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Improving Fleet Efficiency at UConn. Background– Enviro. Policy Statement, Pres. Austin’s climate change pledge Ways to improve average fuel economy Practices at institutional peers Potential directions for UConn. Kyle Noonan Office of Environmental Policy May 4, 2005.
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Improving Fleet Efficiency at UConn Background– Enviro. Policy Statement, Pres. Austin’s climate change pledge Ways to improve average fuel economy Practices at institutional peers Potential directions for UConn Kyle Noonan Office of Environmental Policy May 4, 2005
UConn’s commitment to the environment • Environmental Policy Statement • Adopted April 22, 2004: “The University will institutionalize best practices and continually monitor, report on, and improve its environmental performance. • President Austin’s climate change pledge - Signed 2003. Commits UConn to goal of reducing regional GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2010.
WhyTransportation? • Major source of UConn’s greenhouse gases: over 2,200 tons per year • Reducing GHG emissions= reducing fuel usage= reducing operating costs • Opportunities for reducing first cost as well • UConn has opportunity to lead state
Opportunities for Improvement • Purchasing more efficient conventional vehicle to fill a given role • Replacing passenger vehicles with hybrids (as EH&S has done) • Replacing gasoline carts with electrics • Alternative fuels– biodiesel GEM model eL
Practices at other schools • UVM: dislike GEMs, Facilities use Subarus, Police use Prius • Univ. of Buffalo: 50+ CNG vehicles, 3 hybrids • Brown: 4 GEMs, acad. dept. has one hybrid • MSU: use 4 electric carts, purchasing 3 more • UNH: use GEM cart for special uses • USC: 8 GEMs, well-liked • Cornell: 7 GEMs, 3 bi-fuel (CNG & gasoline) mail trucks
Applications to UConn • GEM carts appropriate for limited uses for replace our 29 carts- Dining Services, etc. • Hybrids have great potential to replace many of our 82 passenger cars • Station wagons, vans could replace some of 60 SUVs
Implementation: How do we get these vehicles on the road at UConn? Potential routes: 1. University fleet efficiency standards 2. Require vendors to offer efficient vehicles when writing RFQ and contracts. Vendor contracts re-bid Dec. 05. 3. Outreach and education to major vehicle purchasing depts.
1. University Fleet Efficiency Standards • Overall fleet standard or standard by vehicle class (i.e. CAFE) • Enforcement, implementation tricky • Univ. of Buffalo – No Idling Policy • Some state university fleets meet state fuel economy standards: • Univ. of Washington • Univ. of Illinois • Cal State, etc.
2. Requirements for Dealers • Insert language into RFQ and contracts • Require dealers to offer hybrid/efficient vehicles, offer them to depts. • 2-yr. pre-qualified vendor contracts to be re-bid this fall. • Purchasing would need direction from senior administration
3. Outreach and Education • Office of Enviro. Policy, EcoHusky student group educate major departmental purchasers • Green Machine showcase, EPAC meetings, etc. • Efficient vehicle vendor shows • Purely volunteer incentives • Already underway to some extent
Summary of Options • University fleet efficiency standards • mpg, no-idling, alternative fuels 2. Require vendors to offer efficient vehicles when writing RFQ and contracts. Vendor contracts re-bid Dec. 05. 3. Outreach and education to major vehicle purchasing depts.
