Enterprise Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2018-2022
GHG emissions associated with state agency buildings are largely tied to building energy use. Refrigerants, which are not included in this metric, are another source of emissions.
As with energy, an agency’s building portfolio GHG emissions can be affected by adding or removing buildings, investing in energy efficiency, changing operations or weather patterns.
GHG emissions are categorized into “Scopes” depending on where the emissions occur. Scope 1 emissions are from fuels combusted onsite, such as natural gas to heat a building. Scope 2 emissions come from purchased electricity, where a utility uses fuels to create electricity and sends it to the customer.
In Oregon, utilities are increasing the share of electricity being produced by wind and solar. Hydroelectric dams also provide a significant share of Oregon’s electricity.
Agency Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2018-2022
Agencies can reduce building-related GHG emissions by investing in more efficient HVAC technologies, operating and maintaining buildings efficiently, and investing in renewable energy such as solar arrays.
Utilities also offer “green energy” programs, whereby an agency can purchase credits for renewable energy to offset electricity generated from fossil fuels. These are often considered as a last step, after all onsite energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities are addressed.
Blank years with no data indicate an agency did not report energy use for that year.
This chart does not include green energy credits purchased by agencies.