Greenhouse Gas Accounting of Graz University of Technology

Stephan Maier, Günter Getzinger, Alexander Passer, Marco Scherz, Endrit Hoxha, Anatole Bao Dung Truong Nhu, Barbara Truger, Dominik Maierhofer, Helmuth Kreiner

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference paperpeer-review

Abstract

This study presents the status quo of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of Graz University of Technology for the year 2017 to derive additional energy targets for Graz University of Technology and concrete GHG reduction measures.
Within the scope of the balance, the GHG emissions given in CO2 equivalents (CO2-e) of the categories energy, new buildings, mobility, use of materials, as well as food supply canteen at all locations of Graz University of Technology (main locations and secondary locations) were evaluated. The accounting was carried out according to the common method of the Alliance for Sustainable Universities in Austria using the ClimCalc_edu tool. For the accounting for the buildings the environmental impacts were estimated on the case of the EBS building (Energy Based Systems) as proxy to estimate yearly GHG-emissions.
The results of the GHG accounting 2017 show total emissions of about 27,000 total GHG in t CO2-e for the year 2017 at Graz University of Technology. Most of the emissions come from electricity, business trips, new buildings and district heating (altogether 22,200 t CO2-e or 82% of the total emissions). Electricity, at 29%, accounts for almost one third of the total greenhouse gas emissions of Graz University of Technology. Heat (mainly district heating) accounts for 16%. Construction of new buildings and business trips of the staff take up the second highest category in terms of CO2-e, each with about 19% of CO2-e. Commuting students (4%), commuting employees (4%) and stays abroad of students and employees (5%) are at a similarly high level. The rest (canteen, material consumption, IT equipment, other fuels, etc.) together account for about 4% of the total greenhouse gas emissions of Graz University of Technology.
The GHG accounting of Graz University of Technology shows the status quo and is a first important step to determine the energy performance of Graz University of Technology in terms of sustainability. For a complete consideration in the context of sustainability reporting, a comprehensive ecological evaluation is necessary. For this, an exact recording of the system boundaries is of particular importance, as well as the further use of evaluation methods, as they have already been used in previous sustainability reports.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEnInnov2020: 16. Symposium Energieinnovation
Subtitle of host publicationKurzfassungsband
Place of PublicationGraz
PublisherVerlag der Technischen Universität Graz
Pages41-42
ISBN (Print)978-3-85125-734-2
Publication statusPublished - 14 Feb 2020

Fields of Expertise

  • Sustainable Systems

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