The university's annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory showcases its ongoing commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction efforts.
Elon University has released its annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The inventory showcases the university’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction efforts.
The latest inventory reveals that Elon’s net emissions for the fiscal year were 26 percent lower than the 2007-08 fiscal year despite significant campus growth in building square footage and student population during the past 15 years. This notable decrease is primarily due to the purchase of verified carbon offsets through the university’s Carbon Neutral Global Engagement Initiative and the source of the university’s purchased electricity is less carbon-intensive.
Elon started tracking annual emissions in 2008 to monitor progress toward reaching carbon neutrality by 2037. “While Elon has made progress toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2037, there is still more work to do,” said Senior Director of Sustainability Elaine Durr.
A breakdown of Elon’s gross emissions provides insight into the sources contributing to the university’s emissions. Energy consumption remains the largest contributor, accounting for 43 percent of Elon’s emissions in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Since 2008, energy consumption per square foot on campus has decreased by 32 percent, highlighting the importance of continued efforts to reduce energy consumption on campus.
Transportation – including university-funded travel for faculty, staff and students, study abroad travel, commuter travel and fuel use in the university fleet – accounts for 48 percent of Elon’s total emissions. Study abroad travel is the largest source of transportation emissions and accounted for 21 percent of overall emissions in the latest inventory. Recognizing the environmental impact of global engagement travel, the Carbon Neutral Global Engagement Initiative was launched in fall 2020. This initiative mitigates the emissions associated with global engagement travel through the annual purchase of verified carbon offsets.
Completing the greenhouse gas emissions inventory involves collecting data from numerous departments, ranging from Facilities Management for electricity and natural gas consumption to Elon Athletics for team travel data.
“Thank you to the many departments and individuals on campus who provide the necessary data to complete the annual inventory,” said Durr, who completes the annual inventory.
To learn more about the greenhouse gas emissions inventory and Elon University’s sustainability efforts, visit the university’s Sustainability website.