Project Team
Student(s)
Anthony Figueroa
Environmental and Architecture Studies
Middlebury College
Mentor(s)
Analysis and Planning Consultant, Sustainability Institute
Office of the Physical Plant
Sustainability Institute
Project Video
Project Abstract
As corporations begin to report greenhouse gas emissions from their industry, they may be ignoring significant emissions. The greenhouse gas protocol defines Scope 1 emissions as emissions from sources that an organization directly controls. Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with purchasing electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Often industries that begin reporting greenhouse gas emissions overlook Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting industry. Assets include purchased goods and services, transportation and distribution, waste generated, business travel, and more. Scope 3 emissions can account for up to seventy-five percent of direct and indirect emissions for many businesses (Huang et al., 2009), meaning that Scope 3 emissions often represent most of an institution’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This study was conducted to help Penn State develop an inventory for Scope 3 emissions. Penn State’s goal is to reduce the whole Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions throughout University Park and Commonwealth campuses. Penn State does capture information on some of the categories of Scope 3 already, but not all. Data was collected and documented for as many of the Scope 3 emission categories as possible during this study. Penn State will use the results to develop recommendations for reductions strategies and help prioritize reduction efforts.
Because Scope 3 emissions result from activities outside of one’s own company, it may be challenging to get a rough estimate of the scale. Due to the difficulty of collecting information for those outside activities, not many industries are willing to attempt to calculate these emissions as doing so could require significant time and resources. To start Penn State on a path to reducing their Scope 3 emissions, we first need to understand the greenhouse gas protocol on Scope 3 emissions inventories and set up meetings with faculty and staff to understand the emissions associated with their activities. Our findings from our investigation of PSU activities, including any emission estimates and methods for calculating them, were recorded into a report and a spreadsheet. Furthermore, we included recommendations that Penn State can adopt to improve the reduction of Scope 3 emissions.
Our findings show that Penn State has potential options to adopt to reduce the scale of Scope 3 emissions. Some techniques we identified were updating and finding improved leasing agreements and supporting reusable and self-sustaining programs like Lion Surplus. Along with using supplier-specific methods to calculate procurement-related Scope 3 emissions, Penn State can also update existing policies to help the reduction in that category. By identifying and addressing Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, Penn State can discover new opportunities to positively impact the existing and growing effects of climate change and have an advantage when governments set new regulations aimed to reduce these emissions.
