Sem3 group 1 co2 australia

Changing our World: Do we plant

trees or create online courses?

Brought to you by:

Benjamin Chew

Benjamin Wong

Gerald Teong

Selwyn Lim

Vanessa Chia

Yu Kang Ng

Table of Content

● Introduction

● Carbon Footprint Calculation

● Stakeholder Interests

● Decision Criteria

● Alternatives and Evaluation

● Conclusion

● Executive Summary

Introduction

A measure of the

exclusive total amount of

carbon dioxide emissions

that is directly and

indirectly caused by an

activity or is accumulated

over the life-stages of a

product.

Carbon Footprint Definition

3 Different Methods

Carbon Footprint Calculation

1. GHG Protocol

● A framework to understand, quantify and manage

GHG emissions.

● Resurgence Calculator

2. PAS 2050

● Assess life cycle GHG emissions

3. IT Systems

● ERP systems / Manual inputs in Excel Spreadsheet

to track and caluculate GHG emissions


GHG Protocol Strength Weakness

• Considered the whole

organization emission

rather than focusing on

individual components

• More comprehensive

• Included other CO2

equivalent gases such

as CH4(methane), etc.

• Not in line with the

main objective, which

is to evaluate only CO2

Method Evaluation


PAS 2050 Strength Weakness

• Specific and captures

product life cycle CO2

emissions

• Difficult to apply as

NTU is large and has

many functions which

do not fall under either

product or service.

• Leads to distorted

results.

Method Evaluation


IT Systems Strength Weakness

• Tools have limited

capabilities.

• Lack of comprehensive

ERP systems to record

such data.

• Managers are unable to

utilize data to calculate

environmental impact.

Method Evaluation

3 Different Methods


1. GHG Protocol (Method of Choice)

● A framework to understand, quantify and manage

GHG emissions.

● Resurgence Calculator

●

●

Resurgence Calculator


Steps to Calculate:

1. Breakdown

2. Calculation of Scopes

3. Results

Breakdown


Activity Data: Activity that produces an

emission E.g. the amount of electricity used in

terms of kWh

Emission Factor: Amount of CO2 that is

consumed for each unit of activity data

E.g. an emission factor for electricity is

expressed in kg of CO2/kWh

1. Home-made electricity &

transportation of vehicles by organization

2. Purchased heat & electricity

3. Other emissions that

are not the result of company-

owned assets

Total CO2 Emissions

Scopes

1.On campus stationary sources, which can use fossil fuels, incinerated waste, wood, bioheat, etc. Not Applicable

1.University fleet: emissions from the different types of fuel that can be used in the university’s fleet (including gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc) Since NTU is using Tong Tar Transport for their transportation, university fleet emission Not Applicable

Scope 1: Home-made electricity & transportation of vehicles by organization


3. Agriculture (only NO2 and CH4 emissions, CO2 is

excluded for this category). Not Applicable

4. Emissions from refrigerants and chemicals

• Not significant enough

• Small number of users

Carbon Footprint Calculation Scope 1: Home-made electricity & transportation of vehicles by organization

Not Applicable

Scope 2: Purchased heat & electricity


Equation:

Total Emission =

Number of students* and personnel** X Energy consumption of an individual

in school per year

Rate of Emission per year (including break adjusted)

245 days(excluding 4 months break) / 365 days = 0.671

Explanation on the personnel:

* Part-time students is assumed to contribute half of the emission of full-time

students.

**Personnel includes part-time and full-time staffs



Assumptions:

• The amount of energy consumed by an individual is representative of all the students

• The energy consumption remains the same, regardless of public holidays,

• Canteens and other food places are not considered under NTU, either financially or operationally.

Calculation:

• Used resurgence carbon calculator as follows GHG protocol, which captures the entire organization emission. Thus, this carbon calculator can be deemed appropriate to use, except for the fact the emission factor captures other gases other than CO2.

• We rely on the emission factors provided in the online calculator.



Conversion (Emission) factor

The conversion or emission factor used in the calculator is most probably based on UK. However, the number is indeed credible and appropriate to use because according the Singapore energy statistics, the build margin(emission factor) is also approximately 0.43.

Calculation Total

Average Cost Per

Week

(S$)

290 x S$ 0.2608(based

on the tariff in

Singapore)

S$75.60

Convert to pound 75.6 x 0.499(conversion

rate)

37.7 pound

Cost per year (pound) 37.7 x 52 1960.4 pound

Total unit per year

(kWH)

1960.4 / 0.14 14,003 kWH

Total Carbon

Emission per year/kg

14,003 kWH x 0.43 6,021kg



Results and Discussion Energy consumption of an individual: 228 kWh

Conversion factor: 0.43

CO2 produced by individual per year : + 98kg

Number of personnel:

Students (full time) = 22,862

(part time) = 656

Staff (all) = 6,612

Total = 30,130

Total Emission per year (holiday/break adjusted)= 30,130 x 6,021 x 0.671=

121,727,941.8kg



Scope Source Emission( kg CO2)

Scope 3 Faculty Commuting 2,586,786.30

Student Commuting 5,989,010.30

Waste 151,091.70

Scope 3: Other emissions that are not the result of company-owned assets


Scope Source Emission(kg CO2)

Scope 2

Purchased

electricity heat/air

conditioning

121,727,941

Scope 3

Faculty Commuting 2,586,786.30

Student

Commuting 5,989,010.30

Waste 151,091.70

Results


Total = 130,454,829.3kg CO2

Stakeholder’s Interest NTU

• Be a reputable school with a commendable global ranking.

• Create an environment that encourages creativity and is conducive for its students.

Potential/Current Students

• Learn in a conducive environment to maximize their knowledge before entering the workforce.

• A degree from a reputable University in a course of their choice

• Lower tuition fees

Employees

• Have a good working environment and to be remunerated reasonably

Environmentalists

• Promote green initiatives.

• Promote Singapore as a key educational hub in Asia

Government

• Preserve the Earth’s environment

• Promote green initiatives

Decision Criterias

Criteria Measurements

Feasibility Practicality of the alternative

Effectiveness Extent of reduction of carbon footprint

Sustainability Environmental sustainability in the long run

Cost Lower of cost

Benefits/Cost to

Stakeholders

Extent of stakeholders’ interest met

A list of decision criteria to aid us in evaluating the

various alternatives.

Evaluation Of Alternative 1. Transforming a significant proportion of our course

delivery from classroom to an online format.

Feasibility Effectiveness Sustainability

NTU provides a robust IT

infrastructure for lecturers,

staff, and students.

Students learn, research, and

acquire knowledge from

online portals of readings

Currently, E-learning and

online lectures are widely

adopted in NTU. These are

successful in delivering the

same content as a live lesson

Considering the number of

students in NTU, carbon

emission from transportation is

reduced significantly since

students do not need to travel

to school to attend lessons.

Less usage of paper for

handouts reduces wastage

and saves the environment

Reduction of electricity

usage such as lights and

aircon in classes

Less carbon emission in

the long run since the

effectiveness of carbon

emission reduction is high.

Continued efforts in

transforming course

delivery from classroom to

an online format will

definitely have substantial

decrease in carbon

emission

✓ ✓ ✓

Evaluation Of Alternative 1. Transforming a significant proportion of our course

delivery from classroom to an online format.

Cost Benefits/Costs to Stakeholders

High cost incurred from purchasing,

improving, upgrading, and maintaining

a robust IT infrastructure. This is

important due to NTU’s high

dependency on IT infrastructure for

purposes such as e-learning and

lecture recordings.

Reduction in the number and frequency

of shuttle bus services provided by

NTU → reduction in costs.

NTU: Reputation of NTU will be enhanced through green practices

environmental sustainable efforts that are effective and recognized.

Students:

Students can study at their own pace, their own convenience, and at

their own time. They can also choose a conducive environment to

study in, without having to come all the way to NTU just to attend 2

hour worth of lessons. Travelling time can be saved, and converted to

do other things.

Government: Less carbon emission through less usage of utilities

and electricity. Transportation cost and fuel emission costs would also

decrease.

Employees: Lecturers can do and upload their lecture recordings

online at their own time, own pace, and own comfort.

- ✓

Evaluation Of Alternative

2. Buying an equivalent amount of carbon offset

credits from the provider featured in the case


This method is not only

feasible but hassle-free as

government need only to

issue ‘rights to pollute’ to

organisations and mutual

exchange of rights can be

done between organisations.

This method is currently

practiced by other

organizations and proven to

work

Organisations may make an

effort to go green and

reduce carbon footprint so as

to be able to sell their credits

to others to earn passive

income and gain reputation

Also, it limits the overall

amount of pollution allowed

since these credits are

limited.

Carbon offset credits do not

reduce carbon footprint, it

merely transfer the rights

of polluting from

organisations to

organisations should they not

require them, as such, in the

long run, carbon footprint is

not reduced if there’s no

limits to the carbon emission

✓ ✓ X


2. Buying an equivalent amount of carbon offset

credits from the provider featured in the case


Minimal cost is required to issued

carbon offset credits by government.

However, organisations would sell

credits at high price should they not

require them, leading to high costs

for the buyer

Government: able to effectively control the

overall amount of carbon footprint produced

Environmentalists: Not in line their interests

since it does not reduce carbon footprint

overall.

NTU: Buying carbon offset credits might not

be very useful and beneficial for them. As a

school, NTU should focus on research and

developing sustainable and environmentally

friendly practices.

- X

Energy Research Institute @ NTU

( ERI@N )

Reaserach Institute dedicated to:

• enhancing the efficiency of energy systems

• knowledge creation and technology transfer

• creating a collaborative environment for

sustainability goals

Focuses on sustainable energy, energy

efficiency/infrastructure and socio-economic

aspects on energy research

Why ERI@N?

• Considerable expertise and strengths in: o Fuel cells

o Wind & tidal energy

o Smart energy systems

o Materials design & synthesis

Fuel Cells Smart Energy Systems

Wind/Tidal Energy

Why ERI@N?

• Tested and proven with major collaborations o IBM (Sustainable Building Technologies)

o Gamesa (Wind)

o Rolls-Royce (Fuel Cells)

Rolls-Royce (Fuel Cells)

Gamesa (Wind)


3. Energy Research Institute @ NTU


This method might not be

feasible because it is difficult

to implement since it requires

a lot of subsidiaries and

funding.

Projects undertaken by ERI@N

are usually large-scale and time

consuming, making it difficult

and slow to materialize. The

returns on investment is also

uncertain since there is a risk

that the project may fail.

Initiatives anchored by

ERI@N would be highly

effective as it can promoted

and implemented

instantaneously in NTU.

Furthermore, NTU allocates

resources to this cause.

Carbon footprint would be

significantly reduced

because ERI@N’s initiatives

are large scale and designed

for long term sustainability.

X ✓ ✓


3. Energy Research Institute @ NTU


Costs incurred would be high due to the

intensive research and development

required.

However, these costs will be offsetted by the

long term benefits brought about by

successful implementations.

NTU: Improves NTU’s reputation as a good school dedicated to

environmental sustainability.

Environmentalists: Goal alignment with environmentalists

Government: Beneficial to government because they may be

able to implement the development / practices nation-wide to

benefit the masses.

X ✓

Decision Matrix

Ease of

Implementation

Effectiveness Sustainability Cost Benefits to

Stakeholders

Alternative 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓

Alternative 2 ✓ ✓ X - X

Alternative 3 X ✓ ✓ X ✓

FINAL CHOICE ALTERNATIVE 1

Executive Summary

Our presentation aims to show how NTU can achieve carbon neutrality within the campus by

implementing green practices that focuses on energy, research and sustainability.

We put forth 3 main initiatives that NTU could adopt

- Switching traditional course delivery methods into online platforms

- Purchasing carbon offset credits

- Generating clean sources of energy ( Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) ).

We have carefully evaluated the pros and cons of the 3 proposed suggestions on how they would

be able to help NTU achieve a carbon-neutral future based on the relevant decision criteria, taking

into account the different stakeholders involved in this initiatives and how other variables may

affect our targeted goals. We believe that if NTU embrace and dedicate its commitment to

environmental sustainability, it will not only be recognised globally for its initiatives but also save a

lot of costs in the long run.

Sem3 group 1 co2 australia

Technology

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