Climate Action Plan: Strategies
Carolina has identified 23 strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These strategies could reduce emissions by 79% compared to the 2007 baseline.
Energy Strategies: Energy Efficiency
Due to the size of campus, the amount of intensive research being conducted, and the steam needs of labs and UNC Hospitals, Carolina uses a lot of energy every year. Some of this energy comes from onsite sources such as the cogeneration facility, and some is purchased from Duke Energy. While both Carolina and Duke Energy are working to lower the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production, much of the energy used still comes from fossil fuels and releases greenhouse gases. Each year, the energy used in buildings on campus directly and indirectly contributes to roughly 70-75% of Carolina’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing emissions from campus energy use can be done in two general ways: reducing energy use and using cleaner energy. The table below describes the strategies for both using less energy and utilizing renewable and clean energy sources.
Reducing energy use on campus is the first step to lowering energy-related emissions. By reducing energy use in buildings, Carolina lowers the associated greenhouse gas emissions while creating financial savings and possibly improving occupant comfort.
Carolina’s Energy Management team constantly works to increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings and new builds. Thanks to these efforts, Carolina’s energy use intensity, the energy used per square foot, has fallen 37% since FY2003.
| Energy Efficiency Strategies |
|---|
| Continue Energy Conservation Measures Program |
| Continue Building Optimization Program |
| Update Design Guidelines |
Energy Strategies: Stationary Combustion
Not only does Carolina have a high demand for steam, the supply must be extremely reliable to keep the hospital running and maintain sensitive research. The repercussions of campus energy outages can be immense, including loss of life or lifesaving research. To meet the campus steam demand, and maintain extremely high levels of reliability and resilience, Carolina needs to have multiple fuel options and be able to store fuel on site. Unfortunately, this means that Carolina currently uses fossil fuels to create steam.
Carolina is working to move the cogeneration facility away from coal as quickly as is technically and financially feasible. Currently, the University has increased natural gas use. While transitioning to natural gas is significantly lowering campus emissions, Carolina is still researching better long-term solutions. Until an alternative fuel source is found to minimize emissions while also generating the necessary steam output, Carolina utilizes the following strategies to reduce emissions in the short term while planning for a long-term sustainable solution.
| Stationary Combustion Strategies |
|---|
| Eliminate Coal Use |
| Explore Next Generation Fuels |
| Explore Carbon Capture |
Energy Strategies: Purchased Electricity
Carolina’s cogeneration facility produces roughly 15-20% of the University’s annual electricity use. The remaining electricity is purchased from Duke Energy and typically accounts for 20-25% of Carolina’s annual GHG emissions. Other than energy efficiency, mentioned above, there are three ways Carolina can continue to reduce purchased electricity emissions: onsite renewable generation, renewable energy purchases, and Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) purchasing.
| Purchased Electricity Strategies |
|---|
| Increase On-Campus Renewable Energy |
| Procure Renewable Energy |
| Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates |
Transportation Strategies: Commuting
Commuting is one of the few upward-trending emission categories, with the exception of 2020 and 2021. This increase is largely driven by the fact that more employees and students are driving alone to campus rather than using more efficient forms of transportation. Reducing commuting emissions relies heavily on influencing individuals to make sustainable commuting decisions.
| Commuting Strategies |
|---|
| Encourage and aid Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) in transition to Electric Buses |
| Increase use of the Commuter Alternative Program |
| Study Parking Pass Structure |
| Expand Electric Vehicle Charging |
Transportation Strategies: Air Travel
Air travel, both domestic and international, is a large part of being a global research university. Carolina’s faculty, staff, and students fly over 80 million miles every year for research, conferences, and studies. While this travel is often essential in making Carolina a leader in research, it is normally responsible for 10% of Carolina’s GHG emissions.
| Air Travel Strategies |
|---|
| Explore Green Air Travel Program |
| Explore voluntary or mandatory air travel carbon offsets |
Transportation Strategies: Fleet
Carolina’s fleet, which consists of around 900 vehicles, produced roughly half a percent of Carolina’s total emissions in 2022. Since 2007, fleet emissions fell 14%, primarily due to decreased fuel consumption and increased use of alternative fuels B20 and E85. The University is currently pursuing the strategies below to further reduce emissions.
| Fleet Strategies |
|---|
| Optimize Vehicle Choice |
| Increase Use of Biofuels |
| Expand Use of Vehicle Telematics |
Education and Research Strategies
As an institution of higher learning, simply reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not good enough. Carolina has a responsibility to educate and engage its community members to ensure that climate action occurs both on and off campus. With almost 30,000 students, and over 12,000 employees, this is a huge task, and equally large opportunity. Meeting Carolina’s sustainability goals will be much easier and impactful with full campus engagement.
| Education and Research Strategies |
|---|
| Create a peer-to-peer sustainability program |
| Increase engagement in New Student Orientation, Week of Welcome, and throughout the year. |
| Launch Green Office certification program |
Other Strategies
Greenhouse gases are sometimes used as part of operations including in switchgear and as refrigerants. In the case of switchgear, newer technology is available that doesn’t require the use of greenhouse gases for insulation. For refrigerants, climate-friendly alternatives may be available depending on the equipment being used. Carolina will continue to substitute when feasible.
| Other Strategies |
|---|
| Replace SF6 switches with solid-state dielectric switches |
| Replace refrigerants with climate-friendly alternatives |
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2009 Climate Action Plan: Status of Strategies
Carolina’s 2009 Climate Action Plan contained 15 near-term strategies and several mid- to long-term strategies. About 75% of these strategies had been achieved when we began drafting the 2021 plan. Explore the original CAP’s strategies below and learn about their status.
Description Utilize low-energy, longer lasting web-based computers for libraries and other applications.Result: Over 100 thin-clients are currently in use. Replacements are expected to have similar or smaller electricity demands.
Status: Complete
Description: Make double-sided printing the default for campus printers.Result: Duplex printing is standard. Due to this, and more paperless processes, paper use fell 72% between 2009 and 2022.
Status: Complete
Description: Description: Manage computer sleep and standby modes for campus computers.Result: Established a standard policy that sets screens, hard drives, and standby times to save energy.
Status: Complete
Description: Reduce the amount of junk mail or undeliverable mail sent to campus.Result: In 2016, Carolina adopted a Waste-Free Mail Program to reduce junk and undeliverable mail.
Status: Ongoing
Description: Three projects to replace or upgrade chillers to more efficient models.Result: Many chiller efficiency projects have been completed. Emissions from chilled water operations fell 56% (‘09 to ‘21).
Status: Complete
Description: Capture heat from chiller condensing unit for HVAC use, rather than venting.Result: Heat recovery chillers have been installed, assisting in the 59% decrease in chilled water emissions.
Status: Complete
Description: Outreach and training to encourage occupants in energy savings.Result: Carolina continuously engages the community through several different outreach programs.
Status: Complete
Description: Improve energy efficiency in existing buildings using Energy Conservation Measures.Result: Due to the completion of many energy efficiency projects, Carolina’s energy use intensity fell 37% since 2003.
Status: Ongoing
Description: Increase fuel efficiency of campus fleet based on CAFÉ standards.Result: Due to mileage reduction, use of efficient vehicles, and increased biofuel use, fleet emissions fell 14% (‘09 to ‘21).
Status: Ongoing
Description: Extend composting to additional campus dining facilities and residence halls.Result: By expanding to more food service sites, compost collection increased 62% from 2009 to 2019.
Status: Ongoing
Description: Capture and combust landfill methane.Result: System was installed in 2012. As of July 2021, the system had achieved ~330,000 MTCO2e in emission reductions.
Status: Ongoing
Description: Improve teleconferencing facilities to decrease air travel.Result: Teleconferencing facilities and technologies have improved, and air miles decreased 15% between 2009 and 2019. Air miles reduced significantly during the pandemic, as well.
Status: Ongoing
Description: Replace 20% of coal with torrefied wood.Result: This strategy was adopted under certain assumptions about torrefied wood and wood pellet technologies that failed to materialize. Wood pellets were tested in 2010 and 2011. Carolina is currently researching other biofuels, electric boilers, and carbon capture technologies to lower emissions.
Status: Incomplete
Description: Avoid parking construction and increase public transportation (light rail).Result: This strategy hinged on the completion of the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit project which has been indefinitely suspended. More commuters drove to campus in 2019 than in 2009, but emissions remained flat due to commuters living closer to campus and using more efficient vehicles. A Bus Rapid Transit project is currently under development.
Status: Incomplete