University of Kentucky
OP-2: Outdoor Air Quality

The University wholeheartedly encourages the use of alternative transportation such as cycling, ride sharing, and public transit as a means to reduce emissions from mobile sources. Most recently the University entered into an agreement with Lextran to allow all University students, faculty, and staff to ride any Lextran bus route free of charge. This partnership will provide safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation options for all of the University community.

The University is regulated under a Title V Air Quality Permit for significant air emissions from stationary sources such as boilers, generators and paint booths. The Air Quality Permit is renewed every five years, with the most recent renewal starting in September 2014. University personnel report emissions, including NOx, SOx, CO, PM, HAPs, GHGs, and VOCs, to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection on a monthly basis using actual run-time data of each emission source. The University is also require to perform routine tests such as stack testing and emission opacity to ensure compliance. Aside from the Title V emissions inventory, in 2013 the University Office of Sustainability worked with a consultant to develop a "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Mitigation Strategy Assessment" Report that assessed historical and projected emissions and potential methodologies for reduction. Emission sources assessed include Direct Campus Emissions, Offsite Purchased Power, and Indirect Campus Emissions. This report is currently awaiting approval from the University Administration.

The 2014 renewal of the Air Quality Permit allowed for approximately 23,200 tons of coal to be burned for steam production on campus based on the permissible HCl emissions from our coal source. The University leadership has imposed an internal upper limit of approximately 10,000 tons of coal to be burned, encouraging the majority of steam production to be from natural gas. Because of this internal limit, in calendar year 2014 just over 10,000 tons of coal were actually burned, whereas in calendar year 2012 and beyond, over 20,000 tons of coal were burned on the campus. Additionally the campus as a whole has been undergoing rapid renovation to become more efficient and reduce utility demand, including a $25.1 million dollar energy savings performance contract completed in 2011. Finally, the development of the "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Mitigation Strategy Assessment" by the Office of Sustainability, under the request of the President's Sustainability Advisory Council, is a major step towards achieving strategic reductions as the report moves from draft and into an action plan.

Emissions listed are from the calendar year 2014.