Shi Center\u2019s<\/a> newly appointed associate director for sustainability assessment. She is responsible for ensuring that Furman is collecting all the greenhouse-gas data and submitting it for both the inventory and the annual Sustainability Tracking and Rating System report (STARS), which takes a more comprehensive look at everything Furman does in relation to sustainability.<\/p>\nAfter the data is submitted, Bain combs through it to see where Furman can make improvements. \u201cI look to see what other schools are doing and what programs they are implementing, and see how we can do better over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
To accomplish the inventory, Bain, with the help of student Assessment Fellows Joe Hiebert \u201918 and Logan Richardson \u201918, collect data from stakeholders across campus and enter it into an extensive spreadsheet called the Campus Carbon Calculator, created at the University of New Hampshire.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we have all of the data,\u201d explains Richardson, \u201cwe compile it into the calculator, which is set up to automatically convert our data to metric tons of greenhouse-gas equivalents Furman produces in various categories.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur job in terms of interpreting the data is to understand the trends in our greenhouse-gas use and identify areas where we can improve,\u201d Hiebert adds. \u201cWe also record this data in another excel file so we can look at trends over time and see what categories are the largest contributors to our greenhouse-gas emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The information is broken down into three scopes, each handling a different aspect of greenhouse-gas emissions. Scope 1 is AC, heating, cooling, grounds and maintenance; Scope 2 covers all electricity purchased from Duke Energy; and Scope 3 encompasses everything else (commuting, waste disposal, waste-water treatment, purchasing).<\/p>\n
After the data is input, the student Fellows upload it to a website run by Second Nature, the overarching organization that compiles all the data for universities across the U.S. Through their website, the team can look at the data in various ways. This year, Second Nature added a new reporting platform that lets users compare their school to other schools.<\/p>\n
Second Nature\u2019s website also shows Furman\u2019s metrics, notably the fact that the university\u2019s greenhouse-gas emissions are down 20% since 2007. Furman has now completed 73 of the strategies outlined in their Sustainability Master Plan, and 46 more are ongoing. Bain acknowledges the important role of Furman\u2019s facilities staff, who put forth an uncommon effort to incorporate sustainability on campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be carbon neutral by 2026 is going to be a really big push,\u201d Bain acknowledges. Most of the things Furman has been able to do to decrease campus carbon emissions have been in operation efficiency, heating and cooling systems, and solar generation. \u201cThe biggest thing we\u2019re going to have to do to get to carbon neutrality is to come up with some sort of purchase agreement with Duke Energy to be able to purchase some power offsets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe inventory entails a lot of number crunching,\u201d Bain admits, \u201cand that makes the data difficult to hit home sometimes.\u201d To make it easier to digest, she and her team focus on changing behaviors, such as turning off lights, riding bikes instead of driving, and recycling. \u201cAs one person you can certainly do something,\u201d she says, \u201cbut as a campus we can really make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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