Building Climate Action Plans from Existing Plans, Targets and Laws Michael Lizotte Director of Sustainability AASHE Conference Denver October 11, 2010

Alternate Unofficial Title: How to produce a Climate Action Plan if you are subject to a demanding government bureaucracy that is cutting your budget and increasing enrollment, but are lucky enough to have some staff, a solid community-developed sustainability plan and engineering studies laying out your technical options. Take Home Message: Inventory your challenges and strengths, then lay out a planning strategy. (= GHG Inventory precedes a CAP)

UW Oshkosh Snapshot State university Carnegie “Masters – Large” 3rd largest university in Wisconsin (top 5% in USA) 13,600 students (3,000 Resident) 1,500 Faculty and staff Crowded urban campus Half of area built or paved 3

-- Annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory -- published for 2007 Climate Action Plan -- Setting in October 2009 -- ACUPCC Deadline -- Annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory -- published for 2007 -- add 2008 and previous years using Clean Air Cool Planet Calculator -- Base on 2008 Campus Sustainability Plan -- Represents Community Buy-in -- Use results from 2008 Energy Independence engineering study -- Consider State Policies, Targets and Goals

2008 Campus Sustainability Plan Goals: Relevance to Climate Action Planning Sustainable Energy: 100% independent of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and cooling. Electricity: Reduce electricity consumption 20% from 2005 levels by 2012. Heating: Reduce fossil fuel use by 50% from 2000 levels by 2012. Facilities Planning, Renovation and Construction: Energy efficient and sustainable design standards shall be utilized on all new construction and applicable renovation projects … projects shall seek to meet or exceed a LEED “Silver” level of sustainability. Transportation: Reduce automobile trips to campus by 20% by 2012. Assessment: Establish the means to assess campus sustainability and provide information to students, staff and community.

2008 Energy Independence Study: Relevance to Climate Action Planning Electricity and Cooling: conservation projects cut 12%; purchase green power for remainder Heating: conservation projects cut 14%; substitute biomass for 30% of fossil fuel use; add biomass-to-syngas production facility to replace remaining fossil fuels (coal and natural gas).

State Policies, Targets and Goals : Relevance to Climate Action Planning Wisconsin Act 141 (2006): set energy standards for equipment purchased and construction of state buildings; goals for agencies to purchase 20% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2011. Executive Order 145 (2006) goals for energy efficiency in state-run buildings. State facilities should reduce energy use per square foot of 20% by 2010; new facilities built 30% more energy efficient than commercial code. Energy Independence (2006): Governor selected UW Oshkosh as one of 4 campuses to demonstrate energy independence: replace fossil fuels for heating and electricity with renewable energy sources by 2012.

-- Keep It simple, short and readable -- Focus on major emissions Climate Action Plan – Initial and Emergent Guidelines -- Keep It simple, short and readable -- Focus on major emissions >90% from Heating Plant + Electricity + Commuting -- Carbon Neutrality Date -- within a reasonable career horizon for current administrators (2020’s?) -- consider multiple scenarios

C-Neutral by: 2020 2025

Scenario 2: same approaches, on a less aggressive timeline. Two Scenarios Scenario 1: an extremely challenging schedule driven primarily by the Governor’s Initiative. Scenario 2: same approaches, on a less aggressive timeline. Scenario 1 is the our current plan, recognizing that it is clearly a stretch goal, especially with respect to the funding required. Noted the ACUPCC direction that: The plans are to be aspirational statements of intent rather than binding commitments. It is expected that signatories will adjust their plans over time in response to new information and changing circumstances. [ACUPCC Implementation Guide: Information and Resources for Participating Institutions, version 1.1, 2009, page 24]

Questions? Contact: Michael Lizotte, Director of Sustainability, lizotte@uwosh.edu, 920-420-1732