Progress Report for Bowdoin College

Bowdoin is greatly encouraged by the 16% reduction in GHG emissions made during the three years since the ACUPCC carbon reduction plan was adopted. Achieving carbon neutrality, however, will take time and dedication. Looking forward, we are excited about the many ongoing efforts to reduce GHG emissions at the College.
In the next 2 years, specific projects to look for include:
• Cogeneration in the central heating plant (winter 2011) that is estimated to reduce the College’s annual electricity usage by as much as 10%;
• The Working Group on Sustainability's implementation of the following proposals (2012):
-making the behavioral goals of the carbon neutrality plan visible, clear, and easy to understand;
-generating bottom-up support and engagement through the development of specific action items that help attain energy conservation and emissions reductions;
-developing ways to build a campus culture that includes sustainability as a core principle ; and
-assessing the effectiveness/meaningfulness of carbon neutrality/sustainability as an overall part of the Bowdoin experience.
• lighting upgrades in Hubbard Hall, Sargent Gymnasium, and other locations (ongoing);
• expansion of the College’s Web-based Building Dashboard®, which makes Bowdoin’s energy use visible, engaging, and easily understood by students, faculty, staff, and guests (ongoing); and
• continued progress in switching the remaining satellite facilities from No. 2 heating oil to lower carbon natural gas (ongoing).
For the full 2011 Climate Neutrality Plan Update please click on the link listed below.

Climate Neutrality Target Date:	2020

Interim Milestone Emission-Reduction Target	Target Date	Baseline*
17% reduction in Total Scopes 1, 2, 3 Emissions	by 2013	relative to baseline emissions in 2008
27% reduction in Total Scopes 1, 2, 3 Emissions	by 2018	relative to baseline emissions in 2008

[click to view Climate Action Plan - Bowdoin College Climate Neutrality Implementation Plan]

GHGs summary

GHGs for Bowdoin College

Reporting Year	Gross Emissions	Net Emissions	Full Time Enrollments	Total Bldg. Sq. Ft.	[action]
2008	24557.0	17166.0	1710.0	1957788.0	[ view ]
2010	17880.0	13321.0	1750.0	2054325.0	[ view ]
2011	16086.0	12676.0	1761.0	1997916.0	[ view ]
2012	14467.0	11382.39	1780.0	2035038.0	[ view ]

• Change in GHG gross emissions
  

  -10090.0



• Change in GHG emissions per 1000 sq.ft. building space
  

  -5.43427941024



• Change in GHG emissions per full time enrollment (FTE)
  

  -6.23329062356

Curriculum

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Co-Curriculum

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Research

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Community Engagement

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Energy Efficiency Projects

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• Number of Energy Efficiency Retrofit Projects planned, but not yet implemented:

  22



• Number of Energy Efficiency Retrofit Projects completed since signing the ACUPCC:

  77



• Number of buildings that have received a green building certification since signing the ACUPCC:

  2



• Number of green buildings planned or scheduled for completion in the next 2 years:

  1



• For all buildings, the green building certification/rating used is:

  USGBC:LEED

Renewable Energy

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• Annual output (in kWhs) for each renewable energy system utilized by Bowdoin College

  • Solar output: 86302 kWh
  
  
  • Annual renewable energy purchased: 13900 kWh
  
  

• Other GHG mitigation efforts:
  During the summer of 2011 Bowdoin added cogeneration to its central heating plant. It is estimated that once it is operating (winter 2011/2012), the 630-kilowatt back-pressure steam turbine generator will generate 1.65 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, nearly 10 percent of the College's annual electricity consumption.
  
  http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1bowdoincampus/008684.shtml
  

Financial Data

savings...

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• Has your Climate Action Plan and/or related sustainability efforts saved your institution money so far, e.g. by reducing operational expenses?

  yes



• Amount spent on CAP projects:

  $1-10M

funding....

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• Financial resources (dollar amount) secured from outside sources to support mitigation efforts related to the Climate Action Plan (grants, gifts, etc...) :

  454609



• Additional information on secured outside funding:

  The majority of outside funding has come from the Efficiency Maine Trust. Since 2009, the College has received more than $150,000 from the Efficiency Maine Trust's rebate programs. Included in this total were two $50,000 grants for solar hot water installations. The remaining $50,000 plus was awarded in the form of rebates for energy efficiency projects. In addition to rebate program funding, Bowdoin received a $400,000 grant from the Efficiency Maine Trust to help fund the central heating plant’s new cogeneration system.
  
  See http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1bowdoincampus/008112.shtml
  for the second solar installation grant press release.
  

finance methods...

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• Financing Methods utilized for Mitigation or Renewable Energy Projects:
  • Other
    Many energy conservation or carbon reducing initiatives with a payback of 0 – 3 years have been funded within the existing annual operating budget. From FY09 through FY11, the College’s annual operating budget has contributed more than $800K in funding. In addition, the major maintenance and capital renewal budget has funded energy conservation projects totaling more than $600K through FY11.

This data is available to ACUPCC signatories with reporting system access.