AB0401 S3 G6_E-learning_ CO2 Australia
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The document discusses options for NTU to achieve its carbon-neutral goal, including creating online courses, planting trees, and purchasing carbon offset credits. E-learning would reduce the need for in-person classes but may increase energy use. Planting trees provides long-term offsetting but requires significant land and time. Carbon offsets allow immediate reductions but have verification and incentive issues. Alternative options discussed are developing an eco-culture through education and affordances, and building sustainable infrastructure like green architecture and transportation. The document ultimately questions whether the university should focus internally or help develop carbon-reduction technologies to benefit Singapore and beyond.
![Calculating Carbon footprint
The total CO2 emission of the university should be calculated by multiplying
emission factors and activity data for all the (sub)categories; taking the sum
of these multiplications gives the total CO2 emission of the university.
Total CO2 emission = Each activity data
(kg/km/litres/etc) *Emission factor (CO2 per unit)
[and sum up all different categories]
The degree of uncertainty of the calculations can be assessed by doing a
sensitivity analysis.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ab0401s3g6e-learningco2australia-131025050524-phpapp02/85/AB0401-S3-G6_E-learning_-CO2-Australia-5-320.jpg)
AB0401 S3 G6_E-learning_ CO2 Australia
- 1. Changing our World: do we plant trees or create online courses? ...and are these our most viable choices to achieve our carbon-neutral goal?
- 2. Overview Current CO2 Emissions @ NTU Stakeholder Analysis Analysing the Options o E-Learning Lessons o Planting Trees o Purchasing Carbon Offset Credits Alternative Suggestions Executive Summary
- 3. Carbon Footprint - a measure of the exclusive total amount of carbon dioxide emissions that is directly and indirectly caused by an activity - Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important in the agenda of organizations - In order to reduce their CO2 emissions, it is important to measure the carbon footprint.
- 4. Calculating Carbon Footprint Emission categories that is mandatory to include in CO2 calculation Electricity Heat Employee commuting Paper Emission categories that Universities might consider Student commuting Waste Water Electricity On-campus stationary sources Direct transportation
- 5. Calculating Carbon footprint The total CO2 emission of the university should be calculated by multiplying emission factors and activity data for all the (sub)categories; taking the sum of these multiplications gives the total CO2 emission of the university. Total CO2 emission = Each activity data (kg/km/litres/etc) *Emission factor (CO2 per unit) [and sum up all different categories] The degree of uncertainty of the calculations can be assessed by doing a sensitivity analysis.
- 6. Current CO2 Emissions @ NTU (Estimated) Emission Source Estimated Carbon dioxide emission (kg) 231,560 - Other on-campus stationary 6,612 Carbon dioxide emission per student (kg) 2,385 Carbon dioxide emission per staff (kg) - Direct transportation (Campus transport) 23,484 No. of staff Sope 1 No. of students 2,706 5,720 Scope 2 - Purchased electricity 68,731,344 - Purchased steam 75,085 - Purchased water 550,440 Scope 3 - Staff Commuting 2,551,167 - Student Commuting 1,541,346 - Waste disposal 98,081 - Paper consumption 140,989
- 7. Current CO2 Emissions @ NTU (Explanatory Notes) Scope 1 -Direct transportation sources are the vehicles owned by NTU, this includes the shuttle bus services. -On-campus stationary sources (natural gas) are life cycle emission factors. These emission factors cover the life-cycle of a fuel, from extraction to combustion. These on-campus stationary sources are produced from the research laboratory in NTU. Scope 2 -Libraries, seminar rooms, lecture halls and laboratories are all air-conditioned in NTU. Therefore, there is a huge emission for the purchased electricity. Scope 3 -Student commuting and staff commuting are the main sources of scope 3 emissions. The main reason why the student commuting is significantly lower as NTU has on-campus accommodation for them. Staff commuting is relatively high as most staffs drive to NTU. -Paper consumption in NTU is high as it is still a convention for students to use notes printed out on paper to take down notes during classes.
- 8. Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholders Interests Students -Effectiveness of learning -Conducive environment -Cost of the education fee Staffs (Professors, Admin staff, cleaners) -Safe and healthy working environment -Their salary -Welfare Government -Sustainable environment, reputation of Singapore as a clean and green city Non-governmental organization (NGOs) -Sustainable environment, low carbon emission Media -Letting public know the environmental schemes of organisations NTU -Reputation of the university -Good learning environment for the students to attract more students to join NTU -Additional cost to be invested -Desiring an environmentally sustainable campus
- 9. Analysing the Options E-Learning Approach Planting Trees Purchase Carbon Offset Credits
- 10. E-Learning Approach - Carbon Footprints If we engage E-Learning If we resume normal 3h lessons* Use of computer to e-learn Travel: Assume 20% stay in hall/walk, 70% travel (Public Transport), 10% (Private Transport) 35*0.143 = 5.005 kg CO2/hr Assume 20% use air con, 80% fan 7*13 = 91 kg CO2/hr 28*0.0542 = 1.5176 kg CO2/hr Assume 10% study in the day with natural lighting, 90% use lighting 31*0.039 = 1.209 kg CO2/hr Total CO2 emissions per hour: 98.73 kg CO2/hr 2*25*0.32 = 16 kg CO2/2-way trip 2*4*1.87 = 14.96 kg CO2/2-way trip Assume 10 sets of lights 3*10*0.039 = 1.17 kg CO2 Assume 1 Computer, 2 Projectors, 4 Screens 3*0.143 = 0.429 kg CO2 3*2*0.3 = 1.8 kg CO2 3*4*0.735 = 8.82 kg CO2 Assuming E-Learning takes 3hrs, total CO2 emissions: Assume 4 sets of central air-conditioning 296.1948 CO2 Assume 35 sets of notes (10 pages) printed 3*4*3.25 = 39 kg CO2 35*0.2 = 7 kg CO2 *Assume 35 students per class Total CO2 emissions per class: 89.179 kg CO2
- 11. E-Learning Approach Pros Reduce the need for face to face meetups with the professor at the classrooms. Classrooms can be vacant to reduce energy consumption. Students need not print notes and can access online platforms to complete lessons Cons Effectiveness of online lessons are questionable Hard to track students progress if major bulk of the lessons are placed online. Assumed energy consumption is actually higher than in-class lessons.
- 12. Planting Trees Pros Constant carbon offset throughout the year Zero effort once tree is grown Visually pleasing Cons Need to set aside large land area Hard to calculate carbon offset amount Additional costs to implant grown trees Takes 5-10 years to grow trees and gain the benefits of carbon offset
- 13. Planting Trees Considerations: o Amount & type of tree to plant o Amount of land area o Amount of available land space in NTU o Future use of land for expansion purposes
- 14. Purchasing Carbon Offset Credits What is the Purchasing of Carbon Offset Credits? It is a credit for greenhouse gas reduction achieved by one party that can be purchased and used to compensate (offset) the emissions of another party. Carbon offset credit is required when when we are unable to reduce our CO2 emission in the way we planned. - A way of compensation - Carbon offsetting credit can be used if we want our net CO2 emission to be zero Goal set in NTU (about an emission reduction over a certain period) Call for collaboration Demonstrating innovative solutions at the Nanyang Eco campus - The Nanyang Eco Campus Initiative has a vision to be the greenest eco-campus in the world, the goal is to develop a framework to achieve 50% reduction in energy, carbon, water and waste intensity.
- 15. Purchasing Carbon Offset Credits Pros Cons - Immediate solution to meet carbon emission target, assuming a cap exists - Incur additional costs to purchase credits - Fastest way to achieve reductions of CO2 - Balance out carbon impact as a whole i.e producing CO2 with the credit purchased = an equivalent amount of CO2 is reduced somewhere else on the planet. - Difficult to verify the actual reduction in CO2 in NTU - Reduce incentive to lower the actual amount of carbon emission, that is in conflict with the schools aims of a sustainable environment. - Could result in concentration of carbon emission in a certain area
- 16. Alternative Suggestions Developing an Eco-Culture in NTU Building Environmentally Sustainable Infrastructure o Sustainable Architecture o Sustainable Transport
- 17. Developing an Eco-Culture in NTU 1. Knowledge: Courses and Seminars can be offered to raise awareness of the environment. Not only address the consequences but also the specific ways in which students and staff can help in saving the environment. Posters stating Eco-Facts can also be placed around the campus. 2. Affordance: Affordance is what is allowed or enabled by the physical or social environment that an individual is in. NTU can place more recycling bins at almost every rubbish bins around. This encourages the students and staff to practice recycling whenever they throw something. Recycling bins can also be placed at canteens and allow the students themselves to practice segregating wastes.
- 18. Developing an Eco-Culture in NTU 3. Social Norm Once the population practices the environmentally friendly actions, this can become a social norm in the school. When everyone around is doing the same thing, you would be influenced to carry out the task as well. 4. Attitude The eco-friendly attitude comes from the individual and most people are pro environmental. Many a times it is the lack of chance to practice what they know, or sometimes they just lack the knowledge of specific actions that they can do to reduce the environmental impacts.
- 19. Developing an Eco-Culture in NTU 5. Responsibility Changing the mindset of individuals is not achievable overnight. Individuals often think its the schools responsibility to practice recycling. To overcome this, each staff and student in NTU can be a part of achieving the universitys carbon-neutral goal by being assigned a certain amount of carbon footprint to reduce/offset each year. They can earn badges based on gamification to induce interest and fun.
- 20. Building Environmentally Sustainable Infrastructure NTU has been spearheading other green initiatives to reduce or offset its carbon footprint: o Sustainable Architecture o Sustainable Transport
- 21. Sustainable Architecture Green architecture makes use of following concepts:1) Maximises natural forces (lighting and wind) to minimise reliance on artificial means 2) Incorporates greenery to offset carbon footprint 3) Visually pleasing *An example of utilising natural air for a house
- 27. But wait Does the problem of carbon emissions even lie with the university in the first place? Should the university spend more to produce carbonreduction technology that would more beneficial for the nation or even the world?
- 29. What are the Governments objectives for Singapore? What areas can the university help in meeting these goals?
- 32. Executive Summary According to a WWF study, Singapore is currently the worlds third highest in terms of carbon emissions per captia. Sustainability is a growing concern and in order to achieve the universitys carbon neutral target, this presentation sets out to consider the options in which this can be attained. Identification the key stakeholders was done to determine who are the key players to support this initiative, and students were found to be the greatest influence on carbon emissions. Conducting E-Learning or planting trees were considered to reduce the universitys carbon emissions, but after research, results show that more must be done. Alternative suggestions have been raised, considering the university as a single entity. However, this presentation challenges the concept that the university be viewed as such, and proposes that it be viewed as a stakeholder in a national or even global initiative to achieve sustainability.