Climate Action Plan

NAU can cut 20 percent of its current Scope 1 and 2 emissions by maximizing energy and water efficiency. Maximizing our efficiency yields an estimated $2.8M in annual utility savings by 2030, as well as improved occupant comfort, function, and resiliency of NAU buildings and infrastructure.

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Transitioning to carbon-free electricity to power NAU’s operations will result in a 54 percent reduction in NAU’s current operating emissions and signal to the NAU community, state, and nation our commitment and capacity to get to net zero.

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Natural gas represents 42 percent of NAU’s current carbon emissions. NAU will address this by converting the district heating system to low-temperature hot water and connecting North and South plants are two initial steps necessary to maintain system function and to improve climate resilience before eliminating natural gas. Also, NAU will convert the current natural gas-powered building boilers and all on-campus appliances to electric.

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Electric vehicles are a way to demonstrate NAU’s commitment to a carbon-free future and will reduce current emissions by approximately five percent over the next eight years by right-sizing the fleet and producing cost savings over the lifetime of each vehicle compared to internal combustion engines. Other benefits include reducing noise and air pollution. NAU has recently approved an all-electric vehicle purchasing policy.

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Minimizing waste, reducing campus water usage, enhancing commuting options, adopting sustainable university-sponsored travel policies, and a focus on behavioral change will strengthen the university’s culture of sustainability and reduce associated Scope 3 emissions. Through policy changes, outreach, and sustainability-focused behavioral change programs, NAU will create a recognizable culture of sustainability.

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Partnering with and supporting NAU’s in-house expertise and certificate program in greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting will help NAU quantify its progress and stay accountable to its community.

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NAU has a wealth of expertise and energy in its classrooms and laboratories today. Investing in students, staff, and faculty through the Sustainable Campus Ecosystem Initiative is a cost-effective impact multiplier, enabling NAU not only to realize these sustainability goals in the community as a living laboratory, but also to ensure it is preparing students, staff, and faculty to meet the climate challenges of the 21st century.

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Goals for future development of NAU policy regarding carbon neutrality and sustainability:

• Develop a new procurement policy to include life cycle analysis, use of the social cost of carbon for university purchases
• Develop policies to guide all purchasing of energy-consuming devices
• Develop energy and sustainability policies for vendors and private leases
• Develop an organic and native plant landscaping policy
• Develop a policy for tracking embodied carbon in university purchases
• Develop sustainable building practices and technology standards with a focus on embodied carbon intensity
• Develop and enforce energy standards and policies for building operations and new building deep energy retrofits

A climate action assessment serves as a strategic document that helps guide a community toward a common stewardship goal. A majority of university Climate Action Assessments focus on lessening consumption, carbon footprints, and creating a more sustainable institution.

A climate action assessment is a strategic development to institute a climate action assessment to reach university and community goals such as carbon neutrality, stewardship, and student job skills. It is essential for the campus community to have a guiding road map for a sustainable future to help further the living laboratory concept, which is a picture to define how research, campus needs, and student learning can come together to foster an active learning community.

NAU understands climate change impacts are not distributed fairly: people of color, low-income communities, Indigenous peoples, developing countries, and young people experience some of the warming’s worst effects. These communities are also those least responsible for climate change. Without major emissions reductions in the next eight years, these harmful impacts and disparities will multiply. As an institution committed to delivering equitable post-secondary value and acting on the values of equity, justice, and sustainability Northern Arizona University must lead other institutions and support these communities as the impacts of climate change become more prevalent.

According to the EPA, understanding Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions is essential for efforts of decarbonization.

Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organization. For example, emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, and vehicles.

Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling, they are accounted for in an organization’s GHG inventory because they are a result of the organization’s energy use.

Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly affects in its value chain. Scope 3 emissions include all sources not within an organization’s scope 1 and 2 boundaries and often represent the majority of an organization’s total greenhouse gas emissions. NAU is focused on measuring and mitigating commuting, university-sponsored travel, waste, water usage, purchased goods and services, and financed emissions.

Source: Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance