DRAFT, April 14 –All data are preliminary, need verification Class Project Report Sustainable Air Quality, EECE 449/549, Spring 2008 Washington University, St. Louis, MO Carbon Footprint of Danforth Campus Instructors: Professor Rudolf B. Husar, Erin M. Robinson For more details see the class wikiclass wiki Students: Devki Desai Martin Groenewegen Tyler Nading Kate Nelson Matt Sculnick Alyssa Smith Varun Yadav

Common Concerns, Differing Emphases –What Is To Be Sustained –What Is To Be Developed –The Links Between –For How Long? Goals for a Sustainability Transition –Meeting Human Needs, Education, Research –Preserving Life Support Systems –The Transition to Sustainability as Social Learning Class Outline Follows the NAS Report: Our Common Journey…Sustainability Transition (link)

Class Project: Carbon Footprint of Danforth Campus Objectives: 1.Develop and Apply Carbon Emission Estimation Model 2.Estimate Carbon Footprint of Danforth Campus 3.Calculate the Potential Carbon Cost with Chicago Climate Exchange 4.Compare the Estimates to Other College Campuses

Washington University Carbon Footprint The impact on carbon arises from on-campus energy use and from transportation On Campus Energy Use Carbon Impact Students Heating Cooling Appliances Faculty/Staff Transportation Carbon Impact Commuting Air Travel University Fleet

On Campus Energy Use Kate Nelson Alyssa Smith

Danforth Campus Population From the Campus population has fluctuated between 14-16,000 people Students account for 80 percent of the population on campus

University Expenditures and Building Area Expenditures Include: Research, Academic, Student Support, O/M of Physical Plant Between , the expenditures increased by 70% 60% increase 70% increase During the same time period, the building area (sq ft) has increased by 60 percent.

Danforth Campus Electric Energy and Fuel Consumption Purchased electricity increased 90% between The total energy for electricity includes losses in the power plant and during transmission. Fuel used on campus for heating and hot water: coal, oil and natural gas. In 1993, the University made several upgrades: –Switched from coal to natural gas –Switched to electric chillers –Shut off steam plant from May-October hot water

Causality Framework for University Carbon Footprint – Buildings (link) The carbon impact of on-campus energy is due to direct fuel consumption and indirectly from electricity use The overall carbon impact for on campus energy consumption has increased 50% from Electricity use contributed about 80 percent to the on-campus carbon impact Population Students Activities $ Expend./yr Buildings Sq. Ft Fuel Cons. BTU/yr C Emission Ton C/yr Fuel Cons. BTU/yr C Emission Ton C/yr Electr. Cons Kw-Hr/yr $/StudentSq. Ft./$BTU/Sq.Ft. Kw-hr/Sq.Ft. BTU/Kw-hr Carbon/BTU

Carbon Emission Summary – Energy Use on Campus

The student population has remained roughly constant since 1990 However, the expenditures/student have increased by 60 percent The building area has grown in proportion to the expenditures, while the energy use/sq ft and the C emission factor have remained constant Evidently, the key driver for carbon emission growth of 60%?) was the growth in the physical campus expansion

Transportation Devki Desai Tyler Nading Varun Yadav

Causality Framework for University Carbon Footprint - Transportation Overall the transportation carbon emissions have remained roughly at 1990 level Population People Transportation Miles Fuel Cons. Gal./yr C Emission Ton C/yr Miles/PersonGal./MileCarbon/Gal

Carbon Emission – Danforth Campus Carbon Emissions have increased almost 60% from 1990 to Electricity is the main component of emissions and also drives the emissions trends

Washington University and the Chicago Climate Exchange Matt Sculnick

Other University Comparison Martin Groenewegen Tyler Nading

Total Emission Comparison between Universities Data from 14 campuses show that the carbon impact is roughly proportional to the campus size. Our data indicate that WU emissions/area are comparable to the other schools

Transportation Emission Comparison between Universities Transportation carbon emission estimates for ten campuses indicate a relationship to school population Washington University estimates are uncertain and given as a range based on two calculation methods Evidently, the WU transportation carbon emissions are also comparable to the other colleges.

Working Toward a Sustainable Transition Alyssa Smith