Climate Action Plan

    The BGSU Climate Action Plan provides a vision of a sustainable institution operating as as economically and efficiently as possible, eventually producing zero greenhouse gas emissions by year 2040. Realizing this vision requires participation and cooperation from the entire university community and will transform BGSU into a healthier and safer place to work and study, a leader and role model in reduction of emissions, and the creator of leaders who solve world wide environmental issues that threaten the planet. 

    Once the vision described in this plan is realized, BGSU will no longer be contributing to harmful emissions into the atmosphere and achieved carbon neutrality. A combination of using renewable sources of heating, cooling, and electricity in addition to highly efficient lighting systems, zero-emission vehicles, and other sustainable practices and policies. In addition, all students would be provide up-to-date opportunities for professional training and growth in sustainable practices as relevant to their professions. 

    While this vision seems ambitious, research shows that the technologies needed to achieve this goal already exist. As time passes, they will continue to become more affordable and become even more efficient. Additionally, new technologies that we cannot foresee will become avalible to accelerate the pace at which this vision can be achieved.

Introduction         

    Bowling Green State University has a long history of engaging students, faculty, and staff on issues of environmental stewardship both in, and outside the classroom. The Department of the Environment & Sustainability is one of the oldest programs of its kind in Ohio. In 2008, further formalized institutional efforts at sustainability with the creation of the Office of Campus Sustainability, within Campus Operations. In November, 2011, President Mary Ellen Mazey convened a committee of faculty, staff and students and expressed her desire to join the signatories of the ACUPCC. She charged that committee with developing a preliminary plan that, when approved by the BGSU Board of Trustees, would allow her to sign the commitment, thereby moving BGSU toward the goal of climate neutrality. 

    In October 2012, BGSU became the 661st signatory to the ACUPCC take a stand on climate change and the production of emissions responsible for it. This was done, fittingly, on National Campus Sustainability Day. As a premier institution of higher education in Northwest Ohio and nationally, BGSU recognized an obligation to be at the forefront of its own emissions reduction, as well as the education of both students and the community, in becoming change agents for this worldwide problem.                         

    Signing the ACUPCC was a decisive move by our institution’s President, and the beginning of a journey towards significant and comprehensive reduction of waste and carbon output. It is now time, after an assessment/study of BGSU’s contribution to Greenhouse Gases on an annual basis, to present a preliminary plan to reach carbon neutrality in the future, in an effort to involve the entire university in solving the problem. As will become evident after review of this plan, there are a variety of actions BGSU can take which will not only begin to reduce its emissions of carbon, but will also ultimately result in financial savings as a result of the use of less energy, or the use of renewable energy sources.

BGSU's "Tangible Actions"

    The original Committee also divided up into several subcommittees to review specific areas. The "Immediate/Tangible Actions" subcommittee, composed of students and staff made the recommendation that BGSU select four tangible actions from a list of seven potential actions provided by the ACUPCC. These four actions represent twice the minimum of two required of ACUPCC signatories to put into action immediately after signing it. 

    These actions were to be realistic and capable of being accomplished, with a goal of energizing and uniting the University community towards common sustainability goals, and were to provide an appropriate level of challenge to the institution. BGSU's diverse and comprehensive tangible actions, which covered a number of its emissions sources included: 

1. Participation in the "Waste Management" category of the national "Recyclemania" competition and adopting at least 3 more associate measures to reduce waste; 
2. Encouraging the use of and providing access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors at BGSU;
3. Establishment of a policy that all new campus construction be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver Standard, or the equivalent; and
4. Adopting an energy efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring the purchase of Energy Star certified products in all areas where such ratings exist.  

BGSU's Carbon Footprint

    In the fall of 2013, BGSU engaged the services of Sightlines, Inc. to assist in the completion of a Greenhouse Gas Inventory (“GHG Inventory”), as required by the ACUPCC for all signatories within two years of executing the document. Accordingly, a comprehensive assessment of BGSU’s carbon emissions, compiled from the careful collection and review of five successive fiscal years of data was completed and submitted to the ACUPCC in January, 2014.

    As the GHG Inventory was being compiled, a working group of staff, faculty and students was created, and began meeting regularly during the Fall Semester, 2013, (the “Working Group”). This Working Group was charged with reviewing the GHG Inventory upon its completion, and thereafter creating BGSU’s Climate Action Plan (“CAP”). The Working Group reviewed the GHG Inventory prior to its submission, and was also provided a more formal in-person presentation of the data by Sightlines representatives in February, 2014. BGSU’s original ACUPCC Committee had done an initial GHG inventory in 2011 as part of the original research into the feasibility of the institution’s signing of the ACUPCC. That inventory was significantly expanded upon and updated for the January, 2014 filing.

GHG Inventory Components

The GHG Inventory divided BGSU’s carbon emissions into three standard categories/scopes, based on the source of these emissions:

• Scope 1 Emissions/”Direct GHG’s”: These emissions are from the direct burning of fossil fuels on campus and include the BGSU natural gas-powered heat plant, transportation (BGSU’s vehicle fleet usage), fertilizer usage, and refrigerants.
  
• Scope 2 Emissions/”Upstream GHG’s”: These emissions are produced in the production of the electricity purchased by BGSU (off campus or “upstream”) for use on campus. BGSU does not produce its own electricity. As indicated in detail below, BGSU is required by local ordinance to purchase its electricity from the City of Bowling Green. That electricity comes from the American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) co-operative and is primarily generated from coal-fired power plants. While that source profile is relatively stable, there are portions of it that are changing every year, and which may result in lower emissions for BGSU.
  
• Scope 3 Emissions: These emissions are from a variety of sources and include student/staff/faculty commuting to and from campus, directly financed air travel and study abroad travel, the disposal of solid waste and waste water, and energy losses from the transmission and distribution of Scope 2 power.

Results/Highlights of BGSU's GHG Inventory

    The breakdown of the sources of BGSU’s carbon emissions measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, as illustrated below, provides insight into the limitations on possible resolutions, both short and long term, for future carbon reductions and neutrality.

Emissions Scope Summaries

• Total Carbon Emissions from fiscal year 2013, the most recent year in the inventory, were 113,309 MTCDE.
• BGSU Purchased 81,099,968 kWh's of electricity in fiscal year 2013, used 467,690 cubic feet of natural gas, and 24,753,007 gallons of water. 

Climate Action Plan Components

The PCC Working Group began meeting in February, 2014 and met regularly throughout the spring semester, 2014, dividing into subcommittees consisting of Energy, Transportation, Solid Waste, Dining & Purchasing, and Academics/Research. Subcommittee creating was centered around the contributions of each area to the emissions profile. The Working Group began meeting again in September, 2014 at the beginning of the fall semester to consider the details of the CAP. 

Overall Carbon Neutrality Goal

    Much discussion took place regarding BGSU’s projected institutional goal for carbon neutrality, which included review of other Ohio university signatories to the PCC, the need for aggressive action and example, as well as the realistic barriers both legal and administrative to carbon neutrality by any particular date. Neutrality dates of other Ohio university signatories to the ACUPCC range from 2025 to 2080, The Working Group discussed the importance of BGSU aggressively pursuing carbon neutrality and the importance of setting an example and being a true leader in this area, and thus concluded on a goal of carbon neutrality by 2040.
While subject to revision after GHG emission updates, reaching a goal of carbon neutrality by 2040 (25 years from commencement date of CAP in January, 2015) requires an average annual reduction in MTCDE as currently measured of 4%.

Energy

Introduction, Current Status, and Energy Reductions Achieved:

    Emissions from energy use and purchase at BGSU cut across all three scope sources but are primarily from scopes 1 and 2. While BGSU has already engaged in a number of measures to reduce its emissions, a successful plan for reduction must include further action which impacts all three scopes.

• BGSU’s heat plant, the major source of Scope 1 emissions, was converted from the direct burning of coal on campus to natural gas as a power source in 1997. This represented a huge reduction in carbon emissions before those data were even recorded through the ACUPCC, since natural gas produces about half as much carbon dioxide as coal through combustion. This plant remains the source of heat (through a steam tunnel system) for nearly the entire campus. While incremental reductions in emissions from heating continue to be achieved by improving the energy efficiency of buildings and overall conservation as described below, larger reductions in this area would eventually require systems using renewable energy such as geothermal powered by renewably produced electricity.
• Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) were planned and implemented at BGSU in two major phases beginning in 2008 and continuing to the present which were driven by Ohio House Bill 251, requiring the development of a plan to reduce energy consumption by 20% by 2014, using 2004 as a baseline.
• ECM measures included HVAC and lighting system items:
  • Unoccupied setback of HVAC systems
  • Implementation of demand control ventilation control strategies
  • Conversion of constant volume systems to variable volume
  • Installation of variable flow kitchen exhaust and make up air hoods
  • Retro-commissioning
  • Replacement of T-12 linear fluorescent lamps with T-8 lamps
• ECM measures, varying depending on need, were installed in 23 buildings across campus. 
• The 20% energy reduction goal set by HB 251 was reached by BGSU. 
• Completion of LEED certified buildings on campus, reflecting in part more energy efficient structures. The following LEED certifications have been achieved to date:
  • Stroh Center (Gold)
  • Wolfe Center for the Arts (Silver)
  • Carillon Place Dining Center (Gold)
  • Student Recreation Center renovation (LEED Certified)
  • Ohio Attorney General's Office Bureau of Crime Investigation Building (Silver)
• Efficiency upgrades were installed at the Heat Plant boiler system (new boiler controls, and steam trap repairs), reducing consumption of natural gas and electricity. 
• Creation of a fulltime Coordinator of Energy Management position in Campus Operations in fall, 2013. 
• Coordination of student involvement in a number of sustainability/energy savings program initiatives focused on engagement and education/behavioral change:
  • Friday Night Lights