E-Learning Task for AB0401 (CO2 Australia)

1. AB0401
Sustainable
Enterprise
Seminar 02 Group 08
Jane Chieng
Michelle Lee
Norman Lee
Samantha Tan
Shirley Tan
1

2. 2
Outline
 The
Need to Measure our Carbon Footprint
 Computation of NTU‟s Carbon Footprint
 Carbon Reductions with Online Learning Format
 Offset of Carbon Footprint via Carbon Credits
 Other Viable Alternatives

3. 3
Carbon Emissions & Climate Change
Global Warming
Rising Sea Level
Extreme Weather
Events

4. 4
The Need to Measure our Carbon Footprint






Measure impacts of NTU‟s actions on the environment
Facilitates tracking of NTU‟s progress in reaching emission
targets
Accrue cost savings through improving energy efficiency
Differentiate NTU as a reputable Green University
Financial benefits gained by reductions in carbon, energy
and material usage
Being part of a Global Effort to slow down climate change

5. 5
Analysis of NTU*
 Identification
of carbon emission sources*
Scope 1: Direct Emissions
Refrigerant and Other Chemicals: Includes estimated annual leakage of
chemical refrigerants and air-conditioning units.
Direct Transportation Sources: Includes combustion of fuel in shuttle services in
NTU.
Scope 2: Imported Emissions
Purchased Electricity: Includes emissions caused by generating the electricity
purchased by NTU and NTU has no direct control over how the energy is
produced.
Purchased Water: Includes emission due to the consumption of water purchased
by NTU.
*Information gathered from various sources (Eg. Sprangers, Clean Air-Cool Planet,etc)
and relevant carbon emission sources are identified in the context of a Singapore University.

6. 6
Analysis of NTU*
 Identification
of carbon emission sources*
Scope 3: Indirect Emissions
Student Commuting: Includes emissions from the estimated daily commute via
Public Bus, Cars, Motorcycles and Trains.
Employee Commuting: Includes emissions from the estimated daily commute
via Public Bus, Cars, Motorcycles and Trains.
Paper Consumption: Includes emissions generated during disposal of papers
Waste Disposal: Includes emissions generated from incinerated waste.
*Information gathered from various sources (Eg. Sprangers, Clean Air-Cool Planet, etc)
and relevant carbon emission sources are identified in the context of a Singapore University.

7. 7
Analysis of NTU

Calculation of Carbon Emissions:
Total CO2 emission of NTU =
Emission Factors X Activity Data for all the (sub)categories

Sum of these multiplications will give us the total CO2
emission of NTU

Degree of uncertainty of calculations can be assessed by
doing a sensitivity analysis

8. 8
Analysis of NTU
Scope 1
Amount of CO2 in kilograms (kg)
Direct Transportation Sources
112,320
Refrigerant and other chemicals
Scope 2
5,400
Amount of CO2 in kilograms (kg)
Purchased Electricity
70,520,000
Purchased Water
Scope 3
Commuting by Public Bus
Commuting by Car
Commuting by
Motorcycle
Commuting by Train
Waste Disposal
Paper Consumption
345,299
Amount of CO2 in kilograms (kg)
Students
Employees
2,509,028
290,901
869,516
2,268,302
510,859
5,330,728
841,142
7,254,850
20,000,000

9. 9
Evaluation of Carbon Footprint
Proportion of Carbon Footprint
Purchased
Water
0%
Paper
Consumption
18%
Student and
Employee
Commuting
18%
Direct
Transport
Refrigerants
0%
0%
Purchased
Electricity
64%

A large portion of our NTU‟s carbon footprint revolves around:
 Purchased Electricity (64%)
 Paper Consumption (18%)
 Student & Employee Commuting (18%)
 Minimal Purchased Water, Direct Transport and Refrigerants

10. 10
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
Model
 Creating
5 initiatives are proposed to reduce the
carbon emissions of NTU
 Remember
o Initiatives proposed are targeted at the
major components that contribute to
carbon emission analyzed previously
o

11. 11
Initiative 1: Understanding and
Applying- Transferring Learning Online



Substituting traditional physical lessons with online
learning platforms (E-Learning)
Work with Carbon Footprint Ltd; Utilise its software
Recommended Process:
 Upload lectures online for students to access and view
 E-Tutorials can be created for students to
complete, assessed and reviewed on the online
platform
 Create Discussion Forums to allow students to publish
queries for tutors to answer

12. 12
Initiative 1: Possible Carbon Emission
 E-learning
Scope 2
Purchased Electricity
 Total
Amount of CO2 in kilograms (kg)
7,762,443
Carbon Emissions
Physical Lesson in NTU
E-learning
103,095,902 kg of CO2
7,762,443 kg of CO2
Reduce by More Than 10 times!

13. 13
Initiative 1: Analysis
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Saves time, cost and carbon compared with classroom
based learning
• Lack of physical presence – No
face-to-face interactions
among students and professors
which facilitates learning
• Simplicity – Accessed through
internet/intranet
• Engaging - uses a mix of
theory/question/quiz styles to
keep learners engaged
• Multi Media - include voiceover, videos or animations
• Fully customisable - tailored
content, style and media type
to fit students‟ needs
• System downtime – wastes time
and disrupts learning
• Difficult to stimulate hands-on
or laboratory practices compared to physical
classrooms

14. 14
Initiative 1: Evaluation
Stakeholders
Effects on Stakeholders
Students
• Saves time and costs on commuting to school
• Facilitate learning process at a comfortable pace
Employees
(Professors/
Researchers)
• Able to conduct classes more flexibly
• Utilize more online resources during classes
• Breakaway from Traditional-Styled Teaching
Environment
• Reduces carbon emissions from the reductions in
travelling
• Softcopy tutorials reduces dependence on paper
usage
NTU
• Better public image/ reputation of NTU

15. 15
Initiative 2: Understanding and ApplyingPurchasing Carbon Offset Credits



Purchase of Carbon offset Credits from providers such as CO2
Group.
Relatively easy to implement but may be financially costly to
NTU.
Estimated Costs(Based on our calculations):

Price of carbon credit (per tonne of CO2) in CO2 Australia*
= AU$14.50  SGD $17.255 (approximate)

Price paid purchase equivalent amount of carbon offset credits
= $17.255/1000 x 103,095,902.85 = S$1,778,910.804
*Information gathered from
http://www.co2australia.com.au/services/environmental-carbon-credits/carbon-banc/.

16. 16
Initiative 2: Analysis
Advantages
Disadvantages
Advantages
• Carbon footprint can be
reduced
Carbon footprint can be
• Improves public image/
reduced
reputation public image/
Improved
reputation
• Places a financial cost on
Places a financial cost on
carbon emission  more
carbon emission  more
incentive to lower carbon
incentive to lower carbon
emission in the long run
emission in the long run
Disadvantages
• Wrong Message- With money,
one physical presence – do
Lack ofcan purchase right toNo
harm on environment
face-to-face interactions
among sense of and professors
• False students being Green which facilitates learning offsets
carbon credits are just
and downtime – wastes
Systemdoes not reduce impacts
on the disrupts learning
time and environment
• Alternatively, no impetus to
Difficult to stimulate hands-on
or reduce carbon emissions since
laboratory practices the amount paid to
compared to physical purchase
credits is
classrooms less than the revenue
generated at the particular
level of activity

17. 17
Initiative 2: Evaluation
Stakeholders
Effects on Stakeholders
Students
• Increased Awareness of NTU‟s Carbon Emission
 Stakeholders Involved:
Employees
• Able to contribute by working on alternative
 Students
(Professors/
methods that are more affordable then
 Employees (Professors/ Researchers)
Researchers)
purchasing carbon credits
 Environment
Environment
• Promotes cleaner environment in the long-run
NTU

Public Better public image/ reputation of NTU
•
•
Increased Financial Cost to purchase credits

18. 18
Initiative 3: Understanding and ApplyingGreen Building Designs

At Present: School of Art, Design & Media (ADM) is built as
a green building; saving 120,000 kwh/yr & 1,170m3/yr.

Recommendations:
 Continuous investment in Green Architecture
 Convert current buildings to Green Buildings
 Cut down on usage of energy for lighting and airconditioning, and water usage
*Information gathered from “2013 ISCN-GULF Charter Report - NTU”

19. 19
Initiative 4: Understanding and
Applying- Greener Transportation

Promote Green Transportation on Campus

Recommendations:
 Implement free bicycle rental scheme
 Tie up with local vendors such as Smovers to cater the
service of electric car hiring

20. 20
Initiative 3 & 4: Analysis and Evaluation
Stakeholders
Students
Employees
(Professors/
Researchers)
Environment
NTU
Effects on Stakeholders
• Appreciate actions taken by the university to
reduce carbon footprint
• Cultivate a positive mentality to reduce energy
usage for the school and environment
• Translate good habits to their own home usage
• Benefit from healthier lifestyle though cycling
• Reduction of energy usage and carbon
emissions in the long run
• Better public image/ reputation of NTU
• Increased Financial Cost to construct Green
Buildings, implement bicycle schemes
• Accrued financial savings in the long run

21. 21
Initiative 5: Understanding and ApplyingCampus-Wide Awareness Events

Promote the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Recommendations:
 Initiate „Green Events‟ on a regular basis (twice monthly)
targeted at the entire school population
 Events include: Recycling of old notes/books, Reusing of
water bottles, Reducing energy usage
 Implement friendly inter or intra university competitions
targeted at the 3Rs

Eg. The Biggest „Recycler‟

22. 22
Initiative 5: Analysis and Evaluation
Stakeholders
Students
Employees
(Professors/
Researchers)
Environment
NTU
Effects on Stakeholders
• Understand that reducing carbon emissions
and energy usage comes from an individual
behavioral lifestyle
• Cultivate a positive mentality to reduce energy
usage for the school and environment
• Having fun while doing their part for the
environment
• Reduction of energy usage and carbon
emissions in the long run
• Better public image/ reputation of NTU
• Training sustainable leaders for tomorrow

23. 23
Conclusion

No single initiative will reduce carbon emissions
effectively. It requires the con-current
implementation of both infrastructural and lifestyle
changes to bring about the greatest reduction in
NTU‟s Carbon Footprint.

Changing the behavioral habits of individuals in NTU
will provide a platform for long term lifestyle changes
in the students.

With concerted efforts from all stakeholders involved
to achieve lower carbon emissions, it will mark the
essential first step for the long term sustainability of
NTU as a sustainable enterprise.

24. 24
Executive Summary
It is essential to track NTU‟s carbon footprint and assess it‟s actions on the
environment as part of a responsible institutional effort. Based on our
calculation, NTU released an estimated of 110,858,243 kg of equivalent Carbon
Dioxide (Co2) with the bulk of emission revolving sources such as Purchased
Electricity (64%), Employee/Student commuting (18%) and paper consumption
(18%).
By identifying the main sources of emissions, we planned several initiatives
targeted at reducing the university‟s Carbon Footprint. These initiatives include:
Online-Learning Platforms, Purchasing Carbon offset Credits, Green Building
Design, Eco-Friendly Transport and holding Campus-wide Awareness Events.
By analyzing and evaluating against the effects on the stakeholders involved, we
found that the initiatives will help in reducing Carbon Footprint. However, there
are several barriers to implementation such as additional financial costs incurred
and the potential problems faced while moving to an E-Learning Platform. In the
long-term, the university will benefit from cost savings in energy efficiency and be
accountable to the environment.
In conclusion, the initiatives proposed work collaboratively and green efforts start
from an individual basis. By changing the behavioral patterns of the school
population, NTU will then achieve much higher results in Carbon Footprint
reduction with the aid of the changes in its physical and teaching infrastructure.