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Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 78 - 88, 17.06.2025

Somaia Shahin , Samet Öztürk

Abstract

Bursa Technical University (BTU) is committed to achieving sustainability goals and has taken significant steps in this direction. This study was conducted in accordance with the emission factors of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the conversion factors of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The study was carried out in line with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14064 and ISO 14001 standards and in harmony with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), drawing on the experiences of five Turkish universities. This paper provides detailed information on BTU's carbon footprint calculation methodology, the standards used, and its alignment with the SDGs. The application of two distinct emission factors, those of EPA and DEFRA, yielded divergent carbon footprint (CF) values for BTU. The EPA approach yielded a value of 2697 tCO2e while the DEFRA-based assessment resulted in a lower CF of 1526 ton of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e). It is noted that most of the carbon emissions in the university is due to electricity consumption followed by natural gas usage. A prioritized action plan could be reducing the electricity consumption with automated lighting and laboratory equipment, subsequently increasing energy efficiency in the buildings.

Keywords

Sustainability Carbon Footprint EPA DEFRA GHG SDGs

Thanks

We would like to thank the staff of Bursa Technical University for providing data support during the study.

References

  • [1] A. Üreden, “Sürdürülebilir yaşam için karbon ayak izi: (Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi örneği).,” Çankarı Karatin Üniversitesi, 2019.
  • [2] UNFCCC, “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).” [Online]. Available: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-rio-conventions
  • [3] IDB, “İklim Değişikliği Hakkında Sıkça Sorulan Sorular.” [Online]. Available: https://iklim.gov.tr/sss/iklim-degisikligi
  • [4] EPA, “GHG Emission Factors Hub.” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/ghg-emission-factors-hub
  • [5] T. Sokezan, A. M. Hagan, and A. Azillino, “European offshore renewable energy: Towards a sustainable future,” Researchgate, [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369762557_European_offshore_renewable_energy_Towards_a_sustainable_future
  • [6] BTÜ, “BTÜ kampüsler.” Accessed: May 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://btu.edu.tr/tr/sayfa/detay/3369/kampusler
  • [7] Seyhan, A. and Çerçi, M. “IPCC Tier 1 ve DEFRA Metot ları ile Karbon Ayak İzinin Belirlenmesi : Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi ’ nin Yakıt ve Elektrik Tüketimi Örneğ i Determination of Carbon Footprint with IPCC Tier 1 and DEFRA Methods : The Case Study of Erzincan Binali Y,” pp. 386–397, 2022, doi: 10.19113/sdufenbed.
  • [8] G. Binboğa and A. Ünel, “Sürdürülebilirlik Ekseninde Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi'nin Karbon Ayak İzinin Hesaplanmasına Yönelik Bir Araştırma,” p. 16, 2016.
  • [9] Üreden, A. (2019). Sürdürülebilir yaşam için karbon ayak izi: (Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi örneği). Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Çankırı Karatekin University.
  • [10] Kumaş, K., Akyüz, A. Ö., Zaman, M., & Güngör, A. (2019). Sürdürülebilir bir çevre için karbon ayak izi tespiti: MAKÜ Bucak Sağlık Yüksekokulu örneği. El-Cezeri, 6(1), 108-117.
  • [11] A. B. Yavuz, O. Kara, and B. Yanıktepe, “Karbon ayak izi tespiti: Osmaniye Korkut Ata Üniversitesi örneği,” 2023.
  • [12] Hünerli, E., Dolgun, G. K., Ural, T., Güllüce, H., & Karabacak, D. Calculation of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University's Carbon Footprint with IPCC Tier 1 Approach and DEFRA Method. Kırklareli Üniversitesi Mühendislik ve Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(1), 1-28.
  • [13] ISO 14064-1, “Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals,” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/66453.html
  • [14] ISO 14067, “Greenhouse gases Carbon footprint of products,” 2018, [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/71206.html
  • [15] GHG, “GHG Protocol,” 2020. [Online]. Available: https://ghgprotocol.org/guidance-0
  • [16] IPCC, “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).” [Online]. Available: https://www.ipcc.ch/
  • [17] DEFRA, “Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors (2023).” UK, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2023
  • [18] Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanlığı. 2024. https://enerji.gov.tr/evced-cevre-ve-iklim-turkiye-ulusal-elektrik-sebekesi-emisyon-faktoru. Erişim tarihi Ağustos 7, 2024.

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 78 - 88, 17.06.2025

Somaia Shahin , Samet Öztürk

Abstract

References

  • [1] A. Üreden, “Sürdürülebilir yaşam için karbon ayak izi: (Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi örneği).,” Çankarı Karatin Üniversitesi, 2019.
  • [2] UNFCCC, “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).” [Online]. Available: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-rio-conventions
  • [3] IDB, “İklim Değişikliği Hakkında Sıkça Sorulan Sorular.” [Online]. Available: https://iklim.gov.tr/sss/iklim-degisikligi
  • [4] EPA, “GHG Emission Factors Hub.” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/ghg-emission-factors-hub
  • [5] T. Sokezan, A. M. Hagan, and A. Azillino, “European offshore renewable energy: Towards a sustainable future,” Researchgate, [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369762557_European_offshore_renewable_energy_Towards_a_sustainable_future
  • [6] BTÜ, “BTÜ kampüsler.” Accessed: May 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://btu.edu.tr/tr/sayfa/detay/3369/kampusler
  • [7] Seyhan, A. and Çerçi, M. “IPCC Tier 1 ve DEFRA Metot ları ile Karbon Ayak İzinin Belirlenmesi : Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi ’ nin Yakıt ve Elektrik Tüketimi Örneğ i Determination of Carbon Footprint with IPCC Tier 1 and DEFRA Methods : The Case Study of Erzincan Binali Y,” pp. 386–397, 2022, doi: 10.19113/sdufenbed.
  • [8] G. Binboğa and A. Ünel, “Sürdürülebilirlik Ekseninde Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi'nin Karbon Ayak İzinin Hesaplanmasına Yönelik Bir Araştırma,” p. 16, 2016.
  • [9] Üreden, A. (2019). Sürdürülebilir yaşam için karbon ayak izi: (Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi örneği). Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Çankırı Karatekin University.
  • [10] Kumaş, K., Akyüz, A. Ö., Zaman, M., & Güngör, A. (2019). Sürdürülebilir bir çevre için karbon ayak izi tespiti: MAKÜ Bucak Sağlık Yüksekokulu örneği. El-Cezeri, 6(1), 108-117.
  • [11] A. B. Yavuz, O. Kara, and B. Yanıktepe, “Karbon ayak izi tespiti: Osmaniye Korkut Ata Üniversitesi örneği,” 2023.
  • [12] Hünerli, E., Dolgun, G. K., Ural, T., Güllüce, H., & Karabacak, D. Calculation of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University's Carbon Footprint with IPCC Tier 1 Approach and DEFRA Method. Kırklareli Üniversitesi Mühendislik ve Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(1), 1-28.
  • [13] ISO 14064-1, “Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals,” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/66453.html
  • [14] ISO 14067, “Greenhouse gases Carbon footprint of products,” 2018, [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/71206.html
  • [15] GHG, “GHG Protocol,” 2020. [Online]. Available: https://ghgprotocol.org/guidance-0
  • [16] IPCC, “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).” [Online]. Available: https://www.ipcc.ch/
  • [17] DEFRA, “Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors (2023).” UK, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2023
  • [18] Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanlığı. 2024. https://enerji.gov.tr/evced-cevre-ve-iklim-turkiye-ulusal-elektrik-sebekesi-emisyon-faktoru. Erişim tarihi Ağustos 7, 2024.
There are 18 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Environmentally Sustainable Engineering
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Somaia Shahin 0009-0008-2708-5039

Samet Öztürk 0000-0002-5969-1534

Early Pub Date May 30, 2025
Publication Date June 17, 2025
Submission Date August 12, 2024
Acceptance Date February 14, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025Volume: 9 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Shahin, S., & Öztürk, S. (2025). Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University. Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering, 9(1), 78-88. https://doi.org/10.38088/jise.1531963
AMA Shahin S, Öztürk S. Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University. JISE. June 2025;9(1):78-88. doi:10.38088/jise.1531963
Chicago Shahin, Somaia, and Samet Öztürk. “Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University”. Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering 9, no. 1 (June 2025): 78-88. https://doi.org/10.38088/jise.1531963.
EndNote Shahin S, Öztürk S (June 1, 2025) Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University. Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering 9 1 78–88.
IEEE S. Shahin and S. Öztürk, “Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University”, JISE, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 78–88, 2025, doi: 10.38088/jise.1531963.
ISNAD Shahin, Somaia - Öztürk, Samet. “Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University”. Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering 9/1 (June 2025), 78-88. https://doi.org/10.38088/jise.1531963.
JAMA Shahin S, Öztürk S. Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University. JISE. 2025;9:78–88.
MLA Shahin, Somaia and Samet Öztürk. “Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University”. Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering, vol. 9, no. 1, 2025, pp. 78-88, doi:10.38088/jise.1531963.
Vancouver Shahin S, Öztürk S. Comprehensive Carbon Footprint Assessment Using EPA and DEFRA: A Case Study of Bursa Technical University. JISE. 2025;9(1):78-8.
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