What Will It Really Take to Become Carbon-Neutral?

We, the undersigned, agree to…“Create institutional structures”“Select and implement tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases”“Complete a comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory”“Develop a climate-neutral action plan”“Make information publicly available”

The Commitment Your CEO Signed

“Create Institutional Structures”

Within two months of implementation start date

A committee, taskforce, or council appointed or charged to implement the terms of the ACUPCC

Staff, faculty, student, and administrator representatives

Seven Tangible ActionSelect 2 within two months and implement them within two years

Policy to build new construction at LEED Silver or equivalent

Purchasing policy mandating ENERGY STAR procurements

Policy to offset greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel

Public transportation incentives for faculty, staff, students, visitors

15% renewable energy

Policy to support climate and sustainability shareholder proposals among endowment investments

Participate in waste minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 associated measures

Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Within one year of implementation

Emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel

Update the inventory every other year

Six gases to track and report

Calculation requirements

Scope 1, 2, & 3 emissions

Gases to Track & Report

Six greenhouse gases covered under the Kyoto Protocol:

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Nitrous oxide (N2O)

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

Gaseous Composition of the Atmosphere

Source:  Dr. Sherwood Rowland (Donald Bren Research Professor, University of California, Irvine). Used by permission.

2005 Fraction by Volume

PFC-116, SF6

HFC-134a

Relative Global Warming Potentials

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1995 Second Assessment Report

Gas GWP Atmospheric Lifetime

Carbon dioxide (CO2) 1 50-200 years

Methane (CH4) 21 12±3 "

Nitrous oxide (N2O) 310 120 "

HFC-134a 1,300 14.6 "

CFC-11 (Freon 11) 4,600 75 "

PFC-116 9,200 10,000 "

CFC-12 (Freon 12) 10,600 100 "

Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) 23,900 3,200 "

Global CO2 Emissions Sources

11%8%

20%12%

36%

13%

Electricity & heat

Manufacturing & construction

Transportation

Other fuel combustion

AgricultureOther

Source: World Resources Institute

Global Methane ReleaseEnteric

Fermentation (80 Tg/yr)

15%

Clathrate Decomposition

(5 Tg/yr)1%

Oceans (10 Tg/yr)

2%

Termites (40 Tg/yr)

7%

Wetlands (115 Tg/yr)

22%

Freshwaters (5 Tg/yr)

1%Rice Paddies (110 Tg/yr)

21%

Landfills (40 Tg/yr)

7%

Biomass Burning

(55 Tg/yr)10%

Coal Mining (35 Tg/yr)

6%

Gas Production (45 Tg/yr)

8%

Methane Emissions Sources

Source:  Dr. Sherwood Rowland (Donald Bren Research Professor, University of California, Irvine).

Used by permission.

Global Methane Release

Enteric

Fermentation 15%

Clathrate

Decomposition

1% Oceans

2%

Termites 7%

Wetlands 22%

Freshwaters

1%Rice Paddies

21%Landfills

7%

Biomass Burning

10%

Coal Mining

6%

Gas Production

8%

Scope 1, 2, & 3 Emissions

Scope 1Direct GHG emissions from sources owned/controlled by the institution, including stationary combustion of fossil fuels, combustion of fossil fuels by institution’s vehicles, and miscellaneous "fugitive" emissions.

Scope 2 Indirect emissions from generation of electricity consumed.

Scope 3 Other indirect emissions -- stemming from activities of the institution, but from sources not controlled by the institution, such as emissions from commuting, air travel, waste disposal, production and transportation of purchased goods, outsourced activities, contractor-owned vehicles, and line losses from electricity transmission and distribution.

Climate-Neutral Plan

Completed within two years

Climate-neutral target date

Interim milestones

Actions to make climate-neutrality and sustainability part of the educational experience for all students

Actions to expand research and community outreach toward GHG reductions across and beyond the institution

Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions

To Reduce Your Institution’s Carbon Footprint

Know your GHG footprint Expand on-campus housingProvide access to public and sustainable transportationDesign new buildings to LEED “gold” energy-efficiency standards and renovations to LEED “silver”Reduce energy consumption through conservation actions, curtailments, and retrofitsFocus on laboratoriesPurchase ENERGY STAR products Invest in renewable energy and efficient energy production Reduce waste and incinerate non-recyclable wasteEncourage climate-neutral behaviors As a last resort, procure emissions credits

Laboratory Energy

interrelated measures

interrelated controls

Air-changes Fume hoods Freezers Auto sash closures

“Smart” controls Night setbacks Exhaust stack airspeeds

Why important: 2/3 of total energy use for typical research university

all interrelated

“Smart Lab” Parameters

Aircuity™ System

CO2 Sensors

Duct Sensor

Room Sensor

24 x 7 Loads

Laboratories

Exit-way lighting

Exit signs

Restroom exhaust fans

Refrigerators

Freezers

Icemakers

Water coolers

Laboratory Freezers

Combined Heat and Power

Steam Turbine

Steam Turbine Chiller

Campus Heat Load

Steam (recovered waste heat)

Gas Turbine

UniversitySubstation

High Pressure Gas

Campus Electric Load

Southern California Edison

52,000 lbs/hr (without duct fire)120,000 lbs/hr (with duct fire)

2000 tons/hr.

60 MMBTU/hr.(average)

22 MW Peak14 MW Avg.

66 kV

12 kV

12 kV

Campus Cooling Load> 80,000 ton hours/day

Thermal Storage Tank4.5 million gallons of water

Existing Boilers90,000 lbs/hr

(53,000 ton hours)

Generator

Generator

Heat Recovery Alternative Uses

1. Campus heating load 2. Steam turbine chiller to campus cooling load 3. Steam turbine chiller to thermal storage tank 4. Steam turbine generator for campus electric load 5. Steam generator powers electric chillers (in addition to steam chiller) for (A) real-time cooling or (B) future cooling (via thermal storage) 6. Any combination of the above

Electric Chillers 14,000 tons/hr.

(Standby)

(average)

Heat Recovery

13.5 MW

5.6

MW

Expand On-Campus Student Housing

Vista Del Campo and Vista Del Campo Norte, UC Irvine

Sustainable Transportation: B-100 Bus Retrofit

Essentially carbon-neutral

Eliminates sulfur emissions (SO2) Reduces particulate emissions 65%Biodiesel produces more NOx emissions than petrodiesel. These emissions reduced through urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, manufactured by Kleenair Systems™.

Net reduction in NOx 28%

Debut of the first UC Irvine B-100 shuttle bus

UC Irvine’s Proposal to USGBC

Focus limited resources on value-added sustainability measures

Streamlined but rigorous and credible review process

Establish foundation of baseline credits through pilot project submittal

Streamlined project-level submittals for subsequent projects, building upon campus baseline

Annual monitoring and reporting of baseline measures by LEED-certified campus staff

Recognize sustainable features of campus-based systems

•Campus open space systems

• Campus transportation systems

• Urban design/density management

• Campus energy infrastructure

• Standard specifications that meet green standards

Baseline “Prototype” Credits

Photovoltaic Installation

 Photo-simulation of panels installed on the roof of Natural Sciences 1

Rooftop Solar Potential at UC Irvine

California Wind Resources

Behavioral Factors & Patterns

Comfort expectationsFume hood sash usage“Sleep” features on computers enabledBottled waterWindows and window coveringsDriving across campusDiscarding anything due to fashion or trendsWasting foodDiscarding things that break

“The Big Picture”

Current campus fixed-source CO2 emissions (plus)

Buildout of campus (growth) (less)

New construction energy-efficiencies(less)

Energy retrofit and infrastructure projects(less)

On-site renewable power(less)

Procured green power(less)

Behavioral changes that reduce CO2

(equals)Emissions credit procurements (or) off-campus UC renewable project(s)

What Can You Do?

Think big!Encourage behavioral changeSupport more on-campus housing -- much moreSupport ambitious goals and plans for energy retrofit and sustainable energy projectsMake an effort to understand technical as well as political issuesBuild student fee support for a “leverage fund”Go beyond business-as-usual; engage the tough questions

Do our laboratories really need to be open 24X7 with full HVAC services?

Should we be combusting the organic materials we are now composting and sending to landfills?

Does nuclear power play a role in reducing carbon emissions?

Are the criteria for “low-impact hydro” too stringent?

Can the impact of windmills on migrating birds be sufficiently mitigated?

Engage the Tough Questions

Will the campus community and our neighbors accept incineration (by whatever name)?

Should emissions credits be sold to those who have direct on-site alternatives?

Should the University assume responsibility for commuters’ emissions? If so, who should pay the tab (keeping in mind that lower-paid employees tend to commute the longest distances)?

Engage the Tough Questions…

Should the University ban the sale of bottled water on campus?

Should the University enact a policy to build no more parking?

or…

Should any future parking construction include a subsidy for a related carbon-reducing project?

Engage the Tough Questions…

Should the University enact a policy to charge the full cost of parking, including opportunity cost/land value, capital cost, operating expense, and carbon emissions offset expense?

Should the University enact a policy requiring a full schedule of classes and labs to be taught 7days/week, thus reducing the need for new facilities and reversing the Thursday-to-Monday exodus on some campuses?

Engage the Tough Questions…

Should we charge a “methane tax” on beef products we sell on campus (to pay for the carbon emissions)?

Should the University invest in 3D HDTV and surround-sound broadcast capabilities to provide a realistic “virtual” experience for remote athletics spectators, and thus avoid future expansion of campus athletic spectator facilities?

or…

Charge a carbon tax for sports (and other) events to which people drive?

Engage the Tough Questions…

Most Important Actions To Becoming Climate-Neutral

Reduce energy consumption: Through conservation actions, curtailments, and retrofits Focus on labs and 24x7 loads Raise the bar (again) for energy-efficient design Purchase ENERGY STAR products

Expand on-campus housingInvest in renewable energy and efficient energy productionStudents lead behavioral changes

Offsets and emissions credits should be a last resort!