Climate positive
Since fiscal year 2019, ASU has been carbon neutral for scope 1 and 2 emissions. ASU has achieved this through:
- Energy efficiency.
- Green construction.
- Offsetting.
- Renewable energy acquisition.
ASU will work to reduce the need for offsets through its efforts to decarbonize over the next several years.
Achieving Carbon Neutrality at ASU Case Study
Commitments:
- Achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by FY 2025.
- Update: achieved carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions in FY 2019.
- Achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 3 emissions by FY 2035.
- Update: in progress, reduced 69% since FY 2007.
Energy efficiency and conservation
Identifying energy waste
ASU uses data from building-level energy monitors to identify energy waste. Two forms of analysis are used: year-on-year energy data is compared for each building to identify increases in energy use, and energy use intensity is compared across buildings by class to identify outliers with excessively high use. The results are used to guide energy efficiency and conservation efforts.
Email Energy Innovations with your suggestions, questions or comments on energy efficiency and conservation at ASU.
ASU Solar
Check out the ASU solar website for more information on ASU’s solar power generation.
Low-carbon energy use
Achieving ASU’s Climate Positive goal requires transitioning to low-carbon energy sources. In 2022, ASU consumed 2,289,141 gigajoules of energy, of which 916,936 gigajoules, or 43% came from low-carbon sources.
Purchasing measures: energy-related
ASU implemented sustainable purchasing policies and practices that have been recognized twice by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education for top achievement among reporting universities. To minimize emissions, the university requires Electronic Product Environment Assessment Tool Gold status for all computer purchases, the highest EPEAT standard available for television monitors, and Energy Star certification for all products and materials eligible. In practice, over 60% of paper purchased is 100% recycled.
Sustainable commuting
Sustainable transportation targets and measurements
ASU is working towards carbon-neutral transportation by 2035. As a milestone on this path and in support of Maricopa County’s Trip Reduction program, ASU aims to reduce single-occupancy vehicle travel to below 60% of total transportation modes.
ASU’s annual Comprehensive Sustainability Survey measures progress towards this target in the “Sustainable Commuting” section of the survey, which asks about the general commuting patterns of students, faculty and staff. Questions include commute modal split, travel distance to campus, level of interest in the different commuting mode options, incentives that would increase the use of a sustainable commuting mode, electric-vehicle-specific questions, and barriers to alternative modes.
As of 2022, ASU has met this milestone, with single-occupancy vehicle travel at 59%. This means that 41% of ASU chose alternative modes of transportation in 2022.
Values collected from this survey also serve to measure the effectiveness of current programs in place and to develop policies and practices to increase sustainable commuting modes.
Promoting sustainable commuting
- Expansion of bike parking spaces and free bike valet program.
- Sponsor ride-sharing incentives through Lyft.
- Implemented an air travel price on carbon to mitigate emissions equivalent to ASU-sponsored air travel.
- Working to electrify ASU’s fleet vehicles.
- Installation of electric vehicle charging stations across all campuses.
- Offer free intercampus shuttles to reduce single-occupancy combustion engine vehicle use.
- Promotion of pedestrian transportation.
- Subsidize a free local area shuttle circulator, the FLASH, in partnership with the city of Tempe.
- Subsidize Valley Metro light rail ridership.