2014 NSCC GHG Report_Updated

NORTH SEATTLE

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

GREENHOUSE GAS

EMISSION ANALYSIS

Climate Action Strategies

and Recommendations

Prepared by:

Brian Rucci

2014

North Seattle Community College Greenhouse Gas Emissions

1

“A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes”

Mark Twain (1835-1910)

This report has intentionally been distributed in electronic form to make distribution

easy and to save the trees for the forest! However, if you do need to print this

document, please use 100% post-consumer recycled paper.1 Did you know one

ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 7000

gallons of water, 4200 kWh (enough to heat a home for half a year), 390 gallons of

oil, and prevents 60 pounds of air pollutants.2


2

Acknowledgements and Thanks

This report was made possible thanks to the support and advice of many

individuals:

Christian Rusby, Capstone Site Supervisor, Sustainability Coordinator, North

Seattle Community College

Megan Horst, Capstone Faculty Supervisor, Ph.D. Candidate, Urban Design and

Planning, Instructor, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

Sean McDonald, Capstone Instructor, Research Scientist, School of Aquatic &

Fishery Sciences, University of Washington

Ian Siadak, Sustainability Coordinator, Seattle Community College

John Figge, Instructor, Geology and Environmental Science, North Seattle

Community College

Ben Silver, Sustainability Coordinator, University of Washington Bothell

Facilities Department, North Seattle Community College

Thank you to everyone else who contributed to the creation of this report!


3

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Washington State Mandates 5

GHG Emission Reporting Tools 6

Scope of GHG Emission Inventory 8

Methodology of GHG Emission Analysis 9

Seattle Community College District Sustainability 12

Seattle Community College District GHG Emissions 14

North Seattle Community College Sustainability 16

North Seattle Community College GHG Emissions 17

North Seattle Community College Employee Commuting 19

North Seattle Community College Student Commuting 20

Recommendations 22

References Cited 28


4

Document Road Map

Background and Context

•Current State of Sustainability

•GHG Emission Analysis

Seattle Community College District

•Current State of Sustainability

•GHG Emission Analysis

•Employee & Student Commuting

North Seattle Community College

•Actionable GHG Reduction Strategies

Recommendations

Introduction

Universities and colleges around the country are playing a key role in the fight against

climate change and global warming. The material provided in this report outlines what

one college system in Washington State is doing to combat climate change and infuse

sustainability into their campus culture.

The Seattle Community College District (SCCD) consists of three main

campuses, North Seattle Community College (NSCC), South Seattle

Community College (SSCC), and Seattle Central Community College

(SCCC). Together the colleges form the second largest institution of higher

education in the state, behind the University of Washington. Over the last

decade, NSCC has emerged as the leader within the district for sustainability

and environmental stewardship.

The goal of this report is to summarize NSCC’s greenhouse gas

(GHG) emission data, as well as make current and future reduction

strategies more visible to campus and community stakeholders. The

report was compiled over 13 weeks as an internship project through

the University of Washington’s Program on the Environment (POE)

and NSCC’s Sustainability Office.


5

Greenhouse gas is any gas in the

atmosphere, which absorbs heat, and thereby keeps the

planet’s atmosphere warmer than it

otherwise would be.

GHG's

Washington State Mandates

In 2009, the Legislature and Governor adopted the State

Agency Climate Leadership Act. The Act committed state

agencies, including universities, colleges, and community

and technical colleges to lead by example in reducing their

GHG emissions to:

The strategy is required by law in RCW 70.235.050 section (3):

By June 30, 2011, each state agency shall submit to the department a strategy to

meet the requirements in subsection (1) of this section [greenhouse gas reduction

targets]. The strategy must address employee travel activities, teleconferencing

alternatives, and include existing and proposed actions, a timeline for reductions,

and recommendations for budgetary and other incentives to reduce emissions,

especially from employee business travel.

Washington State agencies report

GHG emissions in a common metric,

the carbon dioxide equivalent

(CO2e). The unit "CO2e" represents

an amount of a GHG whose

atmospheric impact has been

standardized to that of one unit

mass of carbon dioxide (CO2),

based on the global warming

potential (GWP) of the gas.3

15%

Below 2005 Levels

2020 36%

Below 2005 Levels

2035 57.5%

Below 2005 Levels

2050


6

GHG Emission Reporting Tools

Current institutional sustainability strategies consist of – divestment from fossil fuels, waste

diversion, efficiency upgrades, carbon offsets, and LEED building certification. The most

recognized organization for the tracking and reporting of institutional sustainability is the

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Their

Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS) has become the benchmark

for institutional reporting.

NSCC was the first college in the district to submit a report to

STARS receiving a Bronze rating in 2011, and a Silver rating in

2013. Both Seattle Central Community College (SCCC) and

South Seattle Community College (SSCC), had their first

submissions to STARS at the beginning of 2014, each

received a Bronze rating. According to a representative

from AASHE, the Seattle Community College District is the

first higher education district in the country to achieve

sustainability rankings at all of its colleges.4

Many colleges and universities have also signed the American College & University

Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The ACUPCC originated from planning

sessions with a group of college and university presidents, Second Nature, ecoAmerica

and AASHE in October 2006.5 NSCC became a signatory of the ACUPCC in 2008.

ACUPCC institutions have agreed to:

For a time-line of implementation see Figure 1.

Complete an emissions inventory.

Within two years, set a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral.

Take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing from a list of short-term actions.

Integrate sustainability into the curriculum and make it part of the educational experience.

Make the action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available.


7

Many other organizations rate

institutional sustainability at

colleges and universities. The

Princeton Review produces a

National College Guide, the

Sierra Club creates a list of Cool

Schools for their magazine, and

the Sustainable Endowments

Institute produces a College

Sustainability Report Card.6

Figure 1: Timeline for ACUPCC Implementation

Washington State mandated reporting of GHG emissions are

required at the district level (SCCD)

District Level

Reporting to AASHE STARS and the

ACUPCC is done at the campus level

Campus Level

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=75htFxv2ruY2nM&tbnid=0f3Lal12PVh7uM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://f2.washington.edu/ess/promote/uw-awards&ei=hLkxU6eZOYTooASA74HQBA&bvm=bv.63587204,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNG9B26uDWR-LsACXGmJlzqUCriUrw&ust=1395854035775289

http://blogs.owu.edu/connect2/files/2013/04/20130418-PrincetonReviewGreenGuideCover.jpg


8

•Direct emissions

•e.g. from sources owned or controlled by an institution

Scope 1

•Indirect emissions

•e.g. purchased utilities

Scope 2

•All other indirect emissions

•e.g. commute and business travel

Scope 3

Scope of GHG Emission Inventory

When conducting a GHG emission inventory it is important to understand what

emissions should and should not be included. At the very basic level, GHG emissions are

classified as direct or indirect forms of emission.7 The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG

Protocol) defines this as follows:

These emissions are further categorized into three scopes:

Currently Washington State only requires reporting of scope 1 and 2 emissions. This

report examines GHG emissions from scopes 1, 2, and 3.

GHG emissions from sources that

are owned or controlled by the reporting entity

Direct Emissions GHG emissions that are

a consequence of the activities of the

reporting entity, but occur at sources

owned or controlled by another entity

Indirect Emissions


9

Washington State Agency Greenhouse Gas Calculator

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Summary #5

Agency

CY:

Percent of

Total

Emissions

Total

Emissions

MT CO2e

BUILDING ENERGY USE

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

TOTAL BUILDING ENERGY USE GHG EMISSIONS* 0.0% 0.0

FLEET ENERGY USE

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

EMPLOYEE BUSINESS TRAVEL AND COMMUTING

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0.0% 0.0

0% 0.0

* Note this does not include energy use in buildings owned by Dept. of Enterprise Services.

**Biomass CO2 emissions are reported separately and are not included in the total emissions.

***Emissions from commuting are reported in CO2e. Emissions by gas are estimated for CO2, CH4, N2O, and biomass CO2.

Total

(MT CO2e)

%

0.0 0.0%

0.0 0.0%

0.0 0.0%

Table 14: Total Annual Agency GHG Emissions

Table 15: GHG Emissions by Scope

Employee Business Travel

Employee Commuting***

TOTAL FLEET GHG EMISSIONS

Scope 2 (Indirect)

Scope 3 (Other Indirect)

TOTAL BUSINESS TRAVEL AND COMMUTING EMISSIONS

TOTAL EMISSIONS

Scope

Scope 1 (Direct)

Stationary Combustion

On-road light duty

Purchased Electricity

Purchased Steam

On-road heavy duty

Off-road

Ferry

Boat

Air

Methodology of GHG Emission Analysis

The tool that was used for this analysis was the Washington State Agency Greenhouse

Gas Calculator. The Calculator consists of an Excel spreadsheet that converts miles

traveled, electricity (kWh), and natural gas (Therms) to the common metric used in

GHG analysis, MTCO2e (million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent).

Figure 2: Washington State Green House Gas Calculator (Emission Summary tab)


10

Electricity and natural gas usage can easily be obtained from utility bills. Figures 3 & 4

show energy use for each campus from 2005-2012. The data is normalized to account

for changes in yearly temperature as well as student and staff population. Normalized

data allows for more accurate year-to-year comparisons.

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

CENTRAL NORTH SOUTH

The

rms

Normalized Gas Consumption for

Seattle Community Colleges 2005-2012*

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

CENTRAL NORTH SOUTH

kW

h

Normalized Electricity Consumption for

Seattle Community Colleges 2005-2012*

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Figure 4: Normalized Electricity Consumption for SCCD (2005-2012)

*Normalized data accounts for changes in yearly temperature as well as student and staff population

Figure 3: Normalized Gas Consumption for SCCD (2005-2012)

*Normalized data accounts for changes in yearly temperature as well as student and staff population


11

GHG Emissions

Miles Traveled

Estimated Miles

Traveled (from

table 13 below)

Total Emissions (MT

CO2e)

Employee-Owned Vehicle

Business Travel 0.0

Air Travel:

SHORT FLIGHTS

(0-300 MILES)

0.0

MEDIUM FLIGHTS

(300-700 miles)

0.0

LONG FLIGHTS

(>700 miles)

0.0

Total GHGs: 0.0

EM

PL

OY

EE

B

US

IN

ES

S T

RA

VE

L

Activity DataTable 10: Total Miles Traveled and

GHG Emissions from Employee

Business Travel

The Washington State Agency Greenhouse Gas Calculator also converts miles traveled

to MTCO2e, though emissions from employee business air travel are more difficult to

capture and therefore less reliable. The calculator offers two ways to calculate

employee business air miles, either by the total number of flights, or based on cost. In

order to estimate miles traveled based on number of flights, flights are categorized into

short flights (0-300 miles), medium flights (300-700 miles), and long flights (over 700 miles).

To estimate air miles traveled by cost, divide the total airfare expenditures by $0.156.

Once the miles are calculated, the Washington State Agency Greenhouse Gas

Calculator will convert air miles traveled to MTCO2e.

Figure 5: Washington State Green House Gas Calculator (Travel & CTR tab)

To get total business miles traveled in employee-owned personal vehicles, divide total

employee travel reimbursement in $ by the GSA reimbursement rate (2013 rate

$0.56/mile). The total amount of employee travel reimbursement can be obtained from

your campus Business Office. Once the miles are calculated, enter them into the

Washington State Agency Greenhouse Gas Calculator to convert miles traveled to

MTCO2e.

Employee commuting data is only collected in the Washington State Department of

Transportation (WSDOT) Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Survey. The Washington State

Legislature passed the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Law in 1991 to call on employers

to encourage their workers to drive alone less often, reduce carbon emissions, and

keep the busiest commute routes flowing.8 The report is required by each campus every

two-years (NSCC’s most recent CTR report was from 2011-2012).


12

Seattle Community College District Sustainability

Each campus in the district is addressing sustainability and

climate change issues in their own way. The NSCC Sustainability

Office helped create an energy-producing bike, which was

recently part of a month-long energy awareness campaign at

Joint Base Lewis McCord.9 Seattle Central Community College

(SCCC) has completed multiple energy audits, which reduced

energy consumption and resulted in significantly lower energy

bills. 10 South Seattle Community College’s (SSCC) Georgetown

campus is working to include sustainability in its apprenticeship

programs of construction trades, electricians, cement masons,

and meat cutters.11

In 2012, SCCD formed the Chancellor’s Sustainability Initiative Leadership Team, with the

purpose of coordinating sustainability activities across the colleges. In October of 2013,

The Leadership Team created a Sustainability Business Plan for SCCD. The plan outlines

strategies and objectives that align with sustainability performance measures in the

Seattle Community College District 2010-15 Strategic Plan. It also identifies critical

success factors that must exist in order to meet the proposed objectives (see Table 1).

Within the business plan, there is also an annual “sustainability work plan template”,

which can be used as a framework for organizing and implementing sustainability

strategies (Figure 6).

Figure 6: 2013 NSCC Sustainability Work Plan template12


13

Table 1: SCCD Critical Success Factors to meet sustainability objectives and implementation strategies13

Critical Success Factors Status What’s Needed to fill the Gaps

1. Student demand for

sustainability

education

Present and growing.

College recognition of student

demand, definition of

instructional strategy, and

increase in capability to deliver.

2. Executive sponsorship

(college Presidents

and Vice-Presidents)

Present and growing.

Support of the Chancellor’s

Sustainability Initiative Leadership

Team as various needs arise

throughout the year.

3. Adequate funding for

2013

Currently $10,000

identified. Not

sufficient for team to

work across all

colleges, but enough

to make impact.

Funding contributions by colleges

and students, to supplement the

current budget and college

activities.

4. Colleges agree to

collaborate on

planned initiatives

Some initiatives are

already underway.

Mechanism for sharing expertise

needs to be created. Presidents

need to make this work a priority.

5. Clarity of business

case for sustainability

vision and objectives

Clear for some

colleges and

activities, unclear in

others.

“How to” presentations need to

be made across colleges.

6. Student engagement

in sustainability

Has happened at

North, no direct effort

to foster it has taken

place at other

colleges.

Develop strategies, share

expertise across colleges for

engaging students. Develop

consistent approach.

To find out more about Seattle Community College sustainability initiatives check out:

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/home/

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/home/


14

Figure 7: Washington State mandated GHG emission reduction targets

*Emissions totals and target does not include emissions from employee business travel and commuting.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

MTC

O2e

Year

Seattle Community College District GHG Emissions*

2020 Target: 12,753 MTCO2e

2035 Target: 9,602 MTCO2e

Seattle Community College District GHG Emissions

SCCD has set the bar high for the other 1,200 community and technical colleges

throughout the country. Since 2008, SCCD has reduced their total GHG emissions

(scope 1 & 2) by 2,462 MTCO2e. This reduction is equivalent to the annual GHG

emissions of 518 passenger vehicles.14

Table 2: Total SCCD GHG Emissions (2005, 2008-2012)

*SCCD emissions required for Washington State reporting (scope 1 & 2)

Year 2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

SCCD’s Total GHG Emissions*

(MTCO2e) 15,003 14,511 13,667 12,263 12,393 12,049


15

Scope 1: SCCD’s scope 1 emissions almost entirely come from the stationary

combustion of natural gas. A fraction of a percentage also comes from SCCD owned

cars and trucks. Over all, scope 1 emissions account for a small percentage of SCCD’s

total GHG emissions.

Table 3: SCCD Scope 1 GHG Emissions 2008-2012

Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Scope 1 Emissions (MTCO2e) 2,453 2,386 2,092 2,451 2,390

Percent of Overall Emissions 11.9% 12.2% 11.6% 13.7% 13.6%

Scope 2: Since 2008, purchased utilities have accounted for almost 70% of SCCD’s

GHG emissions. All three campuses use electricity and natural gas, SCCC also

purchases steam for heating.


Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012



Scope 3: Emissions in scope 3 include employee business travel and employee

commuting. Employee business travel takes into account air travel and employee-

owned vehicle business travel.


Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012



To find out more about SCCD’s current reduction strategies, checkout:

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/documents/SCCD%20GHG%20Strategy%202013

%20Revision.pdf

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/documents/SCCD%20GHG%20Strategy%202013%20Revision.pdf

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/documents/SCCD%20GHG%20Strategy%202013%20Revision.pdf


16

North Seattle Community College Sustainability

NSCC has emerged as the model within the district for campus

sustainability. They have a sustainability committee with broad

campus representation from student, staff, faculty and

administrators. They are also the only college in the district with a

Sustainability Coordinator, Christian Rusby, on staff. 15 His position is

partially funded by student fees, which illustrates the importance of

sustainability to students and the campus community as a whole.

Another example of how NSCC is advancing sustainability throughout campus is the

fact that they were able to raise their ASHEE STARS rating from a Bronze in 2011, to Silver

in 2013. This was achieved through many small initiatives (at least small in terms of

points allotted) including a community P-Patch, storm water analysis and tax-credit,

and an electricity generating stationary bike (EcoBike). NSCC is also the only college in

the district to be signatories of the ACUPCC.

In May of 2011, NSCC completed construction on the Opportunity

Center for Employment and Education (OCE&E), which received

LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building

Council (USGBC). Construction is almost complete on their second

new building, the Health Sciences & Student Resources (HSSR)

building, which is also seeking LEED Gold Certification. Both

buildings are equipped with advanced energy distribution systems,

and the potential for housing an energy-monitoring kiosk, in which users may look at

real-time metrics and visualizations of energy and resource use on campus at a given

time.16

Another way NSCC is trying to mitigate their carbon-footprint is

through the purchase of carbon offsets. In 2012, NSCC purchased

3,828 MTCO2e of carbon offsets, which offset the annual GHG

emissions produced from 1,372 tons of waste being sent to the

landfill.17

To learn more about NSCC sustainability or to get involved, checkout:

https://northseattle.edu/sustainability

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=PBfZ4g7n3P027M&tbnid=n63sQHx5OD82qM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://blog.kj.com/are-you-being-greenwashed/&ei=XWcrU7i6OsO7oQSShYLICg&bvm=bv.63316862,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNFFddwUTb1bBo5135dvYo6nhK1dxg&ust=1395439806214966

https://northseattle.edu/sustainability


17

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

MTC

O2e

Year

North Seattle Community College GHG Emissions*

North Seattle Community College GHG Emissions

NSCC does not have the same state mandates as SCCD does to lower GHG emissions,

but they are committed to doing so. Since 2008, NSCC has reduced their total GHG

emissions (scope 1 & 2) by 512 MTCO2e. This reduction is equivalent to the annual

energy use of 47 homes.18

Figure 8: NSCC emission reduction targets

*Emissions totals and target does not include emissions from employee business travel and commuting.

Washington State Reduction Targets (MTCO2e)*

3,709 15% Below 2005 Levels

2020 2,792

36% Below 2005 Levels

2035 1,854

57.5% Below 2005 Levels

2050

*NSCC is considered part of SCCD and is not required to meet WA State mandates.


18

Table 6 and Figure 9 give a breakdown of NSCC’s GHG emissions by scope from 2005-

2012. There is no data for scope 3 emissions because NSCC is not currently collecting

this data.

Table 6: NSCC GHG Emissions by Scope 2005-2012

Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Scope 1 Emissions

(MTCO2e) 306 218 315 326 338 303 366 358

Scope 2 Emissions

(MTCO2e) 4,057 3,939 4,238 4,374 4106 3,880 4,073 3,828

Scope 3 Emissions

(MTCO2e) NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Total GHG Emissions

(MTCO2e) 4,363 4,157 4,553 4,700 4,444 4,183 4,439 4,186

Figure 9: *NSCC GHG emission distribution by scope (2005-2012)

*No data available for scope 3 emissions

The following sections examine employee and student commuting habits. With SCCD

having close to 2,400 employees and more than 50,000 students annually,19 it is

important that each college in the district begin collecting and analyzing this data

closely because it accounts for the majority of scope 3 emissions.

7%

93%

NSCC GHG Emission Distribution by Scope*

Scope 1 Emissions (MTCO2e)

Scope 2 Emissions (MTCO2e)


19

North Seattle Community College Employee Commuting

The next step for NSCC to achieve a more robust GHG inventory and to

paint a more complete picture of GHG emissions is to begin collecting

and analyzing scope 3 emission data from employee-business travel

and employee commuting. Currently, the only NSCC data available for

employee commuting is from the WSDOT CTR Report.

The WSDOT CTR Report calculates annual GHG emissions from commuters driving

alone, carpooling, vanpooling, and motorcycling (estimates are based on vehicle miles

traveled [VMT]). The report also estimates bus transit passenger miles and rail transit

passenger miles, which can then be converted to MTCO2e.

Figure 10: Annual NSCC GHG emissions from employee commuting

* Emissions attributable to transit vary widely, depending on the efficiency/energy source of

transit vehicles and transit vehicle passenger load (typically ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 pounds

CO2e emissions/passenger mile). Employers are strongly encouraged to contact their local

transit agencies for more precise information on GHG emissions for their transit trips. If nothing

else is available, the value of 0.47 pounds (0.00021 metric tons) per passenger mile can be

used to estimate CO2e emissions for bus transit, and 0.39 pounds (0.00018 metric tons) CO2e

emissions per passenger mile for train/light rail/streetcar.20

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2007-2008 2009-2010 2011-2012

MT

CO

2e

CTR Survey Years

NSCC Annual GHG Emissions from Roundtrip Employee Commute

Estimated GHG from Bus

Travel*

Estimated GHG from Drive

Alone, Carpools, Vanpools


20

13%

5%

0%

28% 4%

50%

2010 NSCC Student Transportation Survey

Walk

Bike

Non-Motorized

Bus

Car Pool

Drive Alone

Figure 11: Percentage of commute mode by NSCC students from 2010 NSCC Student Transportation Survey

North Seattle Community College Student Commuting

NSCC is not currently collecting student commute data. However, the best baseline

data available is from a student transportation survey that was conducted in

December of 2010 by the NSCC Sustainability Office. There were 111 respondents to the

survey, of which 91 were full-time students, 16 were part-time students, and 4 identified

as attending for personal enrichment.

In 2013, the NSCC Sustainability Office conducted another student transportation survey

as part of the ASHEE STARS assessment, the goal of the survey was to better understand

Commute Method Totals Drive Alone 55

Bus 31

Walk 15

Bike 6

Carpool 4

Non-Motorized 0

Total 111

Table 7: 2010 NSCC Student Transportation Survey


21

51%

30%

15%

3%

1%

2013 NSCC Student Transportation Survey

Drive Alone

Bus

Bicycled or Walked

Carpooled

Scooter, Moped, or

Motorcycle

student commuting habits, as well as what sorts of community service activities students

engage in throughout the year.

Table 8: 2013 NSCC Student Transportation Survey

Figure 12: Percentage of commute mode by NSCC students from 2013 NSCC Student Transportation Survey

NSCC students said they would ride the bus if it were cheaper and more convenient.

Cheaper Bus Pass

More Bus

Routs

Less Cars on the Road

Commute Mode Totals Drive Alone 108

Bus 62

Bicycle or Walk 32

Carpool 7

Scooter, Moped, or Motorcycle 2

Other 14

Total 225

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=BAimQ6iJQXJKsM&tbnid=m40VRwJOIK-tKM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.clker.com/clipart-train-mrt-commuter.html&ei=C8cxU73MN82IogSI1oDABA&bvm=bv.63587204,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNGpDfPRWRNIQlMtGuCVVupWcGw_Yg&ust=1395857024512051


22

Students

Administration

Staff Faculty

Community Members

Recommendations

NSCC has done a tremendous amount of work creating a culture of sustainability and

addressing climate change issues head on. The goal of this section is to have an open

and honest conversation about areas NSCC can further improve processes and

procedures to make them more sustainable. It also looks at specific actionable

strategies that NSCC can make, at little or no cost, to further mitigate GHG emissions

and ultimately reduce their carbon footprint.

“Sustainability must be integrated with the core values

of the institution. This will make it part of the university's

DNA, not just another unfunded mandate.

And, once sustainability is part of the DNA, it

becomes a matter of 'how,' and not 'why'."21

– V'Ella Warren, Senior Vice President of

Facilities and Finance at the University of

Washington

The three main themes of this section are as follows:

•Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC)

•Sub-metering (Building Level)

Facilities

•Parking

•Commuting

Transporation

•Sustainability Awareness

•Student Engagement

Awareness & Engagement


23

Facilities

Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC)

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) designed the ESPC program specifically for

state agencies, colleges and universities to provide a means to install energy

conservation measures in state facilities without affecting the state’s capital budget.22

Hire an energy service company (ESCO) to perform a comprehensive

preliminary energy audit and begin benchmarking building energy use.

To find out more about ESPC, checkout:

Energy Savings Performance Contracting Program Process Description (DES)

http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/EPC/ESPCProgramProcessDes

cription.pdf

Step-by-Step Instructions for State Agencies, Colleges and Universities Benchmarking

Buildings (DES)

http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/Energy/Portfolio_Website/Ste

p_by_Step_Instructions_Energy_Star_Portfolio_Manager.pdf

Best Practices Toolkit: Energy Performance Contracting for Higher Education

(ACUPCC) http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/node/3103

Sub-metering (Building Level)

SCCD’s Strategy for Reducing GHG Emissions estimated the upfront cost of adding sub-

metering to existing buildings would be $2,000/building.

One of the most commonly used and easiest ways to figure out how long it will take to

payback such a project is using the Simple Payback Period (SPP) formula. The SPP

Proposed Action

http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/EPC/ESPCProgramProcessDescription.pdf


http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/Energy/Portfolio_Website/Step_by_Step_Instructions_Energy_Star_Portfolio_Manager.pdf

http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/Energy/Portfolio_Website/Step_by_Step_Instructions_Energy_Star_Portfolio_Manager.pdf

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/node/3103


24

determines the number of years required to recover an initial investment through

project returns. The formula is:

SPP = (Initial Cost)/ (Annual Savings)

For example, assume an electrical metering system has an initial (installed) cost of

$6,000, an estimated energy savings of $1,250 per year, and a maintenance cost of

$250 per year. The system’s net annual savings is $1,000 (= $1,250 – 250). Therefore, its

SPP would be 6 years (= $6,000/ $1,000 per year).23

Identify what buildings need to be sub-metered, and then perform a

cost-benefit analysis on the installation and upkeep of the additional

meters.

NSCC’s new OCE&E building, which received LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building

Council (USGBC)

Proposed Action


25

NSCC Bike

Repair Station

Transportation

Parking

NSCC has 1551 parking spaces, which include 88 carpool spaces, 40 disabled spaces,

and 65 reserved spaces. On Thursday March 13, 2014 at 11:25am in NSCC’s west

(carpool) parking lot, cars were counted to see how many people paid for a parking

pass. Of the 113 cars that were in the parking lot that day, only 53 had parking passes.

This is a clear indication that students are aware that parking is not enforced.

From student transportation surveys, we know about half of

NSCC students drive alone, and from the sampling done in

March we can estimate that about half of those students do no

pay for a quarterly parking pass. Ultimately, this is not only a

substantial loss in revenue, but it can also lead to additional

GHG emissions that would potentially not otherwise be emitted.

Dedicate one day every two weeks to parking enforcement. This is a

high return on investment action item. It will not only generate

immediate revenue from parking tickets and eventually parking passes,

but it also has the potential to mitigate GHG emissions attributed to

student commuting.

Commuting

On the most recent CTR Employer Survey, NSCC employees were asked,

what would most encourage them to try using an alternative mode of

transportation? An overwhelming number of respondents said financial

incentives and/or having the option for a compressed workweek (CWW).

NSCC can also signup for the Home Free Guarantee (HFG), which

provides emergency taxi service to commuters arriving at work by an

alternative mode of transportation (bus, carpool, bicycle or walking).

NSCC Car Charging Stations

Proposed Action


26

$59

•Amount CTR helped save each central Puget Sound rush-hour commuter

69,000

•Metric tons of GHG CTR prevented from being released annually

$30 million

•Cumulative monthly amount CTR participants save on transportation

Create a reward-based system for employees and students that offer

cash incentives for choosing alternative forms of transportation.

Implement one-year Home Free Guarantee (HFG) pilot program. Initial

cost = $2.16/employee for the first six months or enrollment. If the

employee usage of the program does not exceed the original

investment during the first six months, then there is no additional cost for

the rest of the contract year.24

To find out more about HFG enrollment and benefits, check out:

Home Free Guarantee (King County)

http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/CommuteSolutions/products/HFG.aspx

Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) by the Numbers

Proposed Action

Proposed Action



27

Awareness & Engagement

Sustainability Awareness

There are many layers to a large institution like NSCC, which is why communication

between campuses, departments, and the community is vital for sustainability initiatives

to be successful.

For example, NSCC offers two free days of parking per week if you take an alternate

form of transportation the other three days a week. They only problem is only a few

people on campus know this program exists.

Hold campus-wide sustainability meeting once a quarter to update

students, staff, and faculty on new and existing sustainability initiatives.

Student Engagement

Students are a great resource for getting work done because they have the time,

interest, and motivation, if given the opportunity to learn about sustainability. It is

important for NSCC to continue to develop strategies and systems that engage

students and award college credit for their time, effort and demonstrated learning.25

Create sustainability class whose primary focus is creating NSCC’s own

climate action plan (CAP). Once the CAP is created, subsequent

classes can update and add to existing work.

For a more complete and comprehensive list of college and university

GHG mitigation strategies, checkout AAHE’s “Cool Campus! A How-To

Guide for College and University Climate Action Planning”

Proposed Action

Proposed Action


28

References

1 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). (2009).

Cool Campus! A How-To Guide for College and University Climate Action Planning.

Available at: http://www.aashe.org/files/resources/cool-campus-climate-planning-

guide.pdf

2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Recycling Facts. Available at:

http://web.mit.edu/facilities/environmental/recyc-facts.html

3 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2012). Pollution Prevention Greenhouse

Gas (GHG) Calculator - Frequently Asked Questions. Available at:

http://www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/resources/GHGFAQ.pdf

4 Seattle Community Colleges. (2014). Inside Edition Seattle Community College News.

5 The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

Mission and History. Available at:

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/about/mission-history

6 University of Washington Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability. (2013).

Sustainability Metric: Sustainability Grade. Available at:

https://f2.washington.edu/ess/dashboard/sustainability-grade

7 CoolClimate Network Research Consortium. Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions types.

Available at: https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/node/405

8 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Commute Trip Reduction

(CTR). Available at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/transit/CTR

9 North Seattle Community College. Sustainability Projects (EcoBike). Available at:

https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/ecobike

10 Seattle Community Colleges. Sustainability Practices & Initiatives. Available at:

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/practices/initiatives.aspx

11 South Seattle Community College. Clean / Green Technology Home. Available at:

http://www.southseattle.edu/green/Default.aspx

12 Seattle Community Colleges. (2013). Sustainability Business Plan for the Seattle

Community Colleges. Available at:

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/documents/Sustainability%20Business%20Pla

n%20for%20the%20Seattle%20Community%20Colleges.pdf





http://www.aashe.org/files/resources/cool-campus-climate-planning-guide.pdf

http://www.aashe.org/files/resources/cool-campus-climate-planning-guide.pdf

http://web.mit.edu/facilities/environmental/recyc-facts.html

http://www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/resources/GHGFAQ.pdf

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/about/mission-history

https://f2.washington.edu/ess/dashboard/sustainability-grade

https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/node/405

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/transit/CTR

https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/ecobike


http://www.southseattle.edu/green/Default.aspx

http://www.seattlecolleges.edu/green/documents/Sustainability%20Business%20Plan%20for%20the%20Seattle%20Community%20Colleges.pdf





29

14 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies

Calculator. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-

resources/calculator.html#results





16 North Seattle Community College. Green Construction. Available at:

https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/green-construction







19 Seattle Community Colleges. Sustainability Practices & Initiatives. Available at:


20 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). (2011). North Seattle

Community College CTR Employer Survey Report.

21 The Huffington Post. (2013). What It Takes -- How to Green the Ivory Towers of Higher

Education. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruth-a-johnston/what-it-

takes-how-to-gree_b_3921183.html.

22 Washington State Department of Enterprise Affairs (DES). Energy Savings Performance

Contracting Program Process Description. Available at:

http://des.wa.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Facilities/EPC/ESPCProgramProcessDes

cription.pdf

23 General Services Administration (GSA). Submetering Business Case: How to calculate

cost-effective solutions in the building context. Available at:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/156791/fileName/Energy_Submetering_Financ

e_Paper_Knetwork_2012_11_269(508).action

24 King County. Home Free Guarantee. Available at:






http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html#results




https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/green-construction






http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruth-a-johnston/what-it-takes-how-to-gree_b_3921183.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruth-a-johnston/what-it-takes-how-to-gree_b_3921183.html



http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/156791/fileName/Energy_Submetering_Finance_Paper_Knetwork_2012_11_269(508).action

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/156791/fileName/Energy_Submetering_Finance_Paper_Knetwork_2012_11_269(508).action


