Project

CO2 emission model and its implementation

Goals

The goal of the project is to develop a model to measure TalTech’s carbon footprint. Additional objectives planned during the project:

Carbon footprint inventory (2022 base year) and metrics
2035 climate-neutral university action plan
Low carbon procurement practice
Activities supporting research excellence (development and implementation of a multi-level carbon footprint hybrid model at TalTech, creation and implementation of an automated inventory management tool
Activities to support the excellence of teaching (introduction of available carbon footprint models, the reflection of the research process carried out at TalTech in teaching and learning and personal opportunities to participate in research).

Brief description of the model: Existing data describing TalTech’s carbon footprint are collected from three main datasets – a) building energy consumption dataset, b) mobility dataset, c) services and goods purchase dataset. For everyone’s use, an interface with already existing large databases is created, for example mobility data comes from the Telia Crowd Insights service database, services and goods from the Microsoft NAV Dynamics database. The model belongs to TalTech.

Project benefits

The measurable and decreasing carbon footprint of the university, giving content to the goal of a 2035 climate-neutral university and progress towards climate neutrality. The climate neutrality development of other universities and organizations. TalTech’s development as a leader and a signpost in the field.

The expected results are the TalTech carbon footprint model and relevant 2022 inventory carried out by the automated data collection tool. Using the same tool, the data from subsequent years will also be collected, and an online dashboard will be enabled. Separately, the Taltech emission factor database will be created as a public website, a report on emission factors methodology, and a free carbon footprint inventory tool for universities. The indirect expected outcome is greater involvement of climate neutrality issues in research and teaching and learning activities and supporting other public institutions in their similar endeavours.

Regulations

Results and deadlines

1.The Carbon Footprint team has been assembled	October 2022
2. Meetings with the team have been held 3 times in a large circle and separately in smaller circles	December 2022
3.2035 describing the KPI of a carbon neutral university	March 2023
4. Completion of the inventory of the base year 2022, expert examination	May 2023
5. Work formalization and print	June 2023
6.Completion of the browser-based tool for the model	September 2023