Guide to the CO2 Impact Template

This guide outlines the CO2 impact template developed for the University Council to include carbon impact assessments in capital project business cases. The template is designed to ensure consistent and transparent reporting of CO2 emissions, comparing 'business as usual' figures with predicted emissions for proposed projects. It incorporates both embodied CO2 emissions from construction processes and operational emissions. The guide specifies a 30-year timeframe for evaluating CO2 impacts, allowing projects to demonstrate operational savings that exceed initial embodied emissions. It details the necessary data inputs for the spreadsheet, including floor areas, energy consumption, and predicted CO2 emissions. Additionally, it discusses assumptions related to grid electricity carbon factors and CO2 sequestration. The guide also outlines approval gateways for project registration and emphasizes the need for accurate assessments at various design stages, ensuring that actual energy consumption is reviewed post-completion for improved benchmarking.