[Titolo del documento]

GHG INVENTORY - SUMMARY

UNIVERSITY OF GENOA

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General Overview

One of the most important challenges to improve sustainability is the management of climate

change and the reduction of green house gas emissions. In the last decades the scientific community

debated a lot about the climate change theory and now that an agreement about the feasibility of it

seems to be proved, decision makers of public bodies have to take a decision and plan solutions to

prevent it.

The management of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are now one of the

main challenges for sustainability. The greenhouse gases (GHG, Greenhouse Gases), such as carbon

dioxide (CO2), Natural Gas (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and other man-made gases, including

HFCs, PFCs and SF6, they are the main cause of climate change.

In 2014 the University of Genoa and the Ministry of the Environment signed an agreement to assess

the Carbon footprint of the University, in order to promote the mitigation of climate change and to

study possible innovative solutions to reduce the environmental burdens.

Thanks to this commitment, a series of initiatives of environmental sustainability has started, for

example the appointment of Representative of the University of Genoa for Environmental

Sustainability (2014), the Subscription to the Network RUS on waste management and the creation

of a Permanent Commission on Environmental Sustainability (2015).

In 2010 the University of Genoa, with a few other Italian Universities, had obtained accreditation

from the UNFCCC to participate in the work of the United Nations on climate including the COP21

meeting in Paris in December 2015 with the signing of the historic Paris Agreement on the

containment of global warming.

The University of Genoa is one of the biggest Italian Universities, is divided among 4 cities, 2

campuses and more than 50 buildings. There are 1,300 professors, 2,350 University clerks and 33,000

students enrolled at the University of Genoa.

"The University of Genoa recognizes environmental sustainability as one of its main objectives"

and it identifies that:

potential and capacity to enhance knowledge and understanding, and provide necessary skills and

innovation;

responsibility and duty toward raising awareness and enhancing sustainability literacy for students,

staff and communities;

position and reason to develop our campuses as living laboratories of environmental sustainability in

practice.

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To meet the global environmental challenges the University of Genoa commits to:

promoting environmental sustainability in every aspect of our work at universities;

set environmental sustainability on top of our priorities;

work closely with policy makers, municipalities & communities, industry & business and other

universities;

share examples of our green practice, evaluate and report our status, plans and progress to all

stakeholders.

[UNICA GREEN PLEDGE signed by the Rector of the University of Genoa on April, 28, 2016]

UNIGE SOSTENIBILE In 2015 the University of Genoa established a Permanent Commission on Environmental Sustainability with

the goal of bringing the university in evidence in the national context, implementing projects and activities that

achieve results in the field of environmental sustainability.

The Commission organizes an interdisciplinary Working Group, where there are the skills of Engineering,

Economy, Architecture and Design and of Education.

The Commission also works closely with other working groups that operate on issues related to sustainability,

such as the Working Group on Energy Saving of the university.

A representative of the University of Genoa for Environmental Sustainability (D.R. n.377,

27/03/2014):

Prof.ssa Adriana Del Borghi

University Commission on Environmental Sustainability (Dean’s note Prot. n. 81661, 7/12/2015):

Prof.ssa Adriana Del Borghi, DICCA - Coordinator

Prof.ssa Michela Gallo, DICCA

Prof.ssa Angela Celeste Taramasso, DICCA

Dott. Leonardo Flamminio, DIEC

Methodology The University of Genoa decided to proceed with the accounting for its emissions of greenhouse gases through

the inventory GHG according to the instructions contained in the UNI ISO 14064 Part 1. The calculation of

GHG emissions serves the purpose of assessing their impact through measures to reduce emissions and through

the adoption of compensatory instruments for emissions that can not be avoided. The methodology used to

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assess the carbon footprint follows the ISO 14064 international standard, dividing the emission into 3 different

scopes.

Scope 1: emissions that arise directly from sources that are owned or controlled by the University;

Scope 2: emissions generated by purchased other entity but consumed by the University;

Scope 3: emissions generated from the activities the University, but occur from sources not owned or controlled

by the University.

The inventory of greenhouse gas emissions by the University of Genoa includes the following steps:

1. Definition of the organizational and operational boundaries

2. Development of the inventory by identifying all emission contributions

3. Quantification of emissions and greenhouse gas removals

4. Preparation of the report relating to GHG emissions

In this work this methodology is used to evaluate a big organization, the University of Genoa. The University

is partitioned in four different geographic areas represented by the four biggest cities of the region :

Genoa

Savona

Imperia

La Spezia

In each of the presented area the University of Genoa is partitioned in different buildings. These buildings are

scattered in all the urban area. In Fig 1 are highlighted all the building of the University in the municipality of

Genoa.

The GHG is the only environmental indicator considered in this study to better understand, discover and

communicate the environmental score and the improvements to increase the sustainability of a big organization

such as the university of Genoa. The first stage of this work was to identify and collect all the information

about every single field of emission of the University of Genoa. Four different emissions core have been

identified:

Electricity Consumption

Heat production and consumption

Water consumption

Waste production and management

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Figure 1: In this map are highlighted in different colours the facilities of the University in the municipality of Genoa

The baseline year for the data collection is 2013. The choice of a specific year is made to evaluate how the

improvements have affected positively or negatively the environmental burdens. Electricity, and heat

consumption are well known and accounted value, giving the fact that the consumption amount is reported in

bills and invoice and represents the emissions of the scope 1 and 2. In Figure 2 the System boundaries under

analysis are presented, while in Figure 3 are presented all the category of emissions and removals under

investigation. Water and waste management represents scope 3 emissions. Water consumption is simply

estimated thanks to the water meters. The transport and mobility sector, that is one of the identified emissions

core of scope 3, is not considered in this research due to lack of specific data and analysis. Wastes produced

by the university have been estimated and calculated through experiments and on field analyses.

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Figure 2: System boundaries of the GHG Inventory

The balance of greenhouse gas emissions has been verified by specialists of the certification institute RINA

Services S.p.A., by examining the documentation submitted and through a visit at the University of Genoa.

The guarantee level reached is reasonable. The visit to this site was carried out on October 27, 2016.

The unit of measurement used for the GHG inventory is the tonne of CO2 eq.

For all sources and sinks of GHG the only greenhouse gas considered is the CO2. Exceptions refrigerants for

which were considered the following gases used within the University of Genoa: R410A, R422D, R407C.

Figure 3: Scope 1 and 2 categories of emissions and removals under investigation

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For the quantification of GHG emissions it has been used a methodology based on the calculations. In

particular, the activity data (intended as input quantity) were multiplied by the relevant emission factor GHG.

The choice of the method of quantification was based on the criteria of accuracy, consistency and

reproducibility of the calculations, as well as the minimization of the uncertainty associated with the same

calculations.

The activity data are derived from measures; if this is not available, emissions/removals GHG were estimated

following a conservative approach.

The emission factors were derived from the literature, based on the latest national and international sources

available, or by studies of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment).

Results The direct emissions in 2013 and 2014 are the emissions resulting from:

1. Natural gas consumption

2. Consumption of diesel

3. Fuel consumption for transport

4. Dispersion of refrigerant gases in the atmosphere

For the year 2013 direct emissions are: 4,196 tons CO2 eq

For the year 2014 a number of direct emissions are: 3,955 tons CO2 eq

In 2013 and 2014 the University of Genoa did not record the CO2 emissions from biomass burning.

Similarly, the only indirect emissions from energy consumption, for the year 2013 and 2014, are those resulting

from the purchase of energy by the University relevant of all activities located in buildings and areas

considered.

For the year 2013 the amount of indirect emissions is: 10,187 tons CO2 eq

For the year 2014 the amount of indirect emissions is: 8,018 tons CO2 eq

This inventory does not cover "other indirect emissions."

Results are presented graphically in Figure 4, 5, and 6.

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Figure 4: Greenhouse gasses emission of the University of Genoa in 2013

Figure 5: Greenhouse gasses emission of the University of Genoa in 2014

70,8%

25,0%

4,0%0,0% 0,2%

Greenhouse gases - UNIGE 2013

Electricity

Natural Gas

Diesel

Refrigerantgasses

Cars

67,0%

26,8%

4,5%

1,5% 0,2%

Greenhouse gases - UNIGE 2014

Electricity

Natural Gas

Diesel

Refrigerantgasses

Cars

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Figure 6: Greenhouse gasses emission of the University of Genoa in 2013 and 2014 comparison

Follow-up The University of Genoa is implementing sustainability strategies and programs that have given rise to

different lines of action.

The three-year plan 2017-2019 of the university includes a specific objective which includes all

activities pertaining to the Sustainability Commission.

The GHG inventory presented in this document and its emissions reporting represent a first step for the

implementation of a carbon management policy. Development of strategies and policies on carbon

management allows us to get a reduction of GHG emissions, caused directly and indirectly by the University

of Genoa.

Furthermore here are presented the main carbon management strategies and policies that the University of

Genoa is implementing through the Sustainability Commission or other Working Groups:

encourage research and study on sustainability issues with an interdisciplinary approach

educate for sustainability

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2.000

4.000

6.000

8.000

10.000

12.000

Scope 1 Scope 2

Greenhouse gases comparison year and scope- UNIGE

2013 2014

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develop and support research projects on sustainability

spread among students and staff a sustainable way of life

rationalize the consumption of energy, avoiding waste of resources while reducing spending

increase government compliance

systematic detection and continuous energy consumption

computerized management of energy requirements

implementation of environmental mitigation measures

modernization of facilities and technologies for energy efficiency

monitoring and reduction of GHG

the introduction of a Mobility Manager

implement an environmental management system

optimize the management of waste and water consumption

use the University of Genoa as a promoter of new business models, such as the low carbon and circular

economy.

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