7 Conclusions

already been implemented (i.e. lighting retrofits), these detailed audits are crucial to identify other hotspot areas to help bring the energy demand of the campus down, reducing the footprint of the school as a whole.

The calculated emissions of Pitt in FY17 have shown an overall reduction in GHG emissions. Pitt emitted 181,578 MT CO2e from mandatory sources (Scope 1 & 2) and 214,181 MT CO2e from all accountable sources. A decrease in overall steam demand and a change in the electricity fuel mix had the largest impacts on these reductions. Electricity reduction strategies in Pitt’s buildings appeared as a success as electricity use only increased slightly, which can be attributed to an increase in cooling degree days. Conversely, steam demand fell due to a decrease in heating degree days and should be monitored moving forward to discern if this drop could be attributed to other factors. Commuting and travel activities could also benefit from further tracking and consequential implementation of reduction strategies. Additionally, paper impacts could be reduced by implementing a campus-wide standard for recycled content of purchased paper. Similarly, staff members of Pitt should be educated on the GWP of all refrigerants so their impacts can help them make better decisions when a refrigerant is needed. In general, this overall decrease in GHG emissions is encouraging and should continue to propel the University of Pittsburgh into a more sustainable future.