CO2 Australia

CO2 AustraliaAB0401 Seminar 4 Group 10Lee Min HuiNoel NgTan AngelineTan Xue YingTeo Hui Ying

OverviewCarbon footprint estimationObjectivesDecision criteriaMain contributors to carbon footprint in NTUIdentifying relevant stakeholdersOptions/ alternativesE-learningBuying carbon offset creditsOther viable alternativesComparison of options/ alternativesRecommendationsExecutive summary

Main contributors to carbon footprint in ntu (Noel)Calculation of carbon footprintCarbon footprint estimation (do last)Benefits of measuring carbon footprintsStakeholders analysis (Minhui)Alternatives:1. Pros & Cons of changing classroom to e-learning (Angee)2. Purpose of Carbon offset Credits (Huiying)3. Other viable alternatives (Xueying)

Carbon Footprint Estimation4 Steps: Create a process mapDefine the boundaries of the analysisCollect the data necessary to calculate the carbon footprintCalculate the carbon footprint

Carbon Footprint Estimation1. Create a process mapIdentify all the processes, materials and activities in NTU that contribute to the carbon emissions. These include:Electricity consumptionHeat generatedTransportation of members to the university

Carbon Footprint Estimation2. Define the boundaries of the analysisWe should include all direct emissions and the indirectemissions from all individuals and goods to get to NTU.

Carbon Footprint Estimation3. Collect the data necessary to calculate the carbon footprintCollect the relevant and complete activity data and emission factors

Carbon Footprint Estimation4. Calculate the carbon footprintThe total CO2 emission of the university can be calculated by multiplying emission factors and activity data for all the categories; taking the sum of these multiplications gives the total CO2 emission of the university.CO2 emission = Activity data (kg/ km / litres / etc) * Emission factor (CO2 per unit).The degree of uncertainty of the calculations can be assessed by doing a sensitivity analysis

Carbon Footprint EstimationScopeSourceTotal emissions (kg), C02Scope 1Campus-generated electricityNegligibleCampus-owned transport2,155.40Scope 2Purchased electricity25,484,680.00Heat/ Air-conditioning18,723,120.00Scope 3Faculty Commuting2,697,869.20Student Commuting6,343,091.30Financed Travel488,023.90Paper consumption145,003.95Waste175,100.90Total54,059,044.65

Carbon Footprint EstimationStudents32,862Employees4,214Total per student (kg)1407.23Total per employee (kg)1854.43

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ObjectivesShort term - reduction of carbon emissionsLong term - achieve carbon-neutrality

Decision CriteriaEase of ImplementationCost of ImplementationImpact on Carbon FootprintImpact on StakeholdersLong Term vs Short Term

Main Contributors to Carbon Footprint in NTUElectricity consumption (schools + hall of residences)Air conLightingITWater heatingTransportation (staff and students)Shuttle busPublic transportPaperWaste

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/global.html

The paper industry is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries, and contributes 9% of the manufacturing sector's carbon emissions.Paper accounts for 25% of landfill waste (and one third of municipal landfill waste).

Read more: 15 Facts About the Paper Industry, Global Warming and the Environment - The Daily Green

StakeholdersValues & InterestsStudents- To learn relevant values and skills, including soft skills- Convenience- Cost of studyingSchool (NTU)- Reputation of school (ranking of school)- Good studying environmentStaff (Including professors)- Welfare & employees benefits- Good teaching environmentGovernment- Grooming of future leaders- A better economyEnvironment- Corporate Social Responsibility- Efforts in sustaining/ improving the environment

Identifying Relevant Stakeholders

Options E-learningBuying carbon offset creditsOther viable alternatives

Analysis method: Apart from analysing the impact of the options on carbon emissions, a more holistic approach would be taken in analysing the overall impact of the options on relevant stakeholders

1. Impact of E-learning on Carbon FootprintReduction of carbon footprint through

Transportation - Students and teachers cut down on travelling to and fro Physical Course Material - Less materials ie paper, will be printed with digitisingReduced Provision of Student Housing - Less need for student housing reduces energy consumption

Possible increase of carbon footprint through.

Failure of e-learning - May result in double classes ie, when the e-learning classes fail another physical class must be rearranged, incurring additional carbon costs of the physical classUsage of home computers - Desktop PCs burn at least 0.125 kwh/hour. Question then arises if the energy consumption of everyone using a personal computer is more energy efficient as compared to conventional delivery methods1. Impact of E-learning on Carbon Footprint

Energy consumables held constant

Electricity - Electricity consumption for most part remains constant as the systems are usually centralised hence consumables such as air-conditioning are left running despite the rooms being unused. The question arises whether decentralising such systems is cost efficient enough for the universities to avoid this unnecessary increase in carbon emissions1. Impact of E-learning on Carbon Footprint

StakeholdersProsConsStudents- Increased convenience, can learn from home- Reduce cost of studying save on transportation costs- Learning may be less effective (may get distracted when learning from home)- Less opportunities to develop soft skills no real-life communication/ networkingSchool (NTU)- More recognised unique way of conducting lessons- Cut down on utilities expenses- Need to spend large sum implementing the e-learning systemsStaff (Including professors)- Increased convenience, can teach from home- Increase flexibility as can easily conduct lessons anytime, anywhere (no need to book physical classrooms)- Need to adapt to the change in teaching environment- Might not get full attention from students

1. Impact of E-learning on Stakeholders

StakeholdersProsConsGovernment- Future leaders will be more IT savvy- Tapping on to the advanced technology (essential in future)- More funds may be required to fund the education sectorEnvironment- Sustain the environment by cutting down on CO2 emissions in school- Increase usage of electricity from households

(cont)1. Impact of E-learning on Stakeholders

2. Buying carbon offset credits from CO2 Group Carbon offset creditsA credit for greenhouse gas reductions achieved by one party that can be purchased and used to offset the emissions of another partyWorks for the school in that if it produces too much pollutant emissions, it can offset its carbon footprint by buying credits from providers, such as the CO2 GroupCO2 Group LimitedProvides carbon-credits via the CO2 AUSTRALIA Carbon Sequestration ProgramHelps clients reduce their carbon footprints and meet their carbon offset demands

In the role of the official responsible for your university's sustainability initiatives, you are to review and compare the following alternative paths leading toward our long-term carbon-neutral target: 2. Buying an equivalent amount of carbon offset credits from the provider featured in the case,Your team must consider these alternatives from the perspectives of all relevant stakeholders, and take care to validate the underlying logic of your analysis and your recommendations for decision and action by your University through the application of critical thinking tools and techniques.

- What is carbon offset credits?Basically, the way it works is that if an individual or organization produces too many pollutant emissions, they can offset their carbon footprint by buying credits from other individuals or organizations that use alternative fuels or produce less emissions.

StakeholdersProsConsStudents-- Gives the right to pollute; school with sufficient funds can simply buy the credits, rather than change their behavior to reduce emissions- School: money spent on purchasing the credits could be used for more important usesSchool (NTU)Can remediate the effects of exceeded inevitable carbon emissions by buying offsetsStaff (Including professors)-GovernmentCan simply settle the total amount of permitted emission according to the environments ability to absorb the pollutants-EnvironmentShort term measure to control the overall emission by firmsNot sustainable in the long run in cutting down emissions

2. Impact of Buying carbon offset credits from CO2 Group on Stakeholders

- Recommendations (conclusion)Buying carbon offset credits is just a short term solution to meeting the allowed level of carbon emissions by the school. It provides people with the mindset that increased carbon emissions is okay as long as there is money available to buy the carbon offset credits, rather than trying to change their behavior to cut down on emissions. Hence, this is not sustainable for the environment in the long run in cutting down carbon emissions. Schools may also end up increasing their carbon emissions and having to use up more funds to purchase the credits, which is also not sustainable in the long run. Buying carbon offset credits does not solve the root problem of increasing carbon emissions.

a. Convert the campus into a green building3. Other Viable Alternatives Leading to a Carbon-Neutral Future

a. Converting the campus into a green buildingSuggestions relevant to NTU:FeatureBenefits/RationaleMotion-detectors(lights)- Easy to implement- Large number of rooms this can be implemented in (Larger impact)Solar Panels- Easy to implement- Ntu has many buildings with roofs this can be installed in (Larger impact)Wind Turbines- Easy to implement- Ntu has many buildings with roofs this can be installed in (Larger impact)- NTUs higher grounds would increase the usage rate of wind trubines

b. Giving incentives for going greenAccording to the incentive theory, if a reward is presented after the occurrence of an action, one would associate positive meaning to the behaviour. The repetitive action-reward combination can cause the action to become habit. e.g. Reward staff with bonus for reducing use of papers3. Other Viable Alternatives Leading to a Carbon-Neutral Future

c. Introducing tree planting offsetPlant more trees around the campus to offset our carbon emission

d. Extension of tablet-loaning system to all students Reduces the amount of paper used in printing of course notes3. Other Viable Alternatives Leading to a Carbon-Neutral Future

Comparison of AlternativesProsConsE-LearningEasy to implementCostly only at the beginning when obtaining softwareLowers carbon footprintsShort term benefits onlyBuy Carbon CreditsEasy to implementRoot of problem not addressedCostlyCarbon footprint not reducedShort term measureGreener Buildings in NTUBrings about long term benefitsLowers carbon emissionCostlyTakes time to implementImplement 3RsEasy to implementNot too costlyRanges from short term to long termImpact on carbon footprint not as big

ProsConsGiving incentivesRelatively easy to implementCan be costly if many people are motivated by incentivesImpact on carbon footprint not as significantShort term benefitsIntroduce tree plantingLong term benefit to achieve carbon neutralityNot easy to implementCostlyTablet-loaning systemReduces reliance on paper Reduces carbon footprintEasy to implementCostlyShort term

Comparison of Alternatives

Recommendations (Part 1)E-LearningImplement in stages ie, test drive on less popular courses with lower class numbers to go fully e-learning basedCarbon Offset CreditsUse only when campus is unable to meet the carbon offset requirements on short-term basis

Recommendations (Part 2)Greener BuildingsThis is an option most likely to provide substantial carbon emission reductions over the long run for a one time cost, making it a sustainable option.

Executive SummaryEveryone knows the disastrous impact of ever-increasing carbon emissions as well as the importance of contributing towards environmental sustainability. However there is no one formula to achieve this huge goal. There are, however, many effective ways every individual or entity can contribute to achieving this.Students are our future leaders and this makes schools a great and effective place to start off in. In encouraging schools to adopt relevant CO2 measures this social responsibility can be inculcated into not only the students but staff as well.NTU is one of the biggest presence on the local education scene, and in reducing its carbon footprint, Singapore would be making a big step towards setting the future path for the green environment that is crucial to a sustainable growth as a nation.

To achieve a reduction in the carbon footprint, the main contributors to carbon emissions are first identified. Options such as e-learning, carbon offset credits and other viable alternatives are explored and analysed according to how they can make a difference in the various contributors identified as well as their impact on stakeholders.

Lastly recommendations are made based on feasibility decided with a holistic decision criteria combining financial and environmental sustainability elements. With the recommendations, in the long run, NTU can lead future leaders towards a carbon-neutral and sustainable environment