AB0401 Sustainable EnterpriseE-Learning Assignment

Quek Qiao Wen Jonathan GohMartin Tan Daryl TanLance Ng Gary Ong

Seminar Group 4 Team 4

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Undergraduates; 23518

Graduates; 9468

Staff; 6612

NTU’s Population

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Number of trips a year*

DistancePer Trip

/Km

DistanceTravelled

/Km

CO2 Emission /metric

ton

Blue Line 26175 5 130875 14.40

Red Line 26175 5 130875 14.40Campus Rider 20595 6 123570 13.59

Weekend Rider 5358 8 42864 4.71

TOTAL 47.10*Calculated based on frequency of buses, 33 weeks of school, 2 weeks of public holiday and 17 weeks of term break

SCOPE 1: EMISSIONS FROM INTERNAL SHUTTLE BUSES

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Emission Source 

CO2 Emission / kg

CO2Emission/kg / person

Purchased Electricity 920,161 38.98

Purchased Heat 1,588,575 67.30

Scope 2 - Total 2,508,736 106.28

*Calculated based on the number of staff and students taken from the EUR website. There are 2,662 staff and 20,941 students which leads to a total of 23,603 people.

SCOPE 2: EMISSIONS FROM ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM

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Emission Source 

CO2 Emission/kg

/personCO2 Emission for NTU / kg

Purchased Electricity 38.98 1,285,794

Purchased Heat 67.30 2,219,958

Scope 2 - Total 106.28 3,505,752*Calculated based on the population of students in NTU. There are 23,518 undergraduate students and 9,468 postgraduate students. Total: 32,986.

SCOPE 2: DEDUCTIONS FOR EMISSIONS

IN NTU

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Total Distance

Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions

By MRT* 156,728,880 km 9349.13By Bus** 9,254,467.2 km 1012.08Total 10,361.21

*Calculated based on average distance travelled (21km) by students who live in East and West of Singapore, assuming MRT is the main mode of transport**Calculated based on distanced travelled from Pioneer MRT to Lee Wee Nam Library (3.1km)

SCOPE 3: EMISSIONS FROM STUDENTS’ USAGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO

SCHOOL

TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS FOR CONDUCTING CLASS IN CLASSROOM

SETTING

Elements Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions

Scope 1 Internal Shuttle Buses 47.1

Scope 2 Purchased Electricity and Heat

3,505.75

Scope 3 Public Transport to NTU 10,361.21

Total 13,914.06

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Electrical Appliance Usage

Amount of Electricity Consumed / Person / Month (for School Hours)

Lights, fan, notebook and charger

15.03 kWh^

Lights, air-conditioner, notebook and charger

116.28 kWh^

Total Electricity Used Total Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions

15,479,787 kWh 8,190.34

Assuming 50% of total student population uses air-conditioner and the other 50% uses the fan at home/hall for 8.25 months of school period

^Electricity consumption is based on average rates extracted from Singapore Power services website

USING E-LEARNING AS MODE OF TEACHING

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COMPARISON OF CARBON EMISSIONS AMONGST DIFFERENT TEACHING

MODES100% in Classroo

m Setting

100% E-

Learning

50% E-

learning; 50%

Classroom

Setting

Total Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions

13,914.06 8,190.34 11,052.20

Emissions Reduced

N.A. 5,723.72 2,861.86

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O Introduction to the Carbon Emission’s Control Measures

• What are carbon credits?- Tradable certificates that allow companies to

emit CO2 emissions past their current limit by using someone else’s spare limit

• Carbon Offset- A reduction in CO2 at a certain part of the

world through technology or carbon absorbing plants to compensate for emissions somewhere else

O CO2 Australia

O A subsidiary of the CO2 group which deals in Carbon Credits Trading and Carbon Offset schemes for companies

O Acquires land in Australia for carbon sink plantings as a form of carbon offset

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O Planting Mallee Eucalypt Trees to Reduce CO2

O A mature tree can absorb 48lbs of C02 a year(AEA)

(Approximately 46 trees needed to absorb one ton of C02 every year)

At least 50 ha. of land needed for each plantation as per Kyotol Protocol Requirements

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Eucalyptus tenera (sand mallee) east of Kalannie

in the wheatbelt of Western Australia

O Cost of Using CO2 Australia Services

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NTU’s Total Carbon Emissions

13,914.06 metric tons C02

Cost Per ACCU AUD 24.00 (SGD 28.80)

Cost of Offsetting via Carbon Credits

SGD 400,724.93

O Feasibility of Using CO2 Australia Services

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CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

AGAINST

Trees absorb CO2 and replenish the environment with oxygen perpetually

Land is not unlimited(At least 50 ha. is needed for each plantation)

Low Cost (compared to technology)

Trees have to replanted every 100 years

Land owners can still continue their commercial activities (Rearing livestock etc.) on the land after selling to CO2 Austrailia.

Land could be used for other more profitable activities (Property development etc.)

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<1hr; 51

1-5 Hrs; 6

>5hrs; 3

* Sample size of 60 residents

Number of people who leave unused appliances on in NTU Halls

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O Change Pricing Model for NTU Hall Room Rental

O Change from a fixed rate to a flat rate for renting of room plus a utility price multiplier multiplied by the amount of utilities consumed

O Motivates residents to switch off their appliances when not needed

O More equitable for those who do not use as much utilities as the average person

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O Assumptions

Energy wastage *Based on our survey [5% of residents waste 200hr/mth] *NTU Hall Population of 9000[ 10% of residents waste 100 hr/mth]

Fluorescent Lamps (32W)

Ceiling Fan (75W)

O Estimated Savings

184500KWH per Month!

*As range of emissions from different fuels range from (1.22lbs to 2.18 lbs) we will assume the average amount of CO2 emitted per KWH produced is 2lbs

1961.28metric tons of CO2 per Year!

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Other AlternativesO Replacing lightbulbs with efficient

alternatives (LED)

O Implement a bicycle renting system within the halls and the school

O More recycling initiatives especially in Halls such as adding recycling bins/stations.

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100% E-Learning

Carbon Offsetting

Utility-Price-Multiplier Pricing Model

Energy Savings (metric tons/ year)

5,723.72 13,914.06(based on current energy usage)

1,961.28

Costs ~SGD 12,000 SGD 400,724.93

0(Power Meters Already Installed)

Cost efficiency(Metric tons saved/dollar)

0.48 0.035 1

Effort to maintain

High Medium Low

O Evaluation

E Learning Carbon Offset

New Hall rent model

Cost Efficiency

0.48 0.035 1

Feasibility -Face to face learning still needed for practical skills

- The university does not emit carbon emissions as a direct result of its operations. Not necessary to spend so much money to offset carbon.

- Effective motivator for students to be more active in saving energy.

O Our Decision

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to review and compare alternative paths leading to our university’s long-term carbon-neutral target. In doing so, we first aim to identify the carbon footprint of NTU, followed by exploring the following shortlisted alternatives:

1. Transforming a significant proportion of our course delivery from classroom to an online format.

2. Buying an equivalent amount of carbon offset credits.3. Tiered pricing system for rental of hall rooms.

The carbon footprint of NTU can be divided into 3 main scopes. Scope 1 emission covers internal shuttle bus transport within NTU, totalling up to 47.1 CO2 emission per metric ton. Scope 2 covers CO2 emission based on purchased electricity and heat, totalling up to 3,505.75 CO2 emission per metric ton. Scope 3 emission covers public transport to NTU, totalling up to 10,361.21 metric tons of CO2 emissions.Exploring Alternative 1, with e-learning, students no longer have to travel to school on e-learning days, reducing the need for demand of both internal and external public transport. Electrical appliance usage will, however, vary depending on whether they use the fan or air conditioner. Reduction in emissions include electricity required to maintain classrooms as well.Alternative 2 consists of buying carbon credits, which are tradable certificates that allow companies to emit CO2 past their current limit by using someone else’s spare limit. It proposes the concept of carbon offset, which is a reduction in CO2 at a certain part of the world through technology or carbon-absorbing plants to compensate for emissions somewhere else. CO2 Australia is a company which acquires land in Australia for carbon sink plantings as a form of carbon offset, i.e. planting Mallee Eucalypt Trees, which can absorb 48lbs of CO2 a year at maturity. It is feasible in being low cost, as well as being able to be folded with other activities such as rearing livestock on the land. However, the downside of depending on such a scheme is that land is a limited resource and could be used for other productive activities instead.Alternative 3 proposes to change the current flat rate of NTU hall room rental to a flat plus a utility price multiplier multiplied by the amount of utilities consumed. The aim of this is to motivate residents to switch off their appliances when not needed, where currently there is no reason to do so. The estimated savings can go up to 184,500 KWH of electricity and 1,961 metric tons of CO2 a month. This alternative is also relatively simple to implement.In conclusion, the alternative to be chosen will depend on the resources that NTU wants to commit to effort in maintaining them. We recommend tiered pricing as the other 2 alternatives, though feasible, give rise to various new problems that eventually do not provide a sustainable solution for achieving long-term carbon-neutrality in NTU.

O References

Nanyang Technological University (2013). Corporate information. Retrieved from https://www.ntu.edu.sg/ABOUTNTU/CORPORATEINFO/Pages/undergraduatepopulation2009-10-onwards.aspx

Nanyang Technological University (2013). Getting around NTU. Transportation. Retrieved from: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/has/Transportation/Pages/GettingAroundNTU.aspx

Nanyang Technological University (2013). Academic calendar AY 2013 – 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/Students/Undergraduate/AcademicServices/AcademicCalendar/Pages/2013-14.aspx

The Resurgence Trust (n.d.). The Resurgence carbon dioxide calculator. Retrieved from: http://www.resurgence.org/education/carbon-calculator.html

Sprangers, S. (2011). Calculating the carbon footprint of universities. p. 100 [Master’s thesis Economics and Informatics]. Retrieved from: edventure.ntu.edu.sg

Erasmus University Rotterdam (2013). Facts and figures. Retrieved from: http://www.eur.nl/english/eur/fandf/

O References

Distance from Pioneer MRT to Lee Wee Nam Library: SBS Transit. (n.d.) Route information for Bus Service 179. Retrieved from: http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/journeyplan/validation_page.aspx?qdirect=2&qservno=179&qpoint=LOOP&dispno=179&qstart=BOON+LAY+INT&qend=SCH+OF+COMM+AND+INFO

Singapore Power (n.d.) Home Electricity Audit. Retrieved from: https://services.spservices.sg/cs_services_energy-audit.asp Carbon footprint calculator: Carbon Footprint Ltd (2013). Carbon footprint calculator. Retrieved from: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

University of Virginia (2009). CO2 Australia – the case for carbon credits. Darden Business Publishing. Retrieved from: edventure.ntu.edu.sg

project64[image]. CO2 Australia. Retrieved from: http://vimeo.com/channels/171324

Arbor Environmental Alliance (2008). Carbon & tree facts. Retrieved from http://www.arborenvironmentalalliance.com/carbon-tree-facts.asp

O References

Nicolle, D. (n.d.) Eucalypt diverse gallery. [image]. Retrieved from http://www.dn.com.au/Eucalypt_Diversity_Australia_gallery/pages/Eucalyptus-tenera-mallee.html

Western Cape Government (2013). Energy saving tips [image]. Retrieved from http://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/energy-saving-tips

Cirroenergy (2013). Energy saving tips [image]. Retrieved from http://blog.cirroenergy.com/2013/05/13/energy-saving-tips/