FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
In keeping with its commitments as a signatory to the American College and University Presidents’
Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Fayetteville State University (FSU) established a baseline greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions inventory based on energy and resource usage in FY2009.
FSU’s initial GHG emission inventory in FY2009 was developed following the international consensus
GHG accounting protocols developed by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for
Sustainable Development in conjunction with the Clean Air – Cool Planet (CA-CP) Campus Carbon
Calculator (v6.6).
Both programs are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines for
national-level inventories, and represent state-of-the-art scientific methods for calculating GHG
emissions. Emissions were considered from the six categories of GHGs included in the Kyoto Protocol:
 Carbon dioxide (CO2)
 Methane (CH4)
 Nitrous oxide (N2O)
 Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
 Perfluorocarbons (PFCs).
Development of the GHG baseline inventory was based on the organizational boundary of the University
and includes emissions sources that are under its operational control. Specifically, FSU reports GHG
emissions from sources that are metered or measured by the campus and for which future emission
reductions actions can be implemented.
The primary purpose of the baseline inventory was to establish a benchmark against which future
progress towards carbon neutrality can be measured, and to help establish priorities with regards to the
primary emission sources responsible for the majority of FSU’s emissions. FSU has updated its GHG
emission inventory for FY2011 and FY2013. Emissions for FY2011 were updated with FSU’s institutionwide energy and resource usage for FY2011 utilizing the CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator (v6.7).
Emissions for FY2013 have been updated with FSU’s institution wide energy and resource usage for
FY2013. The emissions have been developed utilizing the most recent version of the CA-CP Campus
Carbon Calculator (v6.9).
The CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator is the primary tool used by institutions participating in the
ACUPCC. As versions of this model are updated, the emission factors used in the model are updated with
more recent and representative data to further refine carbon dioxide emissions.
Of particular note is the emission factor for CO₂E for solid waste going to landfills which utilize methane
for energy generation. The CA-CP (v6.9) actually has changed the factor from one of generating CO₂E to
offsetting carbon emissions.
The FY2011 and FY2013 emissions update reinforces FSU’s plan to conduct biennial updates, check
progress and implement adaptive changes, as necessary.
FSU’s GHG emission inventories are publicly available on its sustainability webpage
(http://www.uncfsu.edu/facilities-management/sustainability), as well as the ACUPCC reporting website
1 | Final: January 7, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
(http://rs.acupcc.org/search/?abs=&q=Fayetteville%20State%20University).
The table below summarizes the emissions from the baseline year (FY2009), first biennial emission report
(FY2011) and the most recent emissions summary from FY2013.
Scope
Scope 1 Emissions
(MTCO2e)
Scope 2 Emissions
(MTCO2e)
Scope 3 Emissions
(MTCO2e)
Scope 1- 3 Gross
Emissions (MTCO2e)
Scope 1- 3 Net
Emissions (MTCO2e)
2 | Final: January 7, 2014
Source
Stationary Sources
Mobile Sources
Fugitive and Process Sources
Agriculture Sources
Total Gross Scope 1 Emissions
FY2009
4,080
149
82
0.1
4,311
FY2011
4,115
145
42
5.7
4,308
FY2013
3,413
127
39
0.1
3,580
Purchased Electricity
Total Gross Scope 2 Emissions
Faculty/Staff Commuting
Student Commuting
Air Travel
Other Directly Financed Travel
Solid Waste
13,648
13,648
1,277
5,250
890
41
(24)
13,860
13,860
1,191
4,564
600
86
(18)
12,291
12,291
1,272
4,937
404
98
(19)
Scope 2 Transmission & Distribution
(T&D) Losses
1,350
1,371
1,216
8,784
26,743
1,434.2
5,382
7,793
25,961
1,530.3
5,116
7,907
23,778
1,691.5
5,149
18.6
17.0
14.1
5.0
0
0
26,743
5.1
0
0
25,961
4.6
0
0
23,778
18.6
17.0
14.1
5.0
5.1
4.6
Total Gross Scope 3 Emissions
Total Gross Emissions
Gross Square Footage (GSF) x1000
Full-Time Equivalent Students (FTE)
Total Gross Emission Intensity per 1000
GSF
Total Gross Emission Intensity per FTE
Purchased Offsets
Carbon Sequestration
Total Net Emissions
Total Net Emission Intensity per 1000
GSF
Total Net Emission Intensity per FTE
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
Five sources collectively account for approximately 90% of total emissions at FSU:




Purchased electricity, including transmission and distribution
Stationary sources of combustion (e.g., boiler, generators, and hot water heaters)
Student commuting
Faculty/staff commuting
Emission sources that collectively account for a small percentage of institution-wide emissions (<5%) can
be called de minimis, and approximated using detailed usage data compiled by FSU and emission factors
used in the CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator. Emission factors are referenced in the CA-CP calculator
and are developed based on publicly available sources. The following represents de minimis emission
estimates.






Mobile sources
Fugitive and process sources
Agriculture sources
Directly financed travel (other than air travel)
Air Travel
Solid waste*
As previously mentioned the emission factor for CO₂E for solid waste going to landfills which utilize
methane for energy generation has changed. The CA-CP (v6.7) calculator utilized EPA’s 2002 Solid
Waste Management and Greenhouse Gas, Life-Cycle Assessment of Emissions and Sinks to determine
the appropriate factor.
The CA-CP (v6.9) calculator utilizes EPA’s 2012 Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to establish CO₂E
emission factors from landfilling municipal solid waste (MSW). The model changed the CO₂E emission
factor from a carbon generator to a carbon offset based on additional analysis of typical landfill gas
collection practices, average landfill moisture conditions, transportation CO₂ emissions, carbon storage
and avoided utility GHG emissions.
3 | Final: January 7, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
FY2009 GHG Emissions (MTCO2E) - Breakdown by Source Type
The emissions in FY2009 are outlined in the chart above. Over half of the GHG emissions are scope 2
indirect emissions resulting from power purchased by FSU.
4 | Final: January 7, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
FY2011 GHG Emissions (MTCO2E) - Breakdown by Source Type
The emissions in FY2011 are slightly lower than the emissions during FY2009, even though
emissions resulting from purchased power increased slightly.
Of particular note is the decrease in emission intensity (MTCO2E per 1,000 GSF of building space)
from 18.6 in FY2009 to 17.0 in FY2011. This normalized emission intensity represents a 2-year
decrease of 2.9 %.
This trend indicates that increases in building space are typically not resulting in proportional increases in
GHG emissions, and that the campus will likely move towards becoming more efficient in terms of fuel
and electricity consumption as older buildings are replaced or improved and newer more efficient
buildings are added.
For reference, the average values for United States master’s colleges and universities for emissions per
1,000 GSF of building space are 16.4, and emissions per FTE student are 4.7, respectively. As such
FSU’s trends regarding emission intensity with respect to building space are trending toward the average
for their peer group.
Its emissions on a FTE student basis are on par with the national average (5.0 and 5.1 compared to 4.7
MTCO2E/FTE students).
5 | Final: January 7, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
FY2013 GHG Emissions (MTCO2E) - Breakdown by Source Type
In FY2013 FSU continues to show steady progress against both the base line year (FY2009) and
most recent emissions year, FY2011.
Of particular note is the decrease in emissions intensity (MTCO2E per 1,000 GSF of building space) from
17.0 in FY2011 to 14.1 in FY2013. This represents an 8.4 % reduction since the FY2011 report.
Based on this recent data, FSU’s emission intensity is now better than the national average of 16.4
MTCO2E per 1,000 GSF.
This trend indicates that the FSU campus is becoming more efficient in terms of fuel and electricity
consumption as older buildings are replaced or improved and newer more efficient buildings are added.
In other words, what FSU is currently doing with respect to energy reduction and efficiency
improvements are working!
In the other measure of emissions on a FTE student basis, FSU is now at 4.6 MTCO2E/FTE
students), which is better than the national average of 4.7.
Both key indicators represent tangible results of FSU’s commitment to the goals of the ACUPCC towards
the reduction of GHG emissions and proactive sustainability-focused leadership.
6 | Final: January 7, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY│FY2013 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY UPDATE
For future inventory updates, FSU will continue to evaluate trends in emissions (both absolute and
normalized emissions) with respect to the baseline year, to the business-as-usual forecast that is included
in its Climate Action Plan, and to its peer institutions.
The updates will be made publicly available on FSU’s sustainability webpage and the ACUPCC website
to celebrate successes, to identify opportunities for improvement, and to solicit feedback from
stakeholders.
7 | Final: January 7, 2014