Climate Resilient Campuses

Niina Kautto, Linda Stevenson and Ben McMenamin

Leadership & Governance Session 15th ACTS Conference, Geelong

21 Oct 2015

Campus Climate Adaptation Planning Survey still open –

we welcome your responses at:

http://bitly.com/campusadaptation

Structure

• Welcome

• Climate adaptation planning in the tertiary

sector

• Why to adapt

• RMIT CAP process

• Preliminary survey results

• Pitching adaptation planning

• Discussion

The basics Climate change adaptation

Adaptation vs. mitigation

Adaptation: Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to

actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm

or exploits beneficial opportunities (IPCC 2001)

Mitigation: An anthropogenic intervention to reduce the sources or

enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases (IPCC 2001)

Source: CSIRO Fourth Annual Survey of Australian Attitudes to climate change: Interim report (2014)

Familiarity with climate change terminology

(CSIRO survey of Australians 2014)

So why adapt?

Why adapt? 3 key reasons

#1: Emissions aren’t

slowing down … yet

#2: Climate system

feedback is delayed

#3: We’re already

feeling climate change

Adaptation planning rationale

Rather than the university impacting the

environment,

it is about the environment impacting the

university…

And doing something about it

‘… there is relatively low awareness of what climate adaptation entails for

institutions of higher education and relatively little action being taken on

adaptation, particularly in terms of education and operations’

Dyer & Andrews 2011

Introduction

Towards a climate resilient RMIT

Climate Change Adaptation Program

Asia-Pacific

Australia-wide

Victoria

Project overview

RMIT

Melbourne

CBD Campus

Climate

Adaptation

Plan

2011-12 2015-16 2013-14

• Building on a Campus Climate Risk Assessment, climate analysis

& expert/stakeholder capacity mapping

• Funded by the RMIT Sustainability Committee, supported by

Property Services

Towards a climate resilient RMIT

Core objective:

integration of academic expertise, knowledge and student learning into the RMIT

campus environment and facilities management processes

Linking public benefits to public funding

Greenspaces Public spaces,

mitigated flash

flooding, reduced

urban heat Cool roofs

Walkable 20min

neighbourhoods,

improved transport

links, reduced open

space CBD demand

Liveable city objectives,

urban climate

resilience, building

design exemplars,

enhanced biodiversity

Findings

2012 RMIT Climate Risk Assessment

The 2012 approach

Melbourne campus

Current climate impacts: hotspots

1. HVAC Systems 2. ITS Systems 3. Water Intrusions

Staff Email

System BEIMS

VOIP Phone

System

Number of Weekday Maintenance Requests

Storm

Events

• Central Chiller, Aging Discrete Units, Non-AC

• Threshold of 35°C, weakened above 25°C

• Impacts on productivity, reputation, cross-campus mobility, water efficiency

• Linked to stormwater, drainage systems

• Maintenance context (backlog, new builds)

• Complex built form (condition/age/use)

• Low consequence, but easy fixes

• Limited contingencies if

system fails

• Multiple components

vulnerable (electricity,

comms., data centres)

• Key mechanism for other

adaptation measures

Key future risks: extreme heat, storms

RMIT 2030 Climate Risk Assessment – Workshop Risk Matrix

Catastrophic/

Outstanding

LTD2, LTD

1

Major LTD2a HD1

Moderate HD2, RS1,

RS2 HD3, CR1

Minor

Insignificant

Rare Unlikely Possible Likely

Almost

certain

RMIT 2030 Climate Risk Assessment – Expert Modified Risk Matrix

Catastrophic/

Outstanding

LTD2, LTD

1

Major RS6

LTD2a

RS5,

LTD2,3 HD1

Moderate RS1

RS3, RS4 HD5

HD2, RS1,

RS2 HD3, CR1

Minor

HD4,

LTD1

Insignificant

HD1

Rare Unlikely Possible Likely

Almost

certain

Increased Number and Intensity of Hot Days (2030)

HD1 – Transport failures and delays

HD2 – Blackouts/Brownouts

HD3 – HVAC failure or loss of capacity

Higher Intensity Rain & Storm Events (2030)

RS1 – Storm water damaged and/or overloaded

RS2 – Multiple buildings damaged over one year

Increased Number and Intensity of Hot Days (2030)

HD1 – Transport failures and delays

HD2 – (expanded to onsite impacts HD3 – HD5)

HD3 – HVAC failure or loss of capacity

HD4 – Loss of power to labs and equipment

(blackout/brownout)

HD5 – ITS and communications failure

Higher Intensity Rain & Storm Events (2030)

RS1 – Storm water damaged and/or overloaded

RS2 – Multiple buildings damaged over one year

RS3 – Chemical storage compromised

RS4 – Backflow of polluted water into buildings

RS5 – Communications and ITS failure

RS6 – Water entering campus electrical sub-stations

Findings Climate Extremes Assessment & Interim

Adaptation Options Report

Extreme heat and the urban heat island

• Localised hotspots linked to built form

• Impacts wider city area

• Need for recreational space for students

• Disproportionate number of hot days as climate shifts

Extreme heat and climate change

Extreme heat having a wider impact on productivity, student/staff movement

and dependence on public space beyond the university precinct

What to do about it

Developing an adaptation plan

Key components 2015-16

• Revised & completed risk-based adaptation plan – AS5334 compliant – 2 scenarios, 2 time slices

– Building in mainstreaming & teaching/research capacity

• Baseline surveys – RMIT students & tertiary sector

• Intersecting/cross-boundary institutions

• Explore opportunities at other campuses (esp. Vietnam)

RMIT as a climate-resilient precinct?

RMIT: 6% of CBD’s GFA, more roofspace than State Govt. & CoM

Sustainability initiatives: Greenstar Communities, Green Government Buildings,

Sustainability Action Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan

RMIT as a climate-resilient precinct?

RMIT: 6% of CBD’s GFA, more roofspace than State Govt. & CoM

Sustainability initiatives: Greenstar Communities, Green Government Buildings,

Sustainability Action Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan

Leveraging learning and teaching

- Greening RMIT

- Matter of Landscape Masters Course

Campus Climate Adaptation

Planning Survey

Preliminary results

Who is planning?

Dalhousie University, Canada

Harvard University,

USA

Cornell University,

USA

Resilience/ adaptation planning elements included at

least in the climate change/sustainability plans of...

Survey – quick glance

• More than 100 universities

and tertiary institutions

invited by email, via campus

networks and social media

• 27 surveys completed since

mid-September

• Respondents sustainability

managers/in a similar role

• Remains open – we welcome

your responses (see link at the

end)!

Country distribution of respondents

Australia 56%

New Zealand

18%

USA 11%

Canada 7%

Finland 4%

Switzerland 4%

Campus location and characterisation

• 22 universities had more than one campus

• 67% of the main campuses located in a highly

developed urban setting

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Centre/CBD Peri urban / city fringe Rural or countryside Other

Institutional planning – mitigation

• More than half (56%) of the institutions have set

emission reduction targets or related goals

0 5 10 15 20

Other

Stand-alone climate change plan

Targets/goals set to reduce carbonfootprint

Motherhood statements inplanning/policies

No goals, objectives, strategicstatements

Institutional planning – adaptation (global)

• More than half have at least considered it

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Other

I'm not sure

Stand-alone climate adaptation plandeveloped/in developed

Adaptation objectives/actions as part of abroader climate change plan

Vulnerability assessment conducted

Risk-based assessment conducted

Motherhood statements in planning/policies

No goals, objectives, strategic statements

Institutional planning – adaptation (AUS)

• 47% of the institutions have not set goals

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Stand-alone climate adaptation plandeveloped/ in development

Adaptation objectives/actions as part of abroader climate change plan

Vulnerability assessment conducted

Risk-based assessment conducted

Motherhood statements in planning/policies

No goals, objectives, strategic statements

Climate impacts assessment stage

• 8 institutions have at least proposed/ flagged for

action

0 1 2 3 4

Completed

Currently underway

Proposed/ flagged for action

Other (partially completed/ partialapproach)

Climate impacts assessment report/analysis status

0 1 2 3 4 5

Another stage

Publicly available

Internal use only

Includes a defined process for monitoring/review

Not yet complete but currently underway

Draft stage with no defined timeline forendorsement

Formally endorsed

Motivations to examine exposure and adaptation actions

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Other

Part of an accreditation process

Unsolicited proposal by academic expert orresearch group

Sustainability/Facilities Management's owninitiative

Mandate/directive from leadership(VC/CEO/Board or similar)

Other: campus master planning process

Assessment approach

Of the 8 respondents, only 2 followed an

international standard, such as AS/NZ ISO 31000

75% of those utilised something else…

• Green Building Council of Australia

• Other organisational modelling/community process

• Internal methodology

• Other climate action plans (US, UK)

• International Sustainable Campus Network models

Climate scenarios and time slices

Only one university specified these

Example response of a Canadian university

Climate related hazards (current/future)

Four key threats faced by the tertiary institutions

/estuarine

Hazards to Australian institutions similar, flooding replaced by heatwaves

Climate adaptation plan elements

Most often present (71-100% of 6 responses):

• Infrastructure investment and/or design

requirements

• Monitoring & evaluation

• Implementation timelines

• Integrated academic-facilities partnerships

• Emissions-reduction co-benefit areas

Comparing risks – climate change vs. other

Example response of an Australian university

Lessons learned – enabling/ driving factors

• Commitment to Green Star buildings

• (Formal) recognition of the value of sustainability

• Creating a representative committee within the

Senior Management Team

• Education (esp. those in exec. positions)

• Funding available

• Engaging groups with specific insight into the

campus and community

• Campus renewal plans/ master planning

• Unreliable supply of the quality of coal

Lessons learned – motivating factors

• Managing long-term risks

• ‘No regrets’ approach

• Acting as a role model for

society

• Showing leadership, both

academically and

operationally

Should your university develop a plan?

Of 20 respondents….

YES – 85%

NO – 10%

Not sure – 5%

Activity:

The Pitch

Aim:

• Develop a 1-2 minute ‘pitch’ on why on how your university

should develop a climate adaptation plan

Process:

• Form groups of 3-4 with participants to your left or right, then:

Step 1: Define the target audience for your pitch

Step 2: Develop a compelling argument on why to plan for climate adaptation

Step 3: Define how it could be done

Pitching adaptation/ resilience planning

Discussion

Some possible discussion items

• Motivations – what drives planning?

• Ownership – who should own it?

• Success – what does it look like?

• Connected to other planning – mitigation, risk?

Thanks!

Any questions?

niina.kautto@rmit.edu.au

alexei.trundle@rmit.edu.au

Campus Climate Adaptation Planning Survey:

http://bitly.com/campusadaptation