The strengths of EMAS as an environmental management system for European university campuses

Int J Life Cycle Assess

2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the suitability of organizational life cycle assessments (O-LCAs) for higher education institutions (HEIs) with special attention to the benefits and particularities of those adopting environmental management systems (EMSs) verified according to EMAS. Methods A thorough analysis following ISO/TS 14072 and UNEP Guidance was carried out using the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) EMS verified by the EMAS for guiding principles to develop the methodological proposal. The self-sufficiency of UPV EMS for developing an O-LCA was tested at the university pilot unit. The four steps of the O-LCA were applied to the pilot. Results and discussion A reporting organization, the organization to be studied (boundaries and scope), was defined in consideration of the environmental units (EU) of the EMS. Operational control was selected as a consolidation method. Reporting flows and system boundaries are also discussed. A three-scope scheme of the GHG protocol is introduced and combined with the ISO 14072 boundary definition to support better alignment with the HEI structure. For the life cycle inventory analysis, a mechanism for identifying activities and processes as well as their material and energy flows is proposed in consideration of the particularities of HEIs. A procedure for the prioritization of data collection efforts and cutoffs was developed. The procedure integrates current EMAS actions based on the significance of environmental aspects combined with the influence of reporting organizations under their control. Impact categories focus on midpoint indicators along with an additional inventory level indicator as part of the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). Unfortunately, due to a lack of quality data available, LCIA can only be assessed in part with little interest in outcomes. Partial results are presented. Conclusions An EMS verified by EMAS is proven to be useful in the assessment of O-LCA for HEIs. However, EMAS requirements do not ensure the availability of all data needed to develop an O-LCA. An accounting system should complement a lack of data if it is properly structured. Considerable efforts are required to obtain an accurate result. EMS and the accounting system may be able to provide information that supports an O-LCA approach based on a coherent prioritization of data collection efforts and cutoff procedures along with a set of justified impact category indicators. Overall, organization managers must be in favor of such an assessment to meet the requirements of successful implementation.

Section: Literature Review Of O-lca For Organizationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organizational life cycle assessment: suitability for higher education institutions with environmental management systems

Int J Life Cycle Assess

2017

Use of Life Cycle Assessment methodology in the analysis of Ecological Footprint Assessment results to evaluate the environmental performance of universities

Journal of Cleaner Production

2016

The assessment of the environmental performance of an organization is an essential part of the decision-making process of an Environmental Management System. Having robust indicators enables a reliable assessment. The Ecological Footprint Assessment is used in different types of organizations, including universities. Its ability to clearly communicate over-consumption by using a land-base unit is an advantage when involving the university community in achieving better environmental performance. However, its lack of standardization makes it difficult to use as an indicator. It is believed that Life Cycle Assessment offers a framework with which to standardize the Ecological Footprint Assessment. In this paper, an Ecological Footprint Assessment considering Life Cycle Assessment methodology is developed as a case study for Universitat Politècnica de València. Findings regarding the critical decisions of the methodology are compared with 23 Ecological Footprint Assessments of universities using a Life Cycle Assessment framework. Only 26% of the studies analyzed reference the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. Critical decisions such as defining a Functional Unit were relevant but not standardized, while the definition of the product system was the most standardized and homogeneous decision. The difficulty of gathering information when Environmental Management Systems are not available makes the Ecological Footprint Assessment a weak indicator. Nevertheless, results show that Life Cycle Assessment can guide an Ecological Footprint Assessment methodology where comparability and reliability is possible.

Key Performance Indicators to optimize the environmental performance of Higher Education Institutions with environmental management system – A case study of Universitat Politècnica de València

Journal of Cleaner Production

2018

The environmental performance has been gaining place in the decision makers board of organizations. Higher Education Institution with environmental awareness required, as all organizations, tools to help the development of policies and programs toward a better performance. Key Performance Indicators are usually part of economic and financial decision-maker boards. The definition of a set of Key Performance Indicators regarding the relevant environmental aspects of an institution seems to be a step toward the integration of environmental issues in the overall management. In this paper, a methodological proposal to define environmental Key Performance Indicators for Higher Education Institutions with robust Environmental Management System (ISO certified or EMAS verified) is proposed together with a validation system based on Metaperformance evaluation indicators. The proposal is based on the significant environmental aspects along with the degree of operational control that the organization has over them. Additionally, a list of over 140 environmental indicators described and classified are offer as inspiration. An environmental unit, EPSA, of Universitat Politècnica de València, EMAS verified, is used as a pilot case study. As a result, seven Key Performance Indicators are defined, although only three could be fully assessed. Energy consumption, waste management treatment and greenhouse gases emissions are the key elements of these indicators. Institutions with robust Environmental Management Systems have significant advantages on the identification of the relevant environmental aspects and the definition of the goals that set the start point to define Key Performance Indicators. However, these systems do not ensure the availability of data or the quality desired. In the case study, additional resources are required in order to obtained results for the Key Performance Indicators that assess it significant environmental aspects. The effort would benefit both the Environmental Management System and the decision-making board.