Climate Action Strategy Development Process

You are here

Climate Action Strategy planning efforts began by developing an understanding of Lehigh’s current strategic planning efforts as well as peer benchmarking to understand Lehigh’s positioning relative to sustainability. The Stone House Group worked with LU Facilities as well as undergraduate and graduate students in the Industrial Assessment Center to complete an energy audit of 35 of Lehigh’s largest energy consuming facilities, which led to the development of an Energy Capital Investment Plan. The first phase of campus energy audits provided The Stone House Group with a deep understanding of campus operations, and also provided a strong connection to Lehigh’s educational mission by working with students to complete the building inspections. Additional engagement efforts included campus ideation sessions and surveys where students, faculty, staff and alumni provided input to help guide an approach to the Climate Action Strategy. Through the four working groups, a variety of potential carbon reduction projects and strategies were identified while internal and external advisory groups provided guidance and leadership throughout the process. The Stone House Group evaluated the financial, environmental and co-benefits of each potential strategy as working groups and the internal advisory group selected preferred strategies for the ‘Pathway to Zero’ emissions.

Review of Campus Plans

The Stone House Group reviewed Lehigh’s Campus Master Plan, 2030 Plan and Utility Master Plan to ensure the Climate Action Strategy is consistent with other campus plans. SHG reviewed and analyzed Lehigh's current GHG emissions inventory for clarity and accuracy, and evaluated categories of emissions sources that could be considered and reported in the future. Furthermore, SHG reviewed and analyzed Lehigh’s campus growth plans, including new construction and all associated operating costs to determine projected GHG emissions while following a business-as-usual path, and various paths including emission mitigation efforts. SHG also analyzed the campus' Utility Master Plan and has factored findings and anticipated implementation measures into the Climate Action Strategy, as well as emissions reduction targets and strategies.

Peer Analysis

SHG analyzed energy and emissions data from a group of peer and aspirant higher education institutions to benchmark Lehigh’s performance. Key performance indicators include GHG emissions per 1,000 gross square feet (GSF), GHG emissions per student and energy use intensity (energy consumption per GSF). Sample benchmarking (see Figure 8) indicates that Lehigh’s base year (CY 2007) and performance year (FY 2019) emissions are slightly above average.

Many of the same peer and aspirant institutions have declared carbon neutrality dates, and Colgate University announced that the institution achieved carbon neutrality in 2019. Institutions such as Bucknell University, Georgetown University, Cornell University, Rice University, Boston University and George Washington University have publicly declared carbon neutrality dates before 2040. Several other peer and aspirant institutions have declared a carbon neutrality date of 2050, and a limited number have not yet established a target date for carbon neutrality. Throughout the Climate Action Strategy development process, peer institutions were also referenced for unique aspects of their sustainability programs.

Working Groups

Working Groups

Working and advisory groups shared their expertise, ideas and opinions through a vetting process that identified numerous project ideas to reduce GHG emissions. Working groups were established to address Lehigh’s sources of campus emissions and evaluate the use of carbon offsets. The working groups included: Transportation and Commuting, Procurement (Air Travel and Paper), Carbon Offsets, and Building Energy. Each of the operations-focused working groups, excluding Carbon Offsets, represented at least 20% of Lehigh’s FY 2019 campus GHG emissions. Working groups met roughly once per month, starting in September 2020. Through these meetings, working groups identified opportunities for efficiency, transition to renewables and partnership opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. The groups established project priorities as well as goals for the CAS to focus on reducing campus fossil fuel consumption and minimizing purchases of non-additional Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and carbon offsets. Lehigh’s campus community made it clear that the priority is for the university to reduce GHG emissions through on-campus and local emissions reduction strategies as much as possible.

Transportation and Commuting Working Group

The Transportation and Commuting working group focused on identifying opportunities to reduce Lehigh’s emissions resulting from transportation throughout campus and within the local community as well as faculty, staff and students commuting to and from Lehigh’s campus. The main goals of the group were to understand the sources of GHG emissions resulting from transportation systems and student, faculty and staff commuting, determine key factors contributing to transportation needs and commuting preferences, incorporate findings resulting from the Alternative Fuel Study and identify how transportation and commuting systems could be transitioned to zero emissions. The working group analyzed three categories of emissions sources from the GHG Inventory: direct transportation, student commuting and faculty/staff commuting.

An Alternative Fuel Study completed by Pennoni Engineers evaluated several options for Lehigh’s direct transportation system: natural gas, battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell. Lehigh’s current fleet of buses are primarily diesel and gasoline, with one electric bus. The study identified electrification of direct transportation systems as a solution to achieve both financial and environmental goals. New electric consumption resulting from electrification of Lehigh’s transportation fleet can easily be offset through a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) solar project or on-site solar project.

The Transportation and Commuting working group identified several recommendations to reduce emissions from student, faculty and staff commuting, including:

  • Develop policies and the capacity for vehicle charging that encourages electric vehicle use

  • Develop policies and the capacity for additional bike and e-bike commuting

  • Provide increased local shuttle services for students

  • Develop policies that allow for some remote work or telecommuting, when feasible

  • Consider personal incentives for faculty and staff that utilize low- or zero-emitting methods for commuting to campus

Procurement (Air Travel and Paper) Working Group

The Procurement (Air Travel and Paper) working group focused on understanding opportunities to reduce GHG emissions related to air travel and paper purchases on campus. The working group analyzed three categories of emissions sources from the GHG Inventory: Directly Financed Air Travel, Other Directly Financed Travel and Paper Purchasing. Major sources of air travel emissions include: study abroad, conferences and athletic-related activities. This group also evaluated potential new categories of emissions that may be added by SIMAP to future GHG inventories. These could include emissions from Lehigh’s furniture and electronics purchases. Several sustainable procurement policy goals already exist in Lehigh’s Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030.

A key finding from this working group was the identification that Travel Leaders, Lehigh’s Travel Agent Network, already partners with American Airlines, which has committed to utilizing sustainable aviation fuel that will greatly reduce airline emissions. Members of this working group identified several opportunities to increase the use of Travel Leaders as there are many benefits beyond low-carbon travel partners.

The Procurement (Air Travel and Paper) working group identified several recommendations that will reduce procurement-related emissions:

  • Broad stakeholder engagement to educate and encourage utilization of Travel Leaders to make air travel reservations

  • Encourage remote participation in conferences, when possible

  • Where printers allow, utilize 50% recycled paper rather than 30% recycled paper

  • In the future as new printers become compatible with the fully recycled paper’s characteristics, utilize 100% recycled paper

  • Include requirements for percentages of electronics purchases with an EPEAT Gold ecolabel

  • Include requirements for percentages of furniture purchases to include specific sustainable certifications

Carbon Offsets Working Group

The Carbon Offsets working group focused on understanding the variety of carbon offset options available and analyzed options to generate/purchase carbon offsets. Topics of discussion and evaluation included: current and future carbon offset economics, the need for carbon offsets to achieve neutrality, the differences in quality available for purchased carbon offsets and the potential options to develop Lehigh Valley-based carbon offset projects. Some of the potential carbon offset opportunities included: least cost-purchase, purposeful purchase, local or on campus sourcing, purchase and preservation of land and carbon sequestration technology.

The Carbon Offsets working group identified several recommendations to purchase or self-generate carbon offsets, including:

  • Partner with local organizations to support tree planting to beautify landscapes and generate carbon offsets

  • Land preservation, which could generate carbon offsets on university-owned land

  • Leverage Lehigh’s students and faculty to evaluate emerging technologies, such as carbon sequestration

  • Prioritize purchases of local offsets to provide the ability for the Lehigh community to visit offset generating projects

  • Connect carbon offset purchases to the university’s mission and academic programs

  • Explore the potential to partner with local municipalities to allow for additional conservation zoning practices

Building Energy Working Group

The Building Energy working group focused on understanding Lehigh’s energy consumption patterns, peer institution energy and GHG performances, and the effects of new buildings and other infrastructure projects on both energy and GHG emission profiles. The working group analyzed two categories of emissions sources from the GHG Inventory: On-campus Stationary Sources and Purchased Electricity. This group oversaw the building energy audits and evaluated energy project funding opportunities. After the energy audits were completed, the SHG shared audit results and energy-saving recommendations with the working group. The group evaluated energy-saving opportunities for viability and acceptability and recommended the following:

  • Implement High Priority Energy Projects identified during Phase 1 of campus energy audits

  • Complete Phase 2 of campus energy audits for remaining campus facilities

  • Develop a measurement and verification plan to quantify and communicate energy consumption reductions, energy cost savings and GHG emissions reductions resulting from energy project implementation

  • Continue pursuing the Virtual Power Purchase Agreement project that will offset approximately 90% of Lehigh’s current electric emissions

  • Continue developing the on-site solar project that will install a ~2.625 MW ground-mounted solar array on Lehigh’s Goodman campus

  • Continue to evaluate Renewable Fuel Oil as a potential low emissions fuel to replace natural gas at the Packer and Mountaintop heating plants

  • Study facilities with independent heating systems that could be fully electrified as natural gas heating equipment approaches the end of useful life

Building Energy Audits

In Lehigh’s base year emissions profile, 98% of emissions were a result of energy consumption. In 2019, Lehigh’s GHG emissions inventory broadened, but 75% of all emissions still resulted from energy consumption. Lehigh has implemented several energy efficiency projects in recent years, but additional opportunities remain. SHG selected buildings that were most representative of Lehigh’s campus for the initial phase of inspection. Thirty-five facilities representing 2.19 million gross square feet were chosen for their Energy Use Intensity (EUI), annual energy use, diversity of use and Lehigh’s overall long-term plans. SHG completed ASHRAE Level 1.5 audits to identify implementable energy savings projects resulting in an Energy Capital Investment Plan (ECIP), identifying energy conservation and efficiency opportunities.

Energy Capital Investment Plan

SHG’s energy audit identified a total of 219 potential energy projects and 196 potential operation and controls adjustments that would reduce Lehigh’s energy consumption in the 35 buildings that were surveyed. Of all projects identified, a total of 98 projects and 93 operation and controls adjustments are recommended for implementation as Phase 1 High Priority Energy Projects. Examples of project types include adjustments to building controls, augmentation of building control systems, air handling system upgrades, building envelope upgrades, plumbing projects, lighting projects and building retro-commissioning.

Phase 1 high-return energy projects will cost an estimated $2,325,000, with projected annual savings of approximately $375,000 per year. At the time of the study, it was estimated that PPL Corp.’s custom utility incentives would have a value of $250,000, which would help offset the project cost. It is recommended that Lehigh budgets $400,000 which includes oversight of the projects, efforts to obtain incentive funds and a contingency. A key recommendation of Phase 1 of the energy audits is to continue evaluating other facilities to identify potential energy savings in all of Lehigh’s facilities. The total budget to support all Phase 1 High Priority Energy project initiatives is $3 million.

Connection to Educational Mission

Building a strong connection between academics and campus sustainability was a cornerstone in the development of Lehigh’s CAS and will continue to be so throughout its implementation. Lehigh’s mission, “To advance learning through the integration of teaching, research, and service to others,” provides strong guidance that will support the development of specific tactics to achieve net carbon neutrality. Throughout the implementation of this strategy, Lehigh will highlight physical and operational changes to its campus to provide students across all five colleges with first-hand experiences, using the campus as a living laboratory for experiential learning and showcasing potential synergies with faculty research interests. The newly developed Lehigh Climate Lab, a partnership with the Office of Sustainability, LU Facilities and faculty, will meet regularly to identify opportunities to bring Lehigh’s CAS into coursework, projects and research. In addition, all Lehigh faculty will be encouraged to incorporate climate action content into their course work using the Climate Action Strategy Course Toolkit.

Finally, departments such as the Energy Research Center can facilitate collaborations between student/faculty research and LU Facilities as renewable alternatives are evaluated for the central plants. Further, expertise in departments such as Earth and Environmental Science will allow for a thorough inventory of campus trees. There will be numerous opportunities to leverage the expertise and ideas of students and faculty throughout the Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Sciences to identify emerging technologies to reduce GHG emissions at Lehigh as well as globally. Each college will have a unique role to play.

Community Input and Engagement

Developing this strategy was an opportunity for Lehigh to lead, energize and rally the campus community around climate action issues. In October 2020, Trust worked with the Office of Sustainability to host a series of campus ideation sessions designed to inform, engage and seek community insight on what Lehigh should consider when developing the Climate Action Strategy. Feedback from the sessions, as well as from surveys, was crucial to identify the guiding principles for the Climate Action Strategy and indicated that the campus community is excited about Lehigh taking a leadership role in combating climate change. Leadership on climate issues is not only imperative in terms of the university’s environmental footprint, but it’s also increasingly valuable, and important, to current students, prospective students, faculty, staff and alumni.