UMD College Park Campus Climate Action

CIER has updated the first campus Greenhouse Gas Inventory for UMD College Park for 2002 through 2008. The results provided critical input on the major sources of campus emissions to the Campus Climate Action Working Group.

This diverse committee of faculty, staff and students will reviewed strategies based on their emissions reduction potential and implementation cost. The resulting Climate Action Plan provides a road map and target dates for the campus to achieve carbon neutrality.

These are the first two steps required in a major pledge signed by University President Dan Mote, along with more than 500 other signatories, as part of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. CIER is working closely with the Office of Sustainability to provide research support for these important campus efforts. Their UMD sustainability website provides information on a lunchtime speaker series, campus sustainability activities and collaborations.

The next campus inventory will be updated for 2009, and will continue to be updated every two years.

Full Report                         
(5.4 MB)                           

Inventory Approach

To ensure the most useful inventory data and analysis, the team:

• Used the Clean Air Cool Planet calculator to compare and standardize data
• Learned from other university experiences
• Involved key stakeholders through GHG Inventory Taskforce
• Gathered accurate data from campus facilities and operators
• Formed analysis and recommendations from report
• Briefed key leaders and stakeholders

Key Elements of the Study

• Institutional data (Budget, population, physical size)
• Electricity, purchased steam, and chilled water
• On-campus Cogeneration Plant
• On-campus stationary sources
• Transportation (University fleet, air travel)
• Commuter Habits (Students, summer school students, faculty, staff)
• Agriculture (fertilizer application, animal husbandry)
• Solid waste
• Refrigeration and other chemicals
• Offsets (Including 'green' electric certificates, composting, and forest preservation)

UMD GHG Inventory Taskforce

Our team worked closely with an appointed taskforce of University staff to collect accurate data.

David Allen , Director, Transportation Services
Karen Breen , Director, Business Services
Maureen Kotlas , Director, Environmental Safety
Joan Kowal , Energy Manager, Financial Services
Heather Lair, Project Manager, Office of Sustainability
Scott Lupin , Director, Office of Sustainability and Assoc Director, Department of Environmental Safety
Harry Teabout , Director, Bldg & Landscape Services
John Vucci , Assoc Director, H V A C Systems

Research Team