INTEC has calculated its carbon footprint for 2023 and is currently making plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The information was presented by Dr. Elena Regla Rosa Domínguez, president of the Cuban Life Cycle Network, during the first Seminar on Life Cycle Analysis in Nature-Based Solutions and the seventh International Seminar on Life Cycle Analysis
SANTO DOMINGO. - During 2023 the carbon footprint generated by the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) was 5049.38 tons of CO2 equivalents, according to a survey conducted by the university's Planning Department under the coordination of research professor Elena Regla Rosa Domínguez.
Presenting the results of the research during the First Seminar on Life Cycle Analysis of Nature-Based Solutions, Rosa pointed out that the report on its carbon footprint from INTEC is a reflection of the university's contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 13: “Climate Action.”
“By carrying out this survey regarding the greenhouse gases produced by the activities carried out at the university, we demonstrate our awareness of the current climate emergency. By calculating its carbon footprint, INTEC is in a position to establish emission reduction targets and implement its Climate Change Strategy towards carbon neutrality,” the professor emphasized.
Rosa Domínguez explained that the methodology proposed by the Corporate Standard of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) was used to obtain the result of the emissions generated during 2023, a standard that constitutes the standard of the principles and methodology for the design and development of GHG inventories for organizations.
The measurement takes into account three levels of scope: the first evaluates the generation of energy from own sources, both renewable and from plants based on fossil fuels, the consumption of fuel from own vehicles, refrigerant gas emissions and gas consumption in laboratories.
The second level of the scope accounts for electricity consumption from the grid, and the third level analyses water consumption, supplies for university operations, cleaning supplies, staff mobility, waste disposal and consumption of chemical reagents.
In the first scope, the largest generation of greenhouse gases is concentrated in fugitive emissions from the use of refrigerants, for a total of 321.98 tons, but at the same time the use of electricity avoided by generation with solar panels produced a credit of -434.46 tons.
Regarding scope 2, the electricity consumed from the national grid was calculated at 2,427.06 tons of GHG. In scope 3, the highest concentration of GHG was produced by the mobility of students and workers, for a total of 2,251.86 tons.
Rosa indicated that as part of the strategy established at INTEC to advance towards carbon neutrality, awareness-raising, communication, training and incentive actions will be developed. To reduce the consumption of electric energy from the network, building, logistics and equipment improvements are being implemented. There are also proposals for improvements related to waste management, improvement actions related to refrigeration equipment, fire extinguishers and plant operations and improvement actions related to the mobility of students and teachers.
Professor Rosa said that calculating the carbon footprint in universities allows the identification of the main sources of emissions, which once calculated can be used to develop specific mitigation strategies.
He stressed that the process of calculating and defining the carbon footprint raises awareness among students, teachers and administrative staff about the importance of reducing emissions, promoting a culture of sustainability on and off campus, and also meeting climate objectives and developing a benchmarking and continuous improvement strategy.
About the activity
El Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) hosted the first Seminar on Life Cycle Analysis in Nature-Based Solutions and the seventh International Seminar on Life Cycle Analysis. This event was co-organized by INTEC within the framework of the FONDOCYT project on Wetland Optimization and by the Ibero Network of Life Cycle Analysis.
In his opening remarks at the event, Carlos Sanlley, the university's director of research, said that INTEC is a pioneer in the country in terms of Life Cycle Analysis, from concrete actions carried out by the university to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as diploma courses, undergraduate research work, master's and doctoral degrees, research projects by professors and work with industry through laboratories for that purpose.
For his part, Edmundo Muñoz, president of the Ibero-American Life Cycle Network, who connected virtually from Chile, welcomed all participants and stated that the event will focus on nature-based solutions, “very important for Latin America as a strategy and tool to also advance in issues of circular economy, which is also currently closely linked to life cycle analysis.”
The event featured presentations by national and international delegates and marked the launch of the Dominican Life Cycle Network, an initiative that is beginning to take shape in the country. Professors Solandy Sánchez and Yanay Ruiz Rosa, both from INTEC, were elected president and vice president of this new network. During the event, the implementation of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) in strategic sectors of the Dominican Republic was discussed and CILCA2025, which will be held in Mexico next year, was presented. In addition, the meeting encouraged the establishment of future collaborations in areas of work and research among the participants.