Northern Kentucky University Action Plan

Transcription

NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
ACTION PLAN
2010
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
On behalf of Northern Kentucky University, I invite you to read
the university’s Action Plan. In December of 2007, I signed
the American College and University Presidents Climate
Commitment (ACUPCC), thereby pledging that NKU would
work toward climate neutrality and a zero carbon footprint.
In this Action Plan, Northern Kentucky University documents
the size of its current carbon footprint, identifies green
initiatives that have impacted our carbon footprint and
outlines the university’s current and planned efforts
in this regard. Additionally, the Action Plan charts
NKU’s path to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Although the writing of an action plan is a requirement of
all signatories of the ACUPCC, the Plan’s most important
audience is close to home - the entire NKU campus
community and our Northern Kentucky neighbors.
For the campus community, the Action Plan will serve as a
rallying cry for all to become involved in creating a ‘culture of
green’ on our campus. Each member of the NKU community
must recognize how they personally contribute to the campus’
carbon footprint and consider the changes they might
make in their lives to reduce their own impact. Specifically,
I ask them to find ways to reduce the amount of electricity
they use and consider greener forms of transportation to
campus. All departments, including academic departments,
must consider and reduce the carbon footprint of their
operations. Working together, this daunting challenge can
be a learning opportunity for students, faculty and staff.
As we rally our collective campus forces to work towards
climate neutrality, not only do we intend to reduce the
university’s carbon footprint and its impact on the region,
but we also commit to be a regional model of sustainability.
The University has an expectation of partnering with
the community to make a culture of sustainability a
hallmark of the Northern Kentucky community.
In summary, Northern Kentucky University accepts the challenge
to work towards climate neutrality knowing that the process will
be difficult, requiring creative problem solving and collaboration
at all levels of our campus community. Through this Action
Plan, I commit the campus community to creating a sustainable
future for our students, campus, region, state, nation and world.
Sincerely yours,
James C. Votruba
President
Northern Kentucky University
October 2010
Northern Kentucky University ACTION PLAN 2010-2050
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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1. INTRODUCTION: NKU THEN & NOW
A. NKU Then
B. NKU Now
C. NKU Sustainability through 2007
1. Early Years
2. Energy Savings Performance Contract
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2. ACUPCC (2007)
A. NKU Commits
B. Tangible Actions Addressed
C. Tangible Actions to be Addressed
D. Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2007)
E. Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2008)
3. SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION
A. Academic
B. Campus Culture
1. General
2. Campus Organizations
2. Campus Events
3. Campus Campaigns
4. Green Tips
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4. ACTION PLAN
A. Addressing the Issue
1. Commuting
2. Purchased Electricity
3. Oil, Natural Gas, Propane
4. University-Sponsored Air Travel
5. Transmission & Distribution Losses
6. Solid Waste, Fleet
7. Refrigerants, Chemicals
B. Setting the Goal
C. Implementation Milestones
D. Support Structure
5. LEADERSHIP
A. NKU Board of Regents
B. Action Plan Committee
C. Climate Commitment Task Force
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1. INTRODUCTION: NKU THEN & NOW
A. NKU Then
The origins of Northern Kentucky University date to 1948 when
the University of Kentucky established a two-year extension
center known as Northern Community College (NCC). NCC was
housed in an elementary school, a high school and then the
YMCA in Covington, Kentucky. A new building was erected for
NCC in the Park Hills area of Covington in 1962. Six years later,
the Kentucky General Assembly authorized the creation of a
four-year college, Northern Kentucky State College. A Board of
Regents and a Site Selection Committee were appointed and
work began to develop a program for the new institution.
In 1969, the selection of the Highland Heights site, the current
NKU location, was announced. Located only seven miles south of
downtown Cincinnati, the undeveloped farm land was proximate
to the location of two future highways, connecting the campus to
the region’s new airport and, in effect, the world.
In 1970, the Kentucky General Assembly merged NCC with
Northern Kentucky State College. In 1972, the Salmon P. Chase
Law School merged with Northern Kentucky State College and
the first building on the new campus, Nunn Hall, opened. In 1976,
the General Assembly granted university status to NKSC, thereby
creating the institution known today as Northern Kentucky
University.
Rapid Growth
Like the many campuses founded in the 1960’s and 1970’s to
educate the exploding baby-boomer generation, NKU grew
rapidly. Institutions founded in this era reacted to their
burgeoning enrollments by focusing primarily on building as
much instructional space as possible, as quickly as possible. In
the 1970’s and early 1980’s, new buildings were opened at NKU
at a rate of one or two per year.
True to the architectural trends of those times, concrete was
chosen as the primary building material. It offered the
advantages of strength, lower cost, durability, and the ability to
be easily molded into a variety of shapes and forms. While these
early buildings were perhaps not as energy efficient as those
constructed in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the campus has managed
to operate reasonably efficiently when compared to its Kentucky
peers. The campus has benefitted from a central chilled water
and steam plant serving all major academic buildings, and as
result, has one of the lowest ratios of operating cost per square
foot in the state. In addition, due to a budget stringency directly
6 Introduction: NKU Then and Now
resulting from being the newest of the eight senior Kentucky
institutions, and thus, the least well-funded in terms of
operating dollars, efficiency and a do-more-with-less attitude
has consistently pervaded the operational mindset of NKU
faculty and staff.
Consistent enrollment growth through the 1970’s and 1980’s
resulted in a persistent lack of instructional space and a
continuing need for parking capacity to serve the rapidly growing
population of commuter students. In 1982, the university’s first
residence hall opened with 400 beds and in 1992, a 600 bed
facility was completed.
B. NKU Now
The NKU of 1968 and NKU of 2009 are very different. Having
developed beyond those early growing pains, NKU has become a
regional powerhouse, impacting nearly every aspect of daily life
in Northern Kentucky. The full NKU mission statement, which
outlines the university’s commitment to the region, can be found
at http://www.nku.edu/about/mission.php.
Today’s NKU is much larger in both physical size and campus
population than the early NKU. In 1970, there were 1,661
commuter students, 56 full time faculty members and the
College (not then a university) was still located in the former
community college facility in the Park Hills area of Covington,
Kentucky. Four-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science
degrees in traditional disciplines were offered, along with several
two-year Associate Degree programs.
Recent statistics (2008) depict a very different institution.
Those statistics are as follows:
Kentucky comprehensive university average of 134 square feet
per student a difference of 55 square feet per student.
Campus Size 408 acres
Gross Square Feet
3,200,000
In March of 2009, the Board of Regents approved NKU’s latest
and most comprehensive master plan which contains many
sustainable components. The master plan supports both the
Commonwealth of Kentucky’s directive to NKU to double its
enrollment by 2020 and NKU’s own 2020 business plan, It’s All
About Talent!, which projected a headcount enrollment of 26,920
and a near doubling of campus facilities by 2020.
Full Time Equivalent students
11,820
Student headcount 15,109
FTE faculty and staff
FTE campus population
1,704
13,524
University housing (beds)
1,849
Parking (deck spaces)
1,815
Parking (surface spaces)
6,377
Northern Kentucky University offers students a broad range of
educational programs. The university’s academic structure
includes the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business,
the College of Education and Human Services, the College of
Health Professions, the College of Informatics and the College of
Law.
Of NKU’s full-time students, 84% commute and 16% reside on
campus. Although many residential students have cars, it is
assumed they use them less frequently than commuter
students. The percentage of residential students is projected to
rise in the future; the goal is to provide housing for 20% of
full-time students. Parking capacity increased in recent years in
response to continuing growth in enrollment, the elimination of
surface lots due to building construction, and the completion of a
multi-purpose events center (10,000 seat arena) on campus.
Consistent with master plan recommendations, the university
has built several parking garages thus reducing the parking
footprint.
Although the NKU campus now has 893,893 assignable square
feet, it has an instructional space shortage compared to its
Kentucky peers. Based upon 2008 data, NKU has only 79
Educational and General square feet per student compared to a
Through the years, NKU’s master planners have recommended a
compact campus; as a result, the campus is pedestrian oriented.
The current master plan outlines a continuing focus on an
expanded, yet compact academic core with more green space,
and featuring an easily understood system of walking and bike
paths that lead from the academic core to outlying parking lots,
athletic and recreational areas and the residence halls.
The master plan calls for the campus to grow through land
acquisition beyond its current 408 acres. In addition to new
residence halls that would increase pedestrian activities, it
recommends more natural areas on campus. These areas will
support sustainable instructional activities while providing
another leisure option for the campus community.
C. NKU Sustainability through 2007
1. The Early Years
As stated previously, NKU grew rapidly in its early years. An
Environmental Impact Committee, composed of interested
faculty and staff, existed in the late 1970’s and through the
1980’s, advocating for natural preserve areas as campus
development occurred.
Because the campus site was originally a farm, landscaping and
site development was, and continues to be a significant need.
The plaza level, a pedestrian only zone connecting all buildings in
the core area of the campus, has both green space and paved
areas. Balance between the two is overly focused on hard
surface creating a somewhat cold and unwelcoming
environment, particularly when a horizontal concrete surface
meets a vertical concrete building wall. The concrete also
eliminates permeability and increases run-off in this compact
academic center.
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In the 1990s, as the university matured and began to catch up
with the need for instructional space, project budgets allowed
consideration of life cycle costs of building systems, providing
funding for state-of-the-art energy efficiency equipment, and
also allowed for an emphasis on site development and
landscaping.
2. Energy Savings Performance Contract
In 1996, NKU performed a $415,000 lighting retrofit, replacing T12
lamps and ballasts with more energy efficient T8 lamps and
ballasts throughout the campus. NKU’s goal with this project
was a reduction in purchased electricity as well as a reduction in
energy cost.
In 2004 with the arrival of a new Assistant Vice President of
Facilities Management, the university entered into an Energy
Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) agreement with Siemens
Buildings Technologies, Inc. Siemens, an Energy Service Company
(ESCO), was charged with recommending and implementing
measures to reduce NKU’s energy consumption and expenses in
a technically and financially viable manner.
The ESCO 12-year performance-based contract examined a wide
variety of energy use areas and focused on three targeted
categories: lighting, HVAC and water. The contract base year was
July 2002 to June 2003 and the reporting period was December
2004 to June 2007, followed by the performance period of June
2007 to May 2019.
Several strategies related to campus lighting were selected to
reduce energy consumption. Occupancy sensors were installed in
all restrooms as well as in some lobbies and corridors. High cost
lighting in two gyms and several lobbies was replaced with more
energy efficient lighting fixtures. The actual savings were 5%
higher than expected.
By far, HVAC systems were the largest area addressed. NKU has
a central power plant housing boilers and chillers, with steam
and chilled water piping extending to each of the major academic
buildings. The ESPC agreement included improvements to the
chillers, the boilers, steam trap, pumps, VAV controls and air
handling units as well as limited system replacements. The
supply fans in most of the early buildings operated at constant
speeds; the ESPC provided for the installation of variable
controls. In one building and several large spaces, system
8 Introduction: NKU Then and Now
variable controls were added, allowing temperatures in these
spaces to be controlled within a degree or two. The HVAC
changes resulted in actual savings of 5% more than anticipated.
Although these two areas were important, the changes in water
conservation provided the greatest savings. The water
conservation measures were also the most apparent to the
campus community. Existing restrooms were retrofitted with
low flow toilets and urinals and sink aerators. In some
restrooms, dual flush toilets were installed. All new buildings are
designed with low flow toilets and urinals and sink aerators.
The actual savings was 45% more than anticipated. Water
consumption dropped so dramatically that the water district
visited the campus three times to confirm that all of their meters
were working properly. Between fiscal year 2005/2006 and fiscal
year 2006/2007, the university reduced its water consumption by
9,012,900 gallons (13%).
Initially, the $4.5 million ESPC was projected to save $600,000
per annum for an 11.7 year payback. To date, the per annum
savings has been closer to $700,000 and the payback period is
predicted to be less than 10 years.
Although the cost savings are important, the primary impetus
for the ESPC was to reduce water and energy consumption and
increase comfort on campus.
3. ACUPCC (2007)
A. NKU Commits
In December of 2007, James Votruba, President of Northern
Kentucky University, signed the American College and University
Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). In so doing, he joined
approximately 440 other college and university presidents who
believed that the higher education community could play an
important role in addressing climate change. All signatories
pledged to actively work to make their campuses "climate
neutral" by a pre-determined date. The number of signatories
has now grown to over 660. The Commitment text can be found
at www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/about/commitment.
At the time of President Votruba’s signature, NKU was the first of
Kentucky’s state supported postsecondary institutions to join
the Presidents Climate Commitment. Later, the University of
Louisville signed the commitment.
Two portions of the NKU mission statement are as follows:
"....The University embraces its regional stewardship role as
reflected in its significant contribution to the intellectual, social,
economic, cultural, and civic vitality of the region and the
Commonwealth. . . and . . . Regional stewardship informs every
dimension of our University’s mission."
In signing the Commitment, NKU stepped forward to provide
sustainable leadership for the NKU campus community, the
Northern Kentucky region and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
To guide implementation of the ACUPCC requirements, President
Votruba established a Task Force of administrators, faculty, staff
and students. This group reports to Larry Blake, Assistant Vice
President for Facilities Management. A list of Task Force
members can be found in Section 5 of this plan.
The Task Force, which meets on a monthly basis, is divided into
eight committees. One of the committees, Green
Communications, is charged with publicizing the Task Force’s
efforts and events as well as sharing information about
sustainability, both on and off-campus. The other seven
committees are tasked with addressing the ACUPCC’s seven
tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases.
As a signatory to the Commitment, NKU is required to submit
information to the ACUPCC via the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The
first requirement, to submit its Implementation Profile or brief
description of NKU and university contact information, was
completed.
B. Tangible Actions Addressed
As a signatory to the Commitment, NKU was required to initiate
at least two of the seven ACUPCC tangible actions to reduce
greenhouse gases. To date, NKU has responded to four of the
seven tangible actions. They are as follows:
1. "Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy
requiring the purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all
areas for which such ratings exist."
In June of 2009, NKU completed work on a policy requiring the
purchase of ENERGY STAR qualified products when a) they are
available; b) the quality and function of the ENERGY STAR
qualified product is equal or superior to that of non-ENERGY
STAR qualified products; and, c) the additional upfront cost of the
ENERGY STAR qualified product is equal to or less than its
anticipated life cycle energy savings. The policy is included in all
procurement bid documents and is promoted on the NKU
Procurement Services website. Recently, NKU introduced new
ENERGY STAR copiers campus-wide. Small desk-top (non
ENERGY STAR) printers are discouraged.
2. "Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation
for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution."
During the summer of 2007, NKU entered into an agreement with
the Transportation Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) to
provide free transportation on TANK buses for all members of
the NKU campus community. Users need only show their NKU
identification cards. The agreement also provides for shuttle
service between one of the outlying residence halls and the
central campus.
This TANK/U-PASS program has provided 650,000 trips since the
summer of 2007 for a savings of over 1,500 metric tons of CO2
equivalent.
3. "Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be
built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver
standard or equivalent."
In 2009, the Commonwealth of Kentucky adopted Administrative
Regulations for High Performance Building Standards; these
standards informed NKU’s green building policy, also adopted in
2009. The specific LEED standard applied to a project is related
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to the budgetary scope of a project. For instance, all new
construction and all major renovation projects with budgets of
$25 million or more shall be designed, built and submitted for
certification at the LEED Silver level or higher. Renovation
projects with lesser budgets will be guided by or designed to
LEED standards. NKU includes this policy in its Facility
Management Building Standards document. The green building
policy is promoted on the NKU Facilities Management website.
Griffin Hall, the future home of the College of Informatics, will be
the first LEED Silver building on campus.
4. "Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the
national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more
associated measures to reduce waste."
NKU participated in the 2008 and 2009 RecycleMania
competitions. In 2008, NKU ranked 10th of 95 schools in the
Waste Minimization category. NKU is actively planning publicity
and events for the 2010 RecycleMania competition that runs
from January 17 to March 27, 2010. The goal is to involve even
more members of the NKU campus community and improve
NKU’s standing in the competition.
NKU has adopted many measures to reduce waste year-round.
Some of the ongoing efforts include creation of a university-wide
"craigslist" to share office supplies, furniture and equipment; the
sale of reusable "to go" boxes in campus dining facilities; and,
beverage discounts for those who use reusable drink containers.
C. Tangible Actions to be Addressed
NKU has not yet responded to three ACUPCC tangible actions.
They are as follows:
1. "Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions
generated by air travel paid by our university."
NKU’s reaction to offsets is similar to the reaction of many other
universities. It has elected to implement CO2 savings programs
and policies before considering the purchase of offsets. At NKU,
there is a strong desire to positively impact its own campus and
the Northern Kentucky region before purchasing offsets for
programs at a distance from the campus.
The response to this action is further complicated by the
difficulty in documenting the NKU-sponsored air travel that
contributes to these greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, all
tallying must be done by hand by certain staff members due to
confidentiality concerns. NKU has recently migrated to a SAP
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Business Enterprise System that could potentially be modified to
make it easier to document NKU-sponsored air travel. If the
modification is successful, individual departments could be
informed of the impact of their travel on the university’s carbon
footprint.
2. "Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing
or producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity
consumption from renewable resources."
According to Kentucky law, specifically KRS 278.016, NKU is
required to purchase electricity from the retail electric supplier in
its region; that supplier is Duke Energy. Although Duke is working
towards providing electricity to its Kentucky customers from
locally renewable sources, it is not yet available.
Seven or eight years ago, NKU contacted several companies,
including Duke Energy, to study a variety of on-site renewable
energy options, including solar and wind. In all cases, the options
studied were not cost-effective. Further, Kentucky statutes
prohibit purchase of electrical power from alternate suppliers.
For these reasons, NKU has been unable to change its source of
electrical energy.
The Renewable Energy Sources Committee of the Task Force is
actively researching new renewable options. It also keeps track
of the cost of, and advances in, existing technologies. Once it is
cost effective to do so, NKU hopes to purchase or produce at
least 15% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources.
Further, the university is actively considering converting several
recently purchased, small buildings on the campus perimeter
from electric heating/cooling to geothermal in the near future.
3. "Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and
sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our
institution’s endowment is invested."
Northern Kentucky University is a relatively young institution
and does not have an endowment. The NKU Human Resources
Department does offer staff and faculty the opportunity to save
for retirement via TIAA-CREF’s Social Choice Account which
includes companies that are "strong stewards of the
environment."
D. Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2007)
On September 15, 2008, NKU submitted its Complete Greenhouse
Gas Inventory 1990-2007 as required by the ACUPCC. The
document was written by students whose work was supervised
by one faculty and one staff member. The group used the 6.0
Clean Air - Cool Planet Carbon Calculator to calculate NKU’s
carbon footprint. A copy of the report can be found at http://
green.nku.edu/docs/NKU%27s_Complete_Greenhouse_gas_
inventory-_final-pdf_%282%29.pdf.
NKU’s carbon footprint for 2007 was 69,916 (adjusted by the 6.4
Clean Air - Cool Planet Calculator) metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
The CO2 totals from 1990 to 2007 generally parallel the growth in
the size of NKU’s campus community, both the number of
students and campus square footage. There were some
anomalies but they can be explained, in large part, by the 1996
lighting retrofit and the changes made by the campus-wide
ESPC, both detailed above.
For 2007, the carbon footprint broke out as follows:
Commuting
46%
Purchased Electricity
35%
Oil, Natural Gas, Propane
10%
University-Sponsored Air Travel
5%
Transmission & Distribution Losses
3%
Solid Waste, Fleet
1%
Refrigerants, Chemicals
Less than 1%
The Commuting number is logical given that 84% of NKU students
commute to campus. NKU’s reliance on its efficient central
chilled water and steam plant explains why Purchased Electricity
is only 35% of NKU’s carbon footprint. Electricity is not used for
heating most campus buildings, including residence halls.
However, it is used in recently acquired smaller facilities on the
campus perimeter.
In the GHG Inventory, the student authors stated their concerns
that NKU would be unable to submit an action plan to achieve
climate neutrality given the projected rapid growth of the
university and the challenging economic climate.
Their recommendations, included in the GHG Inventory and the
university’s responses, are as follows:
• Maintain and expand current programs that encourage
sustainability, such as RecycleMania and the TANK/U-PASS
program.
In process, making progress. Charged to the RecycleMania and
the Public Transportation committees of the Task Force.
• Encourage TANK to establish centrally located and parking
friendly stations to run direct, non-stop busses to and from
NKU and the stations.
In process, making progress. Charged to the Public
Transportation committee of the Task Force.
• Provide carpooling commuters with a significant discount on
parking passes.
In process, carpooling website established. Coordinated by a
NKU Professor. Parking discounts not addressed.
• Finalize the ENERGY STAR Purchasing Policy.
Accomplished by the ENERGY STAR committee of the Task
Force.
• Ensure that new buildings incorporate maximum efficiency
designs and meet such standards.
Accomplished by the Green Building Standards committee of
the Task Force and the Facilities Management department.
• Create a public education campaign to promote conservation
of electricity and use of alternative transportation.
In process, making progress. Charged to the Green
Communications committee of the Task Force.
• Incorporate Sustainability into the entire curriculum and
explore the possibility of introducing Sustainability as a degree
program.
Future initiative. Unassigned.
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• Ensure that companies which have contracts with NKU provide
the highest level of energy conservation that is possible.
Future initiative. Unassigned.
• Examine how cleaner, on-campus sources of power can be
generated.
In process, making progress. Charged to the Renewable Energy
Sources committee of the Task Force.
E. Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2008)
Although the ACUPCC does not require its signatories to perform
and submit a greenhouse gas inventory every year, NKU did
perform a modified inventory for 2008 in order to better inform
this action plan. NKU’s carbon footprint for 2008 was 71,400
metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
• Identify and implement the efficiency upgrades that are
economically justifiable.
In process, making progress. Charged to the Renewable Energy
Sources committee of the Task Force and the Facilities
Management Department.
For 2008, the carbon footprint broke out as follows:
• Begin offsetting emissions by sponsoring forest preservation.
Future Initiative. Unassigned.
• Create a position of Sustainability/Energy Conservation
Coordinator to oversee the program.
Future Initiative. Unassigned.
Although much progress has been made, some
recommendations still need to be addressed and some
reassessed. Lack of funding for new programs and positions has
inhibited progress on unassigned initiatives.
Commuting
42%
Purchased Electricity
35%
Oil, Gas, Propane
11%
University-Sponsored Air Travel
5%
Transmission & Distribution Losses
4%
Solid Waste, Fleet
2%
Refrigerants, Chemicals
Less than 1%
The numbers are very similar to 2007 with one important
distinction. In the 2007 report, the difference between
Commuting and Purchased Electricity was 11%. In 2008, the
difference was reduced to only 7%.
Although a thorough analysis of the data has not been
performed, the change is most likely explained by the addition of
five new campus buildings (the Welcome Center, the Bank of
Kentucky Center, the Student Union, Callahan Residence Hall and
the Welcome Center Parking Garage) rather than a change in
commuting behavior. These buildings while operationally
efficient, were designed prior to approval of the LEED policy
standard for campus buildings.
The Bank of Kentucky Center (BOK) and the Student Union are
both assembly buildings. The BOK, a 243,000 SF multi-purpose
event center, is a significant energy consumer. In addition to
providing a temperature-controlled environment for crowds of up
to 10,000, the building also provides food service for those
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crowds. A large kitchen and several large refrigeration units add
to the load. The BOK also houses the Athletic Department and
accommodates basketball practice sessions and training.
The Student Union has its own energy challenges. It too houses a
large kitchen with refrigeration units. This kitchen supports
much of the daily campus food service. The building also houses
numerous medium and large-sized assembly rooms that serve
the campus community.
Callahan Residence Hall, a former nursing home purchased by
NKU and converted to a 460 bed residence hall, operates as a
24/7 facility, contributing to the increase in purchased electricity.
This 151,000 SF building has a high skin SF/floor SF ratio as well
as a large cafeteria and laundry room.
Some of the other changes in carbon footprint from 2007 to
2008 can be explained. The addition of three new buildings with
food service can easily account for the increase in Solid Waste.
The increase in Transmission & Distribution Losses results from
the increase in Purchased Electricity.
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3. Sustainable Education
At NKU, there is a belief that education takes place both in the
classroom and in the greater campus community. This is
certainly true for sustainability education. Whether in
classrooms, on the NKU web or social media pages or during
campus-wide campaigns, members of the NKU community have
many opportunities to increase their knowledge and actively
participate in this important area.
A. Academic
The academic programs available to students interested in
sustainability are generally, but not exclusively, housed in the
Department of Biological Sciences. A student wishing to obtain a
degree in the Biological Sciences may chose to follow an Ecology/
Evolution/Organismal Track. The courses for this B.S. degree
focus on plants and animals as well as evolution and ecology.
This program prepares students for careers in research, medicine,
dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, teaching, forensics, and
many other areas. A full list of required courses can be found at
http://biology.nku.edu/programs/majors/ecology.php.
In addition, the Department of Biological Sciences, with the
Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics and
Geology, offers a B.S. in Environmental Science, an
interdisciplinary degree. This degree is designed to provide
students with a breadth of knowledge in the scientific disciplines
associated with environmental issues. Students graduating with
a B.S. in Environmental Science are equipped to join the ranks of
environmental professionals working with local, state and
federal agencies, consulting firms, or non-profit organizations. A
full list of required courses can be found at http://envsci.nku.
edu/programs/index.php.
For those students preferring to minor in Environmental
Studies, the Department of Biological Sciences also offers an
interdisciplinary program with a curriculum that addresses
current and projected environmental problems facing the
human community. The minor requires 22 credit hours - 10 core
course credit hours and 12 elective credit hours. A list of
courses for this minor can be found at http://envsci.nku.edu/
programs/index.php.
The College of Arts & Sciences also offers a Bachelor of Arts in
Integrative Studies, with two sustainability related options,
"Community Sustainability" and "Sustaining the Natural World."
These thematic areas of concentration represent flexible degree
program opportunities, permitting students to tailor degree
14 Sustainable Education
programs to their individual academic interests and goals. Core
requirements for these areas must include at least 12 upper level
credit hours. The list of options can be found at http://ist.nku.edu/
docs/concentration.pdf. Professors offering those courses agree
that 50% or more of the coursework will address sustainability.
Although NKU’s academic structure does not include a
department of Sustainability, the university degree programs
listed above offer students several options to pursue studies in
sustainability. The B.S. degrees offered by the Department of
Biological Sciences respond to the needs of student scientists.
The minor in Environmental Studies is designed to augment
studies in another non-scientific degree program. The Bachelor
of Integrative Studies and its thematic area of concentration
allow non-science students to tailor their degrees to support
their non-scientific interest in sustainability.
B. Campus Culture
1. General
Working on an extremely limited budget and primarily with
volunteer staffing, the NKU campus has made great strides in
the area of sustainability. Several of the most visible programs
on campus today were in existence before NKU joined the
ACUPCC. One of these is NKU’s highly visible recycling program.
Now an integral part of campus culture, NKU students were the
original advocates for this program.
Other sustainable programs that draw visitor comments are the
electricity-saving occupancy sensors and water-conserving
devices in the campus restrooms. With the recycling program,
these measures let campus visitors (including prospective
students) as well as all current members of the campus
community know that sustainability is an important value at
NKU.
2. Campus Organizations
There are a wide variety of organizations on campus that
consider sustainability to be a part of their mission. Membership
in most is open to all.
The ACUPCC Task Force is one such organization. Although the
original members were appointed by President Votruba in
December of 2007, the membership has grown to include more
students (past and present), faculty and staff. Meetings of the
Task Force and its committees are open to the entire campus
community. Most meetings take place in the Student Union in
order to encourage participation. In 2010, the Task Force will seek
members from currently underrepresented parts of the campus.
The Center for Applied Ecology, established in 1999 as a nonprofit outreach program, provides professional, science-based,
ecological services to the local community. It also offers practical
work experience for NKU students. The Center is committed to
the protection and restoration of native eco-systems in the
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area.
The Center of Environmental Education provides teacher training
as well as an Environmental Education Graduate Endorsement
and a Certification Program for Kentucky’s Non-formal
Environmental Educators. Founded in August 2002, the Center
has been reaching out to K-12 educators in the region to train
them to provide environmental education to their students. The
Center for Environmental Education also provides work
experience for NKU students.
ECOS (Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students) is a
student organization that includes members from inside and
outside the science disciplines. Although members tend to be
Environmental Science majors, their slogan is "ECOS is for
everybody." Their mission is to protect the environment.
Biota is a student group composed of biology majors who wish to
educate others about biology. Biota participates each year in the
Earth Day celebration organized by ECOS. Advised by a biology
faculty member, Biota takes biology and sustainability activities
off campus and into schools in the Northern Kentucky region.
Tri-Beta is an honor society of undergraduate students in the
biological sciences which promotes undergraduate research and
scholarship. The local chapter was established in 1993.
Membership is by application and new members are accepted
twice a year. Tri-Beta has worked closely with ECOS on
fundraising efforts for sustainable activities. Tri-Beta attends
and supports ECOS’s Earth Day activities.
With these six organizations working to support and encourage
sustainability, there is a place on campus for anyone who wishes
to learn about and/or support sustainable efforts outside the
classroom.
Facilities Management Sustainability is a major interest and
concern of the professional staff of the Facilities Management
Division. The Assistant Vice President of Facilities Management
is chair of the ACUPCC Task Force and the campus liaison with
the ACUPCC. The departments that he supervises - University
Architecture, Design and Construction; Campus and Space
Planning; and Operations and Maintenance - all actively
participate in campus sustainability events and campaigns. It
was the Facilities Management Division that initiated the 1996
lighting retrofit and performed the ESPC on campus. Five of the
professional staff in the division are LEED certified professionals.
3. Campus Events
Each year, the number of green or sustainable events on campus
grows. In April, the campus celebrates Earth Day and Arbor Day,
the largest sustainable events.
For the last seven years, NKU’s Earth Day celebration has been
organized by ECOS. All campus sustainable organizations listed
above are invited to participate and share information about
their activities at tables on the NKU Plaza. ECOS also invites
off-campus sustainable organizations such as the Northern
Kentucky Clean Indoor Air Partnership, Northern Kentucky Sierra
Club, Thomas More College Field Station, Sanitation District 1,
Kentucky Division of Air Quality, Boone and Kenton County
Conservation Districts, Metropolitan Sewer District and the Mill
Creek Watershed Council of Communities to share information
about their programs and sustainability in general. Music,
t-shirts, tie-dye and pizza all contribute to the festivities. The
campus looks forward to 2010 Earth Day celebration on the
Plaza on April 22.
Arbor Day is another important sustainable event on the NKU
calendar. In 2009, the NKU Horticulture group partnered with one
of the campus sororities, Theta Phi Alpha, to plant three Crimson
Spire Oaks in a newly planting created bed near the new Student
Union. Also, seedling trees were given to everyone who assisted
with the tree planting.
Both the Horticulture and Grounds crews, part of the department
of Operations and Maintenance, have an important impact on
the campus environment. In addition to coordinating the Arbor
Day planting, their continuing efforts to "green up" the campus
were responsible for NKU receiving the very first Tree Campus
USA award ever bestowed by the Arbor Day Foundation. During
2009, the Horticulture crew planted 225 trees on campus. They
15
also created the first campus rain garden and removed another
large concrete area of the Plaza to create a beautiful planting
bed with trees, shrubs and flowers. Their "greening" efforts have
improved both the appearance and permeability of these areas
while the campus awaits implementation of the master plan
vision for increased green spaces.
Earth Day and Arbor Day are the two major campus-wide
sustainable events. Other events, typically aligned with the
campus-wide sustainability campaigns, are described below.
4. Campus Campaigns
To keep sustainability in front of the campus community
throughout the year, the Task Force partners with other oncampus and off-campus organizations to present a series of
campus sustainability campaigns. For the 2009-2010 fiscal year,
the calendar is as follows:
September - October, THE BIG GREEN CLIMB
A six-week-long competition to promote health and save energy
by encouraging people to take the stairs rather than elevators.
Co-sponsored with NKU Wellness.
November - December, NKU IN A NEW LIGHT
A LED lighting demonstration installed in one corridor of a major
academic building. Fixtures and lamps were donated. A local
engineering firm secured the donations and provided technical
expertise.
January - March, RECYCLEMANIA 2010
NKU will compete in this 10-week nation-wide competition in the
Waste Minimization category. Each week will focus on a different
recyclable material and will feature a special event. The Task
Force will coordinate its efforts with the Operations &
Maintenance group responsible for campus recycling and SAVES,
a group of executive administrative assistants.
March - April, GREEN GAMES
A multi-week residence hall sustainability competition that
focuses on recycling and energy conservation. Co-sponsoring
with Residence Life.
Co-sponsoring campaigns with other organizations has
leveraged the Task Force’s limited human and financial
resources. Working with others, the campaigns can be larger and
have a greater impact. In addition, working with new and
16 Sustainable Education
different people and organizations across the campus enables
the Task Force to spread the sustainability message even
further.
5. Green Tips
Introduced within the last year, Green Tips are a series of "do you
know?" press releases that are posted on the NKU home page
(http://nku.edu), on the NKU Green website (http://green.nku.
edu), on the NKU Green Facebook page (www.facebook.com/#/
nkugreen) and in various campus media outlets. Their purpose is
to encourage personal responsibility on the part of all members
of the campus community by sharing information about
inadvertent or unconscious energy use. The Green Tips were
released sporadically in 2009. In 2010, they will be released on a
monthly basis and will address issues of energy use that relate
to the weather as well as campus campaigns and events.
4. Action Plan
A. Addressing the Issue
1. Commuting
In order to formulate an action plan to achieve climate neutrality,
it is important to set a baseline. The 2007 and 2008 greenhouse
gas inventories achieve that goal. In 2007, NKU had a carbon
footprint of 69,916 (6.4 Calculator) metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
In 2008, with the opening of several new buildings, that number
grew to 71,400 (6.4 Calculator) metric tons of CO2 equivalent. As
mentioned previously, achieving climate neutrality will be a
challenge for NKU.
Categories in the 2007 and 2008 inventories can be
compared as follows:
CATEGORY
2007
2008
Campus-wide commuting
46% 42%
Purchased electricity
35%
35%
Oil, gas, propane 10%
11%
University-sponsored air travel
5%
5%
Transmission & distribution losses
3%
4%
Solid waste, fleet
1%
2%
Refrigerants, chemicals
1%
1%
NKU has instituted a number of programs that reduce the metric
tons generated by these categories. Some of the programs were
created well before NKU became an ACUPCC signatory. To better
understand how these CO2 categories might be further reduced,
this action plan will review the current impact and status of the
categories focusing on potential opportunities for further
reductions or, at least, a framework in which to develop new and
more effective carbon reduction programs.
2007: 46% of NKU's CO2 footprint
TANK/U-PASS/Bus
Both the 2007 and 2008 NKU Greenhouse Gas Inventories show
that travel to and from campus by student, faculty and staff
commuters produces the largest percentage of NKU’s CO2
footprint. In 2007, the combined total was 46% and in 2008, it
was 42%.
Six months prior to President Votruba’s signing of the
Commitment, NKU entered into an agreement with the
Transportation Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK). This
agreement allows the entire campus community - students,
faculty and staff - to ride all TANK buses for free. Campus
community members have only to show their NKU photo
identification cards (All Cards) when boarding TANK buses to
receive this benefit.
NKU also contracts with TANK to provide shuttle service
between Callahan Hall, an outlying residence hall, and main
campus. Students, faculty and staff may also ride this service for
free after showing their All Cards.
For these free transportation services, known at NKU as U-PASS,
NKU pays TANK an annual fee. The projected fee for the 20102011 school year is estimated to be $151,000. This amount
increases by 3% annually.
Between July 2007 and January 2010, the TANK/U-PASS program
has provided over 650,000 rides to campus community
members. Using transportation survey results and the Clean Air
Cool Planet Calculator, NKU calculates that with its U-PASS
program, it has avoided putting over 1,500 metric tons of CO2
equivalent in the Northern Kentucky atmosphere since July 2007.
Unique to the U-PASS program is the availability of free Wi-Fi
service on many of the TANK buses. The project was originally
launched as a Lily Pad, with mobile, wireless access available free
to riders on 20 buses. The service was so successful that NKU
and TANK partnered to expand the program, more than doubling
the number of Wi-Fi buses. The goal of the program is to
encourage ridership. According to Gina Douthat, TANK’s Director
of Communications and Development, "Students can do
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homework, visit websites, engage in social media such as
MySpace and Facebook while on the bus. We believe this service
will appeal to college students." With access to Wi-Fi, students
and others can no longer complain that riding the bus keeps
them out of touch for too long.
This safe and coherent system of walkways will encourage the
campus community to walk, rather than drive, to and from
various areas of campus. The system will help orient campus
visitors by providing clearly defined walking routes to important
destinations.
Several years ago, TANK completed a master plan for its future.
This plan, prepared with the input of various community
members including NKU, includes the creation of strategically
located transit hubs to support new routes and hopefully, a
permanent increase in riders. One hub has been constructed,
and a second is in the planning stage and will be completed in
late 2010. The third hub, and the one that is key to initiation of
the much-needed east-west route, is to be located in Highland
Heights near NKU. TANK hopes to realize the Highland Heights
hub in the 2011-2012 timeframe. Establishment of these new
hubs could reduce the number of cars on campus, lessen the
need for additional parking structures and reduce the metric
tons of CO2 produced by commuting students, faculty and staff.
NKU is working with the regional authorities on two new road
projects and both include sidewalks. NKU is working
cooperatively with the City of Highland Heights to provide a
pathway from Callahan Hall, NKU’s most distant residence hall,
through city property, to main campus.
Carpooling
The 2008 commuting survey showed that nearly 82% of the NKU
community - students, faculty and staff - commute to campus
alone in their cars. A NKU professor has recently established an
NKU-only carpooling website. Potential carpoolers enter their zip
code and work/study schedule and look for potential carpoolers.
The program, originally open only to faculty and staff, has
expanded to include students.
Hybrid Vehicles
Griffin Hall, currently under construction and planned to be NKU’s
first LEED building, will provide parking for hybrid vehicles.
Pedestrian Walkways
NKU’s campus is compact; it is designed to encourage pedestrian
access to all campus facilities. The new NKU master plan
reinforces this concept, emphasizing better articulation of
walking paths.
The walkways will be divided into four categories: major
corridors, secondary walks, building sidewalks and paths. The
major corridors are both walkways and linear parks 10 to 12 feet
wide with special paving, benches, lights and other site
furnishings. The secondary walks will be 8 to 10 feet wide with
more modest treatments. Other paths will include 8-foot wide
concrete paths and 5-foot wide wood chip paths in natural areas.
18 Action plan
Bike Paths
In the spring 2008 survey, 0.5% of those surveyed indicated that
they rode bicycles to campus. Although there are multiple
reasons why the NKU community does not ride bicycles, one
major reason is that there are no clearly marked, safe bicycle
routes to campus. The 2009 master plan calls for the university
to work with regional agencies to establish such routes to
campus.
The master plan encourages NKU to establish a three tiered
series of bike paths (bike only paths, pedestrian/bike paths and
automobile/bicycle paths) connecting the academic core to the
peripheral areas of campus such as housing, athletics and
recreation as well as to the safe bicycle routes provided by
regional agencies. NKU is also providing secure bicycle storage
on campus, both traditional bike racks and all weather (covered)
storage facilities.
A student member of the Task Force is currently researching
campus bike loan programs on other college campuses. The
spring 2008 survey indicates that campus community members
live an average distance of 18 miles from campus. Although a
"bikable" distance for some, most located at such a distance may
prefer to drive to the campus periphery parking lots and then
bicycle around campus. A bike loan program could make this
possible.
On-line Learning
NKU has significantly increased the number of on-line class
offerings. On-line classes are particularly popular in the College
of Health Professions and the College of Informatics. The
following numbers show growth of more than 200% over the last
three academic years:
SCHOOL YEAR
'06-'07
'07-'08 '08-'09
# of on-line classes offered
373
553
748
# of on-line class enrollments
4,175
7,063
9,825
If students attend NKU on-line and rarely commute to campus,
there will be a reduction in the number of cars on campus, a
lowering of the need for additional parking structures, and a
reduction in the metric tons of CO2 equivalent produced by
student commuting.
Guided by It’s All About Talent!, it is expected that enrollment at
Northern Kentucky University will continue to grow over the next
10 years. To meet the needs of those additional students, there
will be additional faculty, staff and buildings. Reducing the metric
tons of CO2 equivalent produced by campus commuters will be
challenging at best. To meet the challenge, NKU will:
• Encourage TANK to expand their service routes to better serve
areas where NKU’s commuting students, faculty and staff live.
Advocate for additional park and ride facilities.
• Improve and promote the carpool program.
• Support preferential parking locations on campus for hybrid
and/or electric vehicles.
• Support the build-out of the campus master plan with its
clearly defined pedestrian and bike paths. Advocate for
additional bike racks, both open air and covered.
• Expand NKU’s on-line course offerings.
2. Purchased Electricity
After student, faculty and staff Commuting, Purchased
Electricity is the next largest contributor to Northern Kentucky
University’s carbon footprint. At 35%, it represented over 1/3 of
NKU’s total metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
Personal Responsibility
With the understanding the best way to reduce a university’s
CO2 emissions due to electricity use is to use less electricity, the
Task Force has issued a series of "Green Tips." The tips are
one-page press releases that advise members of the campus
community about their unconscious energy use, both on-campus
and at home. Brief, informative and, where possible, humorous,
the Green Tips have addressed the energy implications (KWHs
and dollars) and other detrimental effects of the use of space
heaters, handicapped door buttons and elevators, for example.
The tips are posted on the NKU home page (www.nku.edu), on
the NKU Green website (http://green.nku.edu), on the NKU Green
Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nkugreen) and in various
other campus media outlets.
The suggested behavior modifications included in each Green Tip
are straightforward and simple. Where possible, the tips support
and are coordinated with campus-wide sustainability campaigns.
During the first year, "Green Tips" were issued irregularly but
were very well received. In the coming year, they will be issued
once a month and will continue to be tied to campus activities
and campaigns.
University Responsibility
Both to be more sustainable and to meet its budgetary
challenges, NKU has also been looking at unconscious energy use
throughout the university. Each semester, operational personnel
review a detailed schedule for each instructional space on
campus. Heating and cooling of those spaces is tailored to the
scheduled usage. As a result, NKU saves energy by not heating
and cooling spaces when they are not used, including evenings
and weekends. Efforts are made to schedule weekend events in
buildings that are already scheduled for use.
19
Aware that better coordination could result in greater savings,
the university looked at operational options for times when
classes are not in session, such as holiday breaks. Beginning
with Thanksgiving 2008, NKU closed several parking garages and
parking lots during fall and winter campus breaks. The energy
savings resulting from not lighting those facilities was
significant. Heating, cooling and lighting in unused university
buildings was also reduced during similar times.
THE SAVINGS WERE AS FOLLOWS:
Thanksgiving 2008
$ 7,000
Winter Break 2008
$18,260
Spring Break 2009
$10,330
Winter Break 2009
$26,000
Should people need to work during those times, a call to the 24/7
operations center at the power plant will result in adjustment of
the temperature; however, such use is discouraged.
Computer labs at NKU consume a considerable amount of
electrical energy. The Facilities Management Division is working
with the IT Department to operate data centers more efficiently
and to shut down equipment in computer labs when the rooms
are not in use. All new computers at NKU are ENERGY STAR
rated.
Advances in Technology
The ESPC had a positive impact on NKU’s electricity usage and
an even greater impact on its water usage. Since the completion
of the modifications, many technical advances in the area of
electricity conservation have occurred; these advances, if
implemented, have the potential to further reduce NKU’s energy
consumption.
LED lights is one area that has experienced rapid advances. In
November and December of 2009, NKU completed a test
installation with LED fixtures and tube lamps in one corridor of
an academic building. To gauge reaction to the new lights, the
Task Force prepared and ran an on-site informative PowerPoint
presentation about LED lights and offered a blog where
community members could share their opinions. The reaction
was very positive. Most people reported no significant change in
20 Action plan
the light quality and the vast majority appreciated the energy
savings the LED technology offered.
With this positive response, the Facilities Management Division
has committed to staying abreast of developments in LED tube
lights. Once they are UL rated, their drivers’ reliability is
demonstrated and the price of both fixtures and lamps becomes
affordable, NKU will consider a campus-wide retrofit of its
corridor and classroom lights. Pricing is critical, as Kentucky law
requires a maximum 12 year payback period for such retrofit
programs.
LED lighting is just one example of advances in the area of
electricity technology. NKU is committed to staying up-to-date
on various technologies that will reduce its energy consumption
and lessen its carbon footprint. The Energy Savings subcommittee of the Task Force’s Renewable Energy Sources
committee has taken on this responsibility. This sub-committee
and the Task Force maintain close ties with a local engineering
firm for advice on technology advances.
Renewable Energy Sources Off-site
As stated above in the Tangible Actions to be Addressed section,
in accordance with KRS 278.016, NKU is restricted to Duke
Energy as its single provider of electricity. Duke Energy currently
offers NKU a reasonable electric rate of seven cents per kilowatt
hour. Duke Energy’s website states, "we are optimistic that
renewable sources of energy will assume an increasing
percentage of the energy supply portfolio".
Duke offers electricity produced via renewable sources to its
customers in Ohio, Indiana and the Carolinas, but not yet in
Kentucky. Recent Duke investments include wind power in Texas,
Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Indiana, a new wind project in
Colorado, solar energy from SunEdison in North Carolina and a
biopower with a landfill gas project in North Carolina. Duke
Energy has always used water power, having begun its
operations as a hydroelectric company on the Catawba River in
North Carolina. None of the electricity from these renewable
sources is directly available to NKU.
In conversations with Duke Energy, the company indicated that
they have presented a "green power" option to Kentucky
regulatory agencies for approval. To date, information about the
"green power" option or the agencies’ response to Duke’s
presentation has not been released.
To encourage Duke Energy to pursue approval of a "green power"
option for Kentucky, NKU is reaching out to other college and
universities in the tri-state area including:
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
• Thomas More College
• University of Cincinnati
• Xavier University
proven to be energy efficient. As of June 2009, NKU amended the
procurement policy to require the purchase of ENERGY STAR
qualified products whenever available; when the quality and
function of the ENERGY STAR qualified product is equal or
superior to that of non-ENERGY STAR qualified products; and,
the additional upfront cost of the ENERGY STAR qualified product
is less than its resulting life cycle energy savings.
Of these institutions, three have signed the American College
and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The goal is to
establish a working group of postsecondary institutions
interested in purchasing electricity from locally produced
renewable energy resources. One of the institutions is in
Kentucky; the others are in Ohio where "green power" is offered.
The ENERGY STAR rating was first applied only to appliances.
The rating can now be found on office and other equipment
including a fleet of new copiers installed around campus. The
ENERGY STAR committee of the Task Force is working to
encourage the various university departments to consider
ENERGY STAR appliances or equipment whether they purchase
through the Procurement Services Department or not.
Renewable Energy Sources On-Site
As it is not certain that Duke Energy will offer the "green power"
option in Kentucky, the Task Force has established a Renewable
Energy Sources committee to stay abreast of developments in
the area of on-site electricity generation. In 2003 and 2004, NKU
explored the option of producing a portion of its own electricity
on-site via wind or solar. Duke Energy and others assisted with
this effort and found that the supplies of wind and solar to be
insufficient and the equipment to support them to be too
expensive to make either option viable.
Offsets
Decision-makers at NKU are strongly disinclined to purchase
energy offsets either to meet the Tangible Action ("Within one
year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at
least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption from
renewable resources.") or to take the campus to a climate neutral
status. All other means, methods, options and technologies will
be explored first. If offsets were offered to support renewable
energy sources in the Northern Kentucky region, this position
would be reconsidered.
Over the past six years, renewable energy sources have grown to
include other methods such as biomass, bio-diesel and geothermal. The technologies have advanced and the cost of
equipment has started to drop. The Renewable Energy Sources
committee is tracking these advances and will recommend
serious consideration when appropriate for NKU.
NKU will continue to track its electricity usage on a monthly and
annual basis. Both the usage and the peak load are predicted to
grow as new buildings come on-line to support the projected
growth of the campus. As the peak load increases, so too will
NKU’s rate per kilowatt hour.
Within the year, NKU will purchase and take possession of a
former civic building near campus. Designed in 1977, this concrete
building has systems that are at the end of their useful life.
When funding is received and this renovation project moves
forward, NKU plans to consider the installation of a geo-thermal
HVAC system. Assuming this pilot geo-thermal program is
successful, geo-thermal may be considered for future NKU
building projects.
ENERGY STAR
NKU has adopted an ENERGY STAR appliance purchasing policy.
Appliances and equipment with the ENERGY STAR rating are
In addition to working toward climate neutrality, it is in NKU’s
financial best interest to keep the peak load and the resulting
rate per kilowatt hour as low as possible. To do so, NKU will:
• Continue and expand its Green Tips program which
emphasizes personal responsibility for energy consumption.
• Continue efforts to operate HVAC systems as efficiently as
possible and reduce energy used when buildings and other
campus facilities are unoccupied.
• Work with the NKU IT department to find effective ways of
saving energy in data centers and computer labs.
21
• Track advances in electricity technology (such as LED lights)
for possible use on campus.
• With other universities, strongly advocate Duke Energy to
provide electricity from locally renewable energy sources.
• Track advances in and advocate for the development of on-site
renewable energy sources when and where feasible.
• Encourage the purchase of ENERGY STAR equipment and
appliances by all departments of the university.
• As a last and final option, purchase offsets for locally
renewable energy sources.
3. Oil, Natural Gas, Propane
Oil, gas and propane contribute only 10% -11% to NKU’s carbon
footprint but it is the third largest category. While these fuels
power portions of the HVAC system, they are primarily used for
back-up equipment and generators.
The #2 distillate oil is a large portion of this category. It is the
back-up fuel source for the central boilers serving most academic
buildings as well as two residence halls. In addition,
approximately 75% of campus emergency generators use oil as
their primary fuel source. As buildings are renovated or
generators require replacement or major overhaul, they are being
replaced with or converted to natural gas or propane fired units.
Natural gas produces the steam heat that is distributed by the
central power plant to the majority of the campus. It also powers
the emergency generators in the Fine Arts Center and the New
Science buildings as well as all generators in the residence halls
not powered by #2 oil and propane. Natural gas is also used in all
on-campus kitchens and the Art department’s kilns.
Of the three fuels, propane is used the least. It is the back-up
energy source for University Suites, a residence hall. The
emergency generator for the campus department of Public
Safety uses propane as does the greenhouse heating system.
Recently, the Grounds Maintenance Department purchased three
mowers that run on propane, a gas with emissions that are
22 Action plan
easier on the environment. Assuming that propane continues to
prove successful, Grounds may fully convert to propane, as the
need for new or replacement mowers arise.
In many cases, there is no accurate way of measuring the use of
these fuels. They mostly sit in tanks and are available for
emergency use. In order to better and more accurately
understand the carbon footprint of this category, NKU will:
• Work internally to improve the measurement of these fuels.
• Continue conversion to natural gas or propane fired
emergency generators.
• Support any responsible reduction in the use of distillate oil,
natural gas and propane on campus.
4. University-Sponsored Air Travel
2007: - 5% of NKU's CO2 footprint
University-sponsored air travel is critical to faculty, staff and
students as well as to the university as a whole. It makes special
learning situations possible whether through living in ecosystems and cultures different from one’s own, having
experiences unique to another locale or interacting with valued
colleagues at other institutions. It is highly unlikely that NKU
would ever discontinue all university-sponsored travel.
However, current financial constraints have caused the university
to consider alternatives to travel for many conferences and
meetings. Many institutions and organizations are meeting the
challenge of our current economy by holding conferences and
attending meetings on the internet. Meeting and conference
participants can log into and participate in conferences from
their desks. This option reduces many of the expenses
associated with conferences, including the meals, hotels and
travel. While this approach does not work well in all cases, it is
certainly something that might be considered as an alternative
to physical attendance where appropriate.
With the recent introduction of the SAP system at NKU, the Air
Travel committee of the Task Force will also work with the Office
of the Comptroller to determine if SAP can track university-
sponsored air travel more efficiently and in more detail. If this is
possible, it will be recommended that each department be
informed of its carbon footprint and associated environmental
impact of its air travel.
consumption would also reduce the transmission and
distribution losses. Both the personal and university
responsibility programs reduce the amount of electricity
purchased and, as a result, the T & D losses.
The University will encourage and support reductions in the area
of university-sponsored air travel by:
The Task Force will encourage and support reductions in the area
of transmission and distribution losses by many of the means
described above in the area of Purchased Electricity.
• Encouraging IT to provide the necessary equipment so
students, faculty and staff can to participate via the internet in
meetings and conferences. In some cases, a special room may
be required and in others, special equipment that can be
checked out from the IT department and installed at individual
workstations on a temporary basis may be necessary.
• Prepare a white paper recommending attendance at meetings
and conferences via the internet. This would reduce costs and
lessen the carbon footprint.
• Work with the Office of the Comptroller to modify the SAP
program to capture information about university-sponsored
travel in an efficient, complete and confidential way.
• Distribute to the various academic and staff departments the
effect of their air travel on the university’s carbon footprint.
• Research the travel offset options available for purchase should
departments wish to purchase offsets from proven programs.
5. Transmission & Distribution (T & D) Losses
Transmission and Distribution losses are unavoidable for those
organizations that receive electrical power over high voltage lines.
As this power is transmitted and distributed, it loses a fraction of
its strength via resistance. These losses are essentially the
difference between the strength of the power as it leaves its
generating source and its strength when it arrives at the user. In
the mid-1990s in the USA, this loss was thought to be 7.2%. The
Clean Energy Cool Planet Calculator factors it at 2.5%.
6. Solid Waste, Fleet
Recycling
NKU has an extensive recycling program. In 2004, ECOS
(Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students), a NKU
student organization, began to actively lobby for an expansion of
the recycling program. As a result, the university expanded its
program from paper and cardboard, scrap metals and various
other items to include plastic, aluminum and glass containers.
Recycling centers are now located at most elevators, copiers and
in individual offices.
NKU now recycles a wide variety of materials, including highgrade paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, plastic
bottles, glass bottles, light bulbs, magazines, newspapers, books
and assorted office paper. Some of the unusual items that NKU
recycles include tires and oil from campus vehicles, plant
materials for compost, wood pallets, telephone books, computer
equipment, printer cartridges, carpet, cell phones and plates from
the print shop. In 2008, NKU recycled and diverted from the
landfill over 150 tons of materials.
While encouraging the campus community to recycle, NKU also
encourages community members to minimize waste. Most
dining areas are "trayless," which reduces dishwashing and food
waste. Food Services on campus does not automatically
dispense bags, napkins or utensils for "to go" food; patrons must
ask for or pick up these items, thereby reducing waste. Food
Services also sells reusable "to-go" food and drink containers in a
variety of sizes. Discounts are offered to those who opt for these
reusable containers.
As these losses are unavoidable, NKU has no program in place to
specifically reduce them. Its programs to reduce overall energy
23
Between January 17 and March 27, 2010, NKU will participate in
RecycleMania for the third time. NKU is registered in the Waste
Minimization category. The upcoming campaign will target waste
in the form of unused office supplies, paper drink cups, plastic
water bottles and all kinds of paper. Each of the ten weeks of the
campaign will have a different focus or theme. Special events will
occur on Recycle Thursdays.
Campus Vehicles
NKU has 107 vehicles in its campus fleet; at one time, the
number was larger but Facilities Management elected to divest
itself of twelve passenger vehicles that were used for faculty and
staff trips. Most of the current fleet supports the maintenance
and security activities on the 408 acre campus. The vehicles are
assigned as follows:
Administration
7
Athletics and Campus Recreation
6
Department of Public Safety, EMS
7
Miscellaneous
12
Facilities Management
75
The majority of these vehicles are fueled by gasoline or diesel.
During the fiscal year 2008-2009, NKU used the following:
Gasoline
Diesel
Campus Police officers do not always use cars on campus.
Weather permitting, two officers work the 6 am to 6 pm shifts on
bicycles. The Chief estimates that the officers spend 60% of their
patrol time on bicycles.
Campus Police is also slated to use one of Campus Parking
Services’ Segways next summer, reducing use of a gasolinepowered vehicle. Parking Services currently has two batterypowered Segways and one gasoline-powered vehicle to enforce
NKU parking rules and regulations.
Facilities Management currently has three GEM vehicles, small
electric vehicles made by Chrysler. The staff uses these
whenever possible as they are quiet, small and can reach
locations that large trucks cannot access. Although the small
size of the electric vehicles is sometimes beneficial, it is also a
disadvantage. The vehicles hold only two passengers and a
limited amount of equipment. For larger jobs requiring more
personnel and equipment, larger less efficient vehicles are used.
The Facilities Management Division’s Roads and Grounds
Department is currently researching the use of bio-diesel in
some of the campus vehicles. If the concerns about increased
maintenance costs and vehicle downtime can be satisfactorily
addressed, bio-diesel may be tested in the future.
26,884 gallons
9,604 gallons
When NKU replaces a vehicle or adds a new one to its fleet,
serious consideration is given to vehicles that are more "green."
As these "green" vehicles replace those that are fueled by
gasoline, the gallons listed above and the resulting metric tons of
CO2 equivalent should go down.
University Police (Campus Security) recently added a hybrid
vehicle, a Ford Escape, to its six-car fleet. It is powered by
batteries until it reaches 25 to 30 mph when the gasolinepowered engine kicks in. The Crown Victorias in the fleet get
approximately 12 miles per gallon. The new hybrid gets 30 miles
24 Action plan
per gallon - 2.5 times that of the Crown Victorias. Despite the
higher initial cost for the hybrid, $8,000 more than the cost of a
new Crown Victoria, University Police is considering the purchase
of a second hybrid car in 2010.
The university has nine large riding mowers in its fleet. Three
new mowers using propane were purchased in 2009; two are
powered by diesel; and, the remaining four are gasoline fueled.
Four gasoline-powered push mowers are also used.
The propane mowers - 2 at 72 - and 1 at 60 - each use
approximately 30 lbs of propane for 7.5 hours of mowing. So far,
these mowers have performed well. The propane is less
expensive and the emissions are considerably less. Assuming the
propane mowers continue to operate well with lower costs and
emissions, consideration will be given to propane mowers as
others are replaced.
NKU will continue to track its use of gasoline and diesel fuels.
Electric and hybrid vehicles will be used when possible. The
University has committed to encourage and support reductions
in the area of solid waste and the fleet by:
• Support the choice of "green" cleaning products by Building
Services.
• Actively encouraging recycling throughout the campus. Where
possible, expand the program.
B. Setting the Goal
• Actively support all future RecycleMania efforts.
NKU has many goals for its campus-wide sustainability program.
The university’s primary mission is the education of its students.
Service to them and the Northern Kentucky region leads the list
of sustainability goals, which are as follows:
• Stay abreast of the earth-friendly vehicles available in the
marketplace - their advantages/disadvantages and their
costs. Work with Purchasing to advise departments
considering the purchase of new university vehicles.
• To educate NKU’s students to be informed and contributing
members of their communities and successful in their own
lives. An understanding of sustainability and the impact one
has on one’s world contributes to this goal.
• Support research into bio-diesel for retrofit use in existing
vehicles.
• To design the NKU campus - both new buildings and the
renovation of existing buildings - to save energy and, in turn,
reduce the carbon footprint.
• Publicize all positive recycling efforts and campaigns.
• Publicize the use of current and future "greener" vehicles on
campus.
7. Refrigerants, Chemicals
• To create a green campus culture where all campus
community members - students, faculty and staff contribute and participate.
2007: less than1% of NKU's carbon footprint
2008: less than1% of NKU's carbon footprint
As a signatory to the American College and University
Presidents Climate Commitment, NKU also takes
climate neutrality as a goal as follows:
The 2007 and 2008 numbers in this area are quite small
compared with the other six areas. The percentage may grow in
the future with the addition of new buildings with food service
and the growth in the landscaped areas of the campus. Within
the last year, Custodial Services has switched to "green" cleaning
products. As of January 2010, 85% to 90% of their cleaning
products meet the Green Seal standard and the US EPA Design
for the Environment Label.
NKU will encourage and support reductions in the area
of refrigerants and chemicals in the following ways:
• Advocate for alternatives to CFC or HCFC refrigerants in new
building and renovation projects.
• Advocate for alternatives to toxic herbicides and other
horticultural chemicals.
• To reduce the negative impact of the NKU campus on the
environment. To create a campus that achieves climate
neutrality in a fiscally responsible manner.
These goals are all challenging, but achieving climate neutrality
will be the most difficult. Achieving it will require total
commitment and acceptance of personal responsibility by the
entire campus community, from the newest freshman to the
university president. Community members will need to question
longstanding behaviors and open themselves to new and
different choices for transportation and other energy uses.
NKU’s projected growth, as defined in the university’s business
plan, It’s All About Talent! and supported by the March 2009
campus master plan, is the primary challenge. Cutting campus
emissions in the face of exponential growth of the campus
population, land area and number of buildings and facilities will
require creative and careful solutions.
25
NKU is further challenged in that it continues to receive
electricity generated only from "clean coal". Additionally, the
university has been unable to develop a viable plan for on-site
renewable energy production.
NKU’s budget has been frozen for the last two years and will
continue to be so for the foreseeable future. There are no funds
available to experiment with unproven technologies. For the next
few years, any green technologies selected for implementation
will need to be proven effective, inexpensive and yield short term,
if not immediate, returns.
With an annual carbon footprint of over 70,000 metric tons of
CO2 equivalent and a mandate to keep growing in spite of the
economic climate, NKU will continue to be challenged to achieve
climate neutrality. To do so will require the university to seriously
examine and rethink the way it operates. Basics, such as the way
people travel to and from campus and the way that the
university receives, generates and uses electricity, will continue
to be questioned. The challenge is huge and will require extensive
research and funds. NKU, therefore, sets its goal to achieve
climate neutrality at a distance, 2050.
C. Implementation Milestones
As major or expensive changes cannot be undertaken during
these economic times, the Task Force, its committees and the
departments of the Facilities Management Division will continue
to research all possible options for reducing the university’s
carbon footprint. As Commuting and Purchased Electricity
comprise over two thirds of the total amount, research into
reductions in these two critical areas should be given the highest
priority.
As an ACUPCC signatory, NKU is required to submit a greenhouse
gas inventory every two years. These frequent inventories will
make clear the successes or failures of any programs
implemented and will help the university chart a path and its
progress toward climate neutrality.
To help campus community members comprehend their personal
contribution and the impact of university growth on the over
70,000 metric tons, NKU will break down the total in two
additional ways, as follows:
• Metric pounds of CO2 equivalent per campus community
member (GHG Inventory total/campus population). This will
26 Action plan
help demonstrate the importance of personal responsibility.
• Metric pounds of CO2 equivalent per gross square foot of
campus buildings (GHG Inventory total/Total GSF). This will
help demonstrate the impact of university growth on the
progress towards climate neutrality.
D. Support Structure
Currently, the NKU sustainability program depends on the good
work of the volunteer student, faculty and staff members of the
Task Force as well as members of the Facilities Management
Division. Currently there is no specific budget for sustainability
on the campus. The funding for those activities associated with
the university’s sustainability effort is provided from existing
Facilities Management accounts.
When the NKU budget permits, it is hoped that a full-time
sustainability coordinator can be hired so that full-time attention
can be focused on the sustainability program. It is recommended
that this position be given an adequate budget so sustainability
programming and expenditures can be planned in advance.
5. LEADERSHIP
A. Board of Regents
B. Action Plan Committee
Nancy A. Barone, Chair Terry L. Mann, Vice Chair
Denise H. McClelland, Secretary Eric M. Brose
Charles H. Brown
Martin C. Butler
Joyce E. Griffin
Charles E. Hawkins K. Keith Kaseke
Dennis Repenning
Brenda L. Wilson
Larry Blake
Jane Goode
John Metz
Mary Paula Schuh
C. Climate Commitment Task Force
Jeff Baker
Larry Blake, chair
Lisa Bunkley-Boyd
Jeff Chesnut
Chris Cole
Sean Foley
Jane Goode, co-chair
Maggie Gough
Matt Hackett
Coleen Hamilton
Destiny Harper
Megan Johnson
Chris Kaeff
Jennifer Lantz Andy Meeks
John Metz
Bill Moulton
Jim Nilson
Jeff Noel
Rosemarie Santos
Mary Paula Schuh
Glenn Scott
Emily Spinks
Jeff Strunk
Peter Trentacoste
Gretchen Vaughn
Becky Weatherford
Jim Wilkinson
27
This publication was prepared by Northern Kentucky University and printed with state funds (KRS 57.375). Northern Kentucky University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or veteran status in training activities or employment. Educational programs or activities are set forth in
accordance with Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA and Section 504. For more information, please contact the Office of Associate Provost for Student Success, Lucas Administrative Center
502, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099, (859) 572-6388, which has been designated to coordinate the school's efforts to comply with the aforementioned regulations. MC00894

Northern Kentucky University Action Plan

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