-chased goods and services, including food.

As for carbon offsetting resources, in addition to theChicago Climate Exchange and the California ClimateAction Registry, see the Consumers Guide to RetailCarbon Offset Providers (www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/ConsumersGuidetoCarbonOffsets.pdf)and the Voluntary Offsets For Air-Travel CarbonEmissions Report (www.tufts.edu/tie/tci/pdf/TCI_Carbon_Offsets_Paper_April-2-07.pdf).

7Complete a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

5. Collect annual activity data. Where should you focus yourresearch for gathering information about energy sources andcosts? Start big and find the right people on your campus whoroutinely collect and manage the data you will need. Review allutilities bills, fuel usage of combustion units, vehicle fleets, andall mobile emissions sources. Once you perform these initialsteps, you are ready to apply your selected calculation tool.Here are some of the data inputs you may need to conduct yourinventory:

Institutional data (population, research dollars, etc.) Electricity Stationary energy sources (e.g., on-campus natural gas use) Transportation (e.g., university fleet) Commuter travel Agriculture/livestock Solid waste/recycling Refrigerant gas Renewable energy credits/offsets

Additional questions to address related to conducting an inven-tory include how you plan to verify and validate your data (e.g.,through third-party verification) and what process you will useto periodically update your inventory.

Tips for getting startedAs with documenting most baseline measures, it can take timeto establish parameters. Subsequent measuring activities willimprove and expand on initial calculations. For starters:

1. Include as many emissions sources as you can. This willhelp you address and lower emissions, even if you cant meas-ure everything as well as you might like to the first time around.

2. Bear in mind that the bulk of activities you will need tomeasure center on consumption of fossil fuels related tofacilities and commuter travel. These activities, including pur-chased electricity (typically mostly fossil fuel generated), willcontribute the lions share of your campus carbon footprint. Ifyour campus is burning coal or if purchased electricity comesprimarily from coal burning, these sources of emissions will bea disproportionate share of the whole.

3. Understand that regional differences may affect how yourinstitution initially responds to its inventory outcomes. Forinstance, the carbon intensity of various forms of electricitywhether carbon-intensive coal or carbon-free hydrowill varyby state, as will energy costs. (Note: the Clean AirCool PlanetCarbon Calculator provides regional emissions factors that takethese variances into account.) Regions with higher prices forfuel and electricity may benefit from quicker payback periods

for energy conservation. They may also find that renewableenergy alternatives are more cost-competitive with conventionalsources than in areas where conventional energy prices are low.Likewise, the availability of incentives to finance conservationand energy efficiency or renewable energy will vary by munici-pality and by state or region. Additionally, energy needs vary byregion. Educational institutions in the South might do well tofocus initially on cooling and air-conditioning efficiency, whilethose in the North might focus on heating impacts. Institutionsin dry regions of the country might want to factor in the embod-ied energy and carbon intensity related to water use.

The emerging carbon marketplaceAn institutions efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissionsshould include a multipronged approach, since no single activitywill bring a campus carbon footprint to zero. Moreover, on mostcampuses efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will onlytake your program so far. If your goal is climate neutrality, thenat some point you will need to resort to carbon offsets to addressthose emissions that could not be reduced to zero.

Offsetting refers to the practice of compensating for greenhousegas emissions that an institution cant presently avoid. Offsetsare essentially credits purchased to support projects that reduceor sequester emissions somewhere else. Common examplesinclude renewable energy projects and tree plantingwhether inyour local community or somewhere halfway around the world.A key requirement of a carbon offset is additionalitythat is,the carbon reduction claimed in the offset must be in addition towhat was required or would have occurred anyway and must bethe result of the purchase of the offset.

Currently, no well-established certification system exists thatprovides widely accepted standards or norms for offsetting.Among existing standards are those used in the Chicago ClimateExchange (www.chicagoclimatex.com) and the CaliforniaClimate Action Registry (www.climateregistry.org). In addition,the ACUPCC recently launched its voluntary offsets protocol(www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org).

Progress at both the national and state levels can be expected inthe near future with regard to climate protection legislation, aswell as some kind of carbon cap and trade or carbon tax sys-tem that will create financial incentives for carbon reduction.Thus, the very real possibility that institutions will need torespond to state and/or federal legislation requires campusstakeholders to understand the implications of a future carbonmarketplace.


For institutions that have signed on to the ACUPCC, the rigor ofadhering to the commitment will likely result in carbon reductionresults that go beyond the requirements of any state or federal leg-islative proposals on the table. Possible federal legislation includesthe LiebermanWarner Bill (Climate Security Act). State andregional programs include the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative(www.rggi.org), a cooperative effort by ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce CO2 emissions; and the Western ClimateInitiative (www.westernclimateinitiative.org), which unites severalWestern states and Canadian provinces in the development ofstrategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The pros and cons of offsetsAmong the key questions not yet resolved is how to value carbon. This will have a huge bearing on return-on-investment

calculations of future costs associated with emissions. Other keyconsiderations for developing common standards includeprocess flows, life-cycle analysis, emissions factors, and verifi-cation protocols. The potential market size for offsets is also ofconcern. Will enough offsets exist in the future to honor allcommitments?

While relying to some extent on carbon offsets is more or lessunavoidable for educational institutions seeking climate neutral-ity, some see a downside to strategies that rely too heavily onpaying for offsets. Beyond the costwhich could become pro-hibitivea mindset that your institution can buy its way out ofits greenhouse gas reduction commitments does not address thefundamental expectations of campus constituents who want tosee their institution set an example.

9Complete a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Reality Check for Compiling a ViableInventory When compiling a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, its not enough to simply arrive at an overall estimate of your total campus footprint. Tobe actionable as information, data must be availableat the individual building scale and tracked overtime. Every institution serious about achieving carbon neutrality needs to invest heavily in a metersystem at both the campus and individual buildingscale so it can track progress over time both at thebuilding scale and at the campus level. Keep in mindthese four guiding principles when compiling yourinstitutions inventory.

1. Know your buildings by type. It is important tounderstand what a high performance buildingactually means in your climate and at your institu-tion. This will provide a reasonable place to start forknowing how much opportunity is available througheither energy conservation efforts or through greendesign efforts as well as how much capacity in thecentral system is being used to support inefficiencywrit large on the institution. These numbers shouldbe compiled on a building by building basis by type:academic, residence halls, wet labs, dry labs, hospitalfunction, office space, and so forth. The metric hereshould be Energy Use Intensity (KBTU/GSF/YR).

2. Know how you stack up in your peer group. Theremay exist very good comparison information frominstitution to institution that could be educationalfor making decisions and understanding exactly howwell the institution performs in its peer group.

However, be forewarned that it may be difficult tomake true comparisons from institution to institutionsince climate, institutional focus, population density,and so forth are all factors that influence whether acomparison is valid.

3. Scrutinize your numbers. Are all BTUs createdequal? This is not only a question of technically cre-ating the greenhouse gas inventory but also tacticallydriving down carbon use through energy use reduction and whether central plant chilled waterproduction equates to chilled water production frombuilding-based chiller equipment. For instance, doyou calculate off of BTUs or kWhs to the chillerequipment?

4. Measure water consumption. While monitoringcarbon emissions and energy use is important, do notignore water use. Energy and water are increasinglyintertwined, regardless of what region of the countryin which an institution is located. Consider the waterrequired to generate one megawatt hour of electrici-ty: gas/steam combined cycle7,400-20,000 gallons;coal and oil21,000-50,000 gallons; and nuclear25,000-60,000 gallons (for cooling systems that drawand dump water, not cooling tower systems). Or, con-sider the water used by alternative fuel vehicles per100 miles traveled: ethanol vehicles130-6,200 gal-lons; hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles42 gallons; plug-inhybrid electric vehicles24 gallons; and gasolinevehicle7-14 gallons.

Mike Walters, Sustainable Practice Leader,Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

On a positive note, development of local carbon offsets toachieve regional greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals canstrengthen relationships between institutions and their communi-ties, as colleges and universities work with their communities toreshape and rethink regional economies. For instance, institu-tions can use their energy expertise and capital to help localmunicipalities, businesses, schools, and families implement programs and practices aimed at conservation and transition toclean and renewable energy alternatives. Ideally, your campuswill achieve most of its greenhouse gas emissions reductionsthrough on-site energy conservation and other measures and relegate carbon offsets to the role of last resort.

Document your progressTracking progress and recording results provides invaluable datafor future activities. Keep a log of all projects completed andquantify the greenhouse gas emissions reduction and energysaved in appropriate units (MT CO2e, gallons, kWh, BTUs,etc.) and in energy dollars. The latter offers convincing proof ofprogram effectiveness in conventional terms. Capture data onhow much fossil fuel energy you have replaced with green andcarbon-neutral power. Quantify other related environmental ben-efits of cutting greenhouse gas emissions such as reduced airpollution. Documenting energy savings and emissions reduc-tions over time not only provides great public relations fodderand undergirds ongoing administrative support, but also booststhe morale of employees and students directly involved in theseefforts, encouraging their continued interest and action.

CONSIDER THIS Share your greenhouse gas inventory with your business

partners and ask them to conduct an inventory of theirorganizations. When an institution commits to reducing itscarbon footprint, it can be in its best interest to partner withproviders who share this commitment.

Consider the educational opportunities that conducting agreenhouse inventory presents beyond informing the deci-sion making of your stakeholder group. Students and facultycan be involved in conducting the inventory. The results ofthe inventory can be used by faculty to engage students in avariety of learning opportunities. Likewise, the institutioncan share the results with the public to increase transparency

On what causes global warming Sunlight enters the atmosphere and warms the Earth, andthen is sent back into space as heat radiation. Greenhousegases trap this heat in the atmosphere and thereby warmthe Earths surface as we are warmed when blankets arepiled on our bed. Carbon dioxide (CO2), produced mainlyby burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), is the mostimportant greenhouse gas made by human beings.Methane (CH4), which is natural gas that escapes to theatmosphere from coal mines, oil wells, rice paddies, land-fills, and animal feedlots, is also an important greenhousegas. Other significant warming agents are ground-levelozone and black soot, which arise mainly from incompletecombustion of fossil fuels and biofuels.

In order to arrive at an effective policy, we can projecttwo different scenarios concerning climate change. In thebusiness-as-usual scenario, annual emissions of CO2continue to increase at the current rate for at least fiftyyears, as do non-CO2 warming agents includingmethane, ozone, and black soot. In the alternative sce-nario, CO2 emissions level off this decade, slowlydecline for a few decades, and by mid-century decreaserapidly, aided by new technologies.

Jim Hansen, The 800-Pound Gorilla: The Threat andTaming of Global Climate Change, The Green Campus,pages 40-41.




GUIDING PRINCIPLEStart with the End in Mind

Thinking strategically about how to reduce yourcampus carbon footprint requires an approachsimilar to institution master planning: aligning keygreenhouse gas reduction goals with the institu-tions mission, vision, and finances. Begin yourstrategic planning process by identifying end goalsthat are clear and interim action steps that chartyour course.

An important mindset to adopt at the initial planning stage is tounderstand that pursuing carbon neutrality will be a long-termjourney that must be continued beyond the tenure of most of thepeople who make up your current stakeholder group. Thus,plans must be aggressive, yet flexible enough to allow for thenew technologies, energy developments, and world realities thatwill emerge. What might seem like a sound strategy today couldturn out to have value as a transitional strategy only, as moredramatic opportunities emerge or legislative requirements forcechanges.

While your institutions ultimate carbon reduction goals may berestorativethat is, actually surpassing climate neutrality bymaking your institution a carbon sink rather than a carbonsourceit is important to set a series of realistic goals andstretch goals so that early successes fuel continued motivation.Available financial and human resources will certainly influencethe tactics employed in pursuit of an institutions carbon reduc-tion goals, but the initial strategic planning stage is a time toenvision all possibilities, not to rule out options. For this reason,initial strategic planning should precede financial planning.

Charting a course, setting a timelineWhat is a realistic timeline for a campus to achieve carbon neu-trality? Obviously, the sooner the better as far as Planet Earth is

concerned. While the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (www.ipcc.ch) is calling for significant greenhouse gasemissions reductions over the next few decades, colleges anduniversities committed to playing a leadership role must domuch better than this during a much shorter timeframe. Initialplanning efforts should consider whether achieving climate neu-trality over a ten-year period might be possible.

The ACUPCC calls for initiating development of a comprehen-sive plan for achieving carbon neutrality as soon as possibleafter signing the commitmentcompleting a greenhouse gasemissions inventory within the first year and an institutional cli-mate action plan within two years. The latter should include atarget date for achieving neutrality and should identify interimtargets and specific actions leading to that goal as soon as possi-ble. The commitment reinforces a message of setting bothimmediate and future targets by requiring that institutions iden-tify at least two tangible actions to pursue within the first twomonths of signing the commitment and simultaneously with themore time-consuming work of developing a comprehensive cli-mate action plan.

The following are among the suggested actions:

Establish a policy for all new campus construction to bebuilt to U.S. Green Building Councils (www.usgbc.org)LEED Silver standard or equivalent at a bare minimum,while aiming for targets that significantly surpass currentLEED requirements.

Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy thatrequires buying ENERGY STAR-certified products whereverthese ratings exist (www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=higher_ed.bus_highereducation).

Develop a policy of offsetting all emissions related to insti-tution-funded air travel.

Provide faculty, staff, students, and visitors with access topublic transportation.

Purchase or produce at least 15 percent of the institutionselectricity consumption from renewable sources within oneyear through onsite projects or off-campus electric purchaseor purchase of renewable energy certificates.

Establish a policy or a committee in support of climate andsustainability shareholder proposals in connection withendowment investments.

Participate in waste minimization through the RecycleMania(www.recyclemania.org) competition or adopt at least threespecific measures to reduce the institutions waste.

Establish a committee to enhance scheduling of facilities toensure that construction of new facilities is a last resort.

11Develop a Strategic Climate Action Plan

3. Develop a strategic climate action plan.

Focus on enhancing performance of existing facilities by providing funding for deferred maintenance and retro-commissioning activities.

The urgency and immediacy of the global climate challenge canhelp engage and galvanize the interest of an institutions currentgeneration of students, faculty, and staff even as the institutionsets a clear agenda for the future.

The best ways to lose bigA robust strategic plan clearly identifies all options and alterna-tives, balances short- and long-term goals, and includes bothhard (i.e., capital) and soft (i.e., behavioral) measureswhatyou can see (e.g., window replacements) and what you cansense (e.g., a culture of sustainable values). Goal-setting at thestrategic planning stage should be comprehensive yet also asspecific as possible (see sidebar on Climate Plan Goal Setting).Also important to bear in mind is to push forward in your pur-suit of carbon reduction in wedgesthat is, in manageablepieces. For instance, you may want to focus first on energy con-servation in existing buildings, energy efficiency in new build-ings, fuel mix (including new renewable fuels), transportation,or offsets.

While goals will be specific to individual institutions, most willrealize the biggest carbon reduction gains from focusing onbroad commitments in these critical areas:

Energy conservation and efficiency. No matter an institutionsother energy goals, a clear priority for all institutions should beto make conservation a core, immediate strategy. Reducing over-

all energy consumption directly reduces greenhouse gas emis-sions in kind. A focus on super-efficient buildings and systemsthrough readily available products, technologies, and operatingprocedures will have a significant impact on reducing green-house gas emissions by reducing energy loads. More efficientuse of energy will also maximize the benefits of clean energysources including solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal.

Clean energy. Switching from carbon-intensive energy sourcesto clean and carbon-free energy sources is another clear priority,since reducing dependence on carbon-intensive sources yieldsan immediate reduction in emissions levels. The focus mayencompass green energy procurement and onsite renewable andcogeneration projects.

Efficient facilities use. A strong focus on emissions directlyrelated to facilities must be foremost, since most campus energyconsumption is in some way connected to building occupancy.In addition to energy retrofits and employing green standards fornew construction and renovation, better space utilization shouldbecome a priority, especially for energy-intensive buildings suchas laboratories. Ensuring that existing buildings are used to fullcapacity eliminates wasteful use of energy, and thus, reducesemissions. Efficient space utilization may also make new con-struction unnecessaryagain saving energy and reducing green-house gas emissions.

Green building design. Unless a new building uses no fossilfuels, even a very green, energy efficient new building will addto your campuses carbon footprintperhaps at precisely thetime you are striving to reduce your net carbon emissions tozero. Thus, avoiding new construction is desirable and, barringthat, designing and constructing only the most energy efficientnew buildings possible is critically important. Designing newbuildings to run on renewable energy sourcesincluding day-lighting, photovoltaics, and passive and active solarwill alsoreduce additions to your carbon footprint.

Transportation. Much can and should be done to minimizetransportation impacts through fleet conversions, commutertransportation and parking alternatives, and travel offsets,including air travel for faculty and staff.

Policies checklistA core part of the planning process for outlining strategies andgoals should involve developing institutional policies that pro-vide clear directions with regard to climate neutrality initiatives.Like strategic planning goals, policies should be as specific aspossible. They can produce both financial savings and reducedemissions. For instance, a 1-degree difference in the campus-wide policy for temperature control can mean a huge differencein emissions and millions of dollars saved over time.


Sample Climate Action PlansThe ACUPCC website (www.presidentsclimatecommit-ment.org) provides examples of climate action plans,reports, and studies from a variety of institutions.

The Association for the Advancement ofSustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has alsoposted sample campus climate commitments andgreenhouse gas inventories on its website(www.aashe.org). Additionally, AASHE provides awealth of resources on a full range of campus sus-tainability issues, including institution strategic andmaster plans that incorporate sustainability; dormsustainability competition best practices; outreachmaterials for campus sustainability; and resources ongreen building, energy conservation policies, andsolar electric and wind turbine installations.

Any specific strategies and policies identified should be embed-ded in all relevant planning documents of the institution, such asthe campus master plan and the energy management strategicplan. This will ensure that the climate neutrality effort is effec-tively institutionalized. In addition to developing policies relatedto the key areas above (energy conservation and efficiency, cleanenergy, efficient facilities use, green building design, and trans-portation), other key policy areas include:

Food services: purchase and promotion of local and low carbon-footprint foods and food waste reduction.

Waste management: comprehensive campuswide waste reduc-tion, reuse, and recycling efforts including composting of foodwaste.

Procurement: low-emissions purchasing, green purchasing poli-cies, and bulk purchasing through consortia.

Education and research: eco-literacy for all graduates, greeningthe existing curricula and strengthening environmental studiesprograms, and fostering clean energy research and innovation.

Investment: allocation of institution investments, especiallyendowment assets, toward green market sectors.

Communication: promotion of energy conservation awarenessand outreach programs.

Each of these policy areas is discussed in greater detail inChapter 5, Implement a Tactical Plan.

Other key discussion pointsIn addition to area-specific goals and policies, strategic conversations about climate neutrality must also address broadinstitutional concerns that play an important role in supporting acomprehensive climate action plan.

Technology. One challenge some institutions will immediatelyencounter in conducting their greenhouse gas inventory is thedifficulty of arriving at accurate measures of emissions, espe-cially for older facilities that may not be equipped with energymetering technologies. Implementing these technologies may bea first step toward getting an accurate picture of the full campuscarbon footprint.

Staffing. Any strategic planning effort must consider staffing aswell as financial needs. Depending on the size of an institutionand its current internal capabilities, some of the priorities estab-

lished for carbon reduction efforts may require a substantialinvestment in personnel. One realization that should quicklyemerge during the strategic planning process is that this effort isnot the part-time responsibility of a single person, nor does itend with an initial emissions inventory. Success and dramaticresults will require ongoing measurements and sustained effortsby many. Nonetheless, key functions in energy management andgreen campus leadership need appropriate staff positions.

Curriculum and research. Equipping future graduates to fill agrowing marketplace of green collar jobs and to lead futureresearch in clean energy development and technology becomean obvious priority strategy for institutions interested in reduc-ing their carbon footprint and ultimately that of the planet. Notas evident, though arguably as critical, is a priority to green thefull curriculum, infusing sustainability into all programsfrombusiness to chemistry to music. Fostering a mindset of sustain-ability among all graduates is one way to ensure that futureleaders and citizens are equipped to live low-carbon lifestylesand push for the kinds of broader social policies and changeneeded. In these efforts, faculty from all subject areas may needincentives or temporary reduced workloads to incorporate sus-tainability components into their curricula.

Institution-specific considerationsIt is always a good idea to look at what peer and neighboringinstitutions are doing, but your institutions goals and prioritiesmay vary significantly from those implemented by other col-leges and universities, even in your region. Influencing factorsinclude type and size of an institution, multiple-campus institu-tion versus single campus, large research university versus com-munity college, rural versus urban, residential versus commuter,and public versus independent. The goals and tactics of a smallresidential campus of 3,000 students, the majority of whom livewithin walking distance, may be far different from the goals andtactics of a large research institution with 25,000 commuter stu-dents and buildings spread across three campuses.

In addition to physical boundaries, each institution has a uniqueculture and leadership style, and these can factor into the levelof collegiality and connectedness of stakeholders workingtogether on a plan. Its important at the outset to identify all thevarious physical, regional, and cultural parameters of your insti-tution and how they may contribute to unique opportunities andcritical challenges.

While not all institutions are located in sunny climates or windyareas, all campuses are likely to have some ability to use solar,wind, biomass, or geothermal to a greater or lesser degree. For


example, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory provideshelpful online tools (www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html) to assess solarradiation opportunities throughout the United States. Ultimately,every campus can encourage the exploration and adoption ofrenewable energy through investment and purchasing practices.

Perhaps as important as identifying priority goals for movingforward with carbon reduction efforts in the near term is to iden-tify and document why a particular strategy or action would notbe appropriate or viable at the present time. This may providean important historical record for the future, to help peopleremember or understand why a particular action was not pur-sued. It may also help with future decision making; for example,if certain conditions change so that an old idea might be a goodnew strategy. This may be as simple as realizing that a strategythat was once cost-prohibitive is now within the financial reachof the institution.

Giving structure and substance to your planReducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving toward carbonneutrality should not be viewed as one more thing to add to along list of institutional priorities. Because an institutions car-bon footprint ties directly to so many areas of campus lifeutil-ities purchasing and consumption, construction and renovation,food services, recycling, procurement, transportationcarbonreduction goals stand the best chance of being achieved if theyare woven into the fabric of existing sustainability goals. Forthis reason, it makes sense to many institutions to fold climate-neutrality goals into the institutions existing campus sustain-ability plan. Structurally, climate action plans should encompassseveral key components. The ACUPCC calls for action plansthat include the following:

Campus emissions. Describes the institutions current emissionstrajectory under business as usual terms versus following


Climate Plan Goal SettingThe strategic goals flowing from an institutions cli-mate action plan will likely include some combina-tion of the following:

1. Energy efficiency and conservation measures andapproaches that factor in return on investment, pay-back periods, and incentives to engage consumers.Within this category there might be goals for incor-porating new equipment and technologies includingmetering tools.

2. Energy supply goals, including significant move-ment toward renewably generated alternative ener-gy sources and plans to eliminate reliance on coaland oil.

3. Plans for carbon offsets. Goals developed as part of an institutions strategicclimate action plan should be specific. For instance:

Reduce energy consumption by X percent by yearXXXX.

Achieve X percent green power purchases byXXXX.

Develop X on-site renewable energy projects byyear XXXX.

Eliminate coal use by XXXX (assuming your cam-pus has a coal-fired power plant).

Cap growth in greenhouse gas emissions at X lev-els by year XXXX (assuming your campus is in abuild-out mode).

Achieve X percent reduction in single occupantcar/truck commuting by XXXX.

Begin exploring carbon offset purchasing or cre-ation by XXXX.

Achieve X percent reduction in greenhouse gasemissions by XXXX.

Achieve climate neutrality by XXXX.

Any overarching goals expressed in the strategic planshould specify how greenhouse gas reduction targetstie directly to the institutions overall sustainabilityefforts to:

promote education, awareness, and advocacy ofsocial and environmental responsibilities;

enhance the value of the institution by fosteringinnovation and research;

increase the operational efficiency of the institu-tion;

address all points of service, including transporta-tion, food services, waste, recycling, and procure-ment programs; and

mitigate potential risk and compliance concerns.

specified targets to lower emissions leading toward carbon neutrality.

Mitigation strategies. Shows how the institution intends toachieve climate neutrality, describing how it will reduce green-house gas emissions and listing potential measures for avoidingor reducing emissions. The ACUPCC suggests that signatoriesconsider these criteria in evaluating emissions mitigationoptions:

1. Potential to avoid or reduce GHG emissions.2. Flexibility as a step toward future emissions reduction

measures.

3. Return on investment or financial impact.4. Potential to create positive or negative social and environ-

mental side effects.5. Relationship to other potential measures and opportunities

for synergistic measures.6. Potential to be scaled upward if successful.7. Potential to involve students and faculty.

Educational and research community outreach efforts.Describes plans to make climate neutrality and sustainability apart of the curriculum and overall educational experience for allstudents, along with actions to expand research and communityoutreach to achieve climate neutrality. Actions to considerinclude having students or classes perform the campus green-house gas inventory; inviting students to serve on building, oper-

ations, and facilities committees; incorporating sustainability-themed housing; and conducting sustainability competitionsamong residence halls. Outreach efforts may include introducingcommunity education initiatives on climate change and sustain-ability and developing programs to support staff and facultywith efficiency upgrades of their homes through home energyaudits.

Financing. Explains how the institution will pay for the variousmitigation strategies and related initiatives described in its cli-mate action plan.

Tracking progress. Details how the institution plans to track andmonitor progress of its action plan. This may include establish-ing a centralized reporting system for tracking actions taken bythe institution to reduce emissions; using energy managementsystems to monitor major emissions sources; and conductingperiodic literacy surveys of students and faculty to assess theeffectiveness of the sustainability-related content of courses.

While the strategic planning process will allow for identifyingspecific tactical priorities, it is best to view it as an organicprocess. Stakeholders will continue to measure progress,reassess priorities, and reallocate funding in light of new devel-opments, new technologies, evolving energy sources, and newworld realities. Like any strategic or master planning process, itwill require course corrections over time.




GUIDING PRINCIPLEQuantify What You Can Commit

The financial planning stage is used to determinehow to pay for climate action goals through avariety of funding and self-financing options. Likethe specific strategies identified, available fundingand particular funding sources may vary dramati-cally among institutions. Certain technologies thatinstitutions will eventually employ dont yet exist,and creative financing approaches are likely toemerge that will make pursuing carbon reductionstrategies more viable.

Once strategic greenhouse gas reduction goals are established,key decisions must be made about how the institution plans tocapitalize these priorities. Decisions must factor in institutionalwillingness and capacity to make specific commitments of finan-cial and human resources. Whether it involves new hires or real-locating existing staff time, the human costs should be identified,quantified, and incorporated into the institutions financial plan.

Decisions about where to invest are not always clear. While cer-tain energy hogs can be identified as a priority focus, variousstakeholders will also pull for specific investments. For example,a student group that imposes a student sustainability fee mightfavor a wind or solar energy project on campus, while others inthe group might believe that more urgent priorities exist. Thesedecisions require a commitment by all stakeholders to approachconversations in a spirit of negotiation and compromise.

Think of funding as fluidJust as the campus carbon inventory must be repeated to markprogress and the strategic plan revisited to adjust priorities, it ishelpful to think of resource investments as fluid. Over time, thelevel of funding for greenhouse gas reduction initiatives willchange and where those investments are made will also shift.

While there are ways of implementing energy conservation andefficiency improvements which are self-financing (e.g., perform-

ance contracts), it is nonetheless true that retrofits cost money.As campus facilities reach higher levels of efficiency, costs forprojects may increase while paybacks stretch out to longer peri-ods of time. Consideration of longer payback projects is essen-tial, but at some point it may seen more economical to reduceyour campus carbon footprint by shifting resources and invest-ing heavily in renewable energyeither on site or through acontract with a green power energy producer. Green power pur-chasing costs can be mitigated by negotiating a long-term con-tract, which could have the added benefit of guaranteeing flatenergy prices over the long haul and thus providing a hedgeagainst energy price volatility.

Unknown factors such as a sharp spike in the price of traditionalfuel sources or the emergence of specific regulatory standardsmay push institutions to make strategic adjustments sooner. Forexample, a carbon tax could make switching to solar, wind, orgeothermal suddenly much more economical compared to thealternative of continuing to rely heavily on fossil fuels. In thisregard, investments in carbon reduction are best considered overtime, recognizing that the focus of these investments, the levelsand types of funding (grants, bonds, gifts, state budgets, etc.),and their financial benefits will shift over time.

Tracking investment allocations over time and comparing thetypes and levels of funding with actual reductions in emissionsmay reveal some interesting relationships between resource spend-ing and a reduced carbon footprint. An important point to bear inmind is to use economic models that are consistent with those theinstitution uses elsewhere so that carbon reduction priorities canbe compared with broader institutional funding priorities.

Hidden costs. Hidden costs may lead to inaccurate valuations.For instance, as carbon markets are refined and a standard cap-and-trade system is developed, the actual assigned value ofcarbon may make a strategy of 100 percent carbon offsettingcost-prohibitive. But once the true costs are known and factoredin, certain alternative investments may prove to be cost-efficient.

Total cost of ownership. Both the marketplace and the regulato-ry environment are focused toward reducing greenhouse gasemissions. Some states have laws that constitute renewable ener-gy portfolio standards and/or standards for compliance withLEED certification for new construction and for renovation ofexisting buildings. Other calculations to include are investmentpayback, life-cycle costing, and total cost of ownership.

Social costs. Perhaps less clear but equally important are thesocial costs associated with not pursuing serious reductions ingreenhouse gas emissions. Increasingly, key stakeholders


4. Identify resource investments.

including students, parents, employees, and local communitiesexpect institutions to show leadership and display responsiblebehavior. However, concerns exist regarding how to finance cleanand renewable energy projects and carbon-neutral constructionand renovation, especially in the face of public concerns aboutthe rising cost of higher education. This is one more reason whygoals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be integratedinto the broader financial planning of the institution.

Ultimately, more creative thinking must be shown regarding howto structure the financing of a climate neutrality plan so it is leastcostly and more cost-effective. For example, institutions shouldfactor into the costs savings associated with potential energy con-servation projects the avoided costs of carbon offsets that wouldotherwise have to be purchased to achieve climate neutrality.While factoring in these avoided costs is complicated by the factthat we dont currently know what the costs of those offsets maybe, they nonetheless represent real cost and energy savings.

Applying resources In moving toward 100 percent green power, institutions in someregions may need to be willing to pay a premium at first.However, as conventional energy resources become more expen-sive, colleges and universities should look for, and take advan-tage of, increased incentive funding for energy conservation andefficiency projects and for renewable and clean energy purchas-ing.

What follows is an overview of some funding options availableoutside an institutions budget.

Energy service companies (ESCOs). Many institutions areentering into performance contract agreements with energy serv-ices providers to get upfront financing for building retrofit proj-ects. ESCOs are businesses that design, install, and, in somecases, finance conservation and energy-efficiency projects.Some large projects can generate positive cash flows to pay foradditional projects. A big benefit for institutions is that noupfront investment is required, and the project can be structuredto suit the particular needs of a campus with regard to factorssuch as risk tolerance and degree of involvement. Projects canbe fixed cost or cost plus. They can include an energy sav-ing guarantee, or a campus may decide to forego the costs asso-ciated with such a guarantee and not require it.

Incentives and rebates. Some utilities or state energy officesprovide incentives or rebates to encourage customers to improveefficiencies. The incentives can be applied to the specific proj-ects that earn them or placed in a campus fund to pay for addi-tional energy conservation projects.Revolving loan funds. Some institutions are borrowing fundsfrom institutional endowments and paying back the loans

through the savings realized from energy conservation and car-bon reduction projects. Joint projects and purchasing. While not yet a common practice,many institutions are well positioned to arrange with other institu-tions to jointly purchase renewable energy or to develop jointhome-grown energy projects. For example, a large wind farm sup-ported by multiple partners offers lower costs per kWh, becauseoperations and maintenance costs are spread over more kWhs.

Other financing sources include grants, bond money, donor con-tributions, legislative general appropriations and earmarks, andstudent sustainability fees. Institutions might also considerdeveloping innovative ways to charge campus energy users forthe energy they consume or otherwise provide incentives forusers to save energy.

CONSIDER THIS Maximize conservation and efficiency to minimize the costs

of green power, onsite renewables, and carbon offsets. Strive for a plan that can be at least partially self-financing. Look for early actions and investments that produce savings,

and use those to help pay for additional initiatives. Identify and prioritize the types of measures that are the

most cost-effective in terms of dollars invested per ton ofavoided greenhouse gas emissions. However, temper thebenefits of quick payback measures by bundling near-termpaybacks with longer term initiatives that will show signifi-cant results over time.

Dont simply follow the new money. Refocus on existingfunding sources and complementary projects alreadyplanned.

Consider avoiding the need for capital expenditures forrenewable energy projects by utilizing third-party purchaseagreements, which enable a contractor to use federal taxcredits, rapid depreciation, rebates, and incentives to build arenewable energy system for your campus.

Negotiate with utilities for long-term and fixed-price pur-chase of green power.

Explore low-cost, low-carbon initiatives such as space uti-lization improvements, telecommuting, and satellite loca-tions for back-office employees.

Research the various financial vehicles that can be used toacquire renewable energy and pay for energy conservationwithout increasing the institutions capital or operating costs.These include lease/purchase, operating lease, capital lease,and performance contract.

Get creative. Consider fundraising initiatives through thedevelopment office where, for instance, donors are encour-aged to buy solar panels instead of bricks.

Work with other campuses and the wider community tospread costs and benefits.

17Identify Resource Investments



GUIDING PRINCIPLEName the Nitty Gritty

On one hand, identifying specific tactics to pursuein reducing your campus carbon footprint is thefinal step in a comprehensive climate action plan.On the other hand, it is an initial launch point fordelving into the necessary work of achieving cli-mate neutrality. In the same way that the strate-gic planning process requires stakeholders tobrainstorm all possibilities, honing in on thedetails of a tactical plan entails thinking creativelyabout multiple ways to address specific goals.

Whereas an institutions strategic plan formulates broad goals,the tactical plan outlines specific approaches, measures, andactions for bringing these goals to life and identifies fundingoptions. For instance, transitioning to 10 percent solar energygeneration to power your campus is a broad strategic goal. Whattactics will prove most beneficial and realistic for achieving thatgoal? What will available funding allow in terms of installing aproject on campus versus purchasing solar cred

Documents

Sustainability Guide