Consumption of Energy Survey for Universities, Colleges and Hospitals, 2003

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Appendix B

Glossary

CAMPUS OR COMPLEX: The campus or complex is the statistical unit used for survey purposes: campuses for colleges and universities, and entire complex facilities for hospitals.

COLLEGE: The college survey population covered by the Consumption of Energy Survey (CES) was defined using NAICS code 611210. The survey considered only campuses with 20 or more employees.

DIESEL: All grades of low-sulphur (lower than 0.05 percent) distillate fuel used for diesel engines.

ELECTRICITY: A form of energy emanating from electric charges at rest or in movement.

ENERGY INTENSITY (FLOOR AREA): Amount of energy used by a group of units divided by the floor area of the same group of units.

ENERGY INTENSITY (NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR BEDS): Amount of energy used by a group of units divided by the number of enrolled students in the same group, or by the number of available beds in the same group.

ENERGY SOURCE: Type of energy source or fuel used by a campus or complex. For the purposes of this survey, data was collected on the use of electricity, natural gas, heavy fuel oil, diesel, other middle distillates, propane, steam and wood.

FLOOR AREA: Total gross floor area excluding indoor parking and mechanical areas of all buildings within a campus or complex, indicated in square metres.

GIGAJOULE (GJ): A measurement unit equal to 10⁹ joules. The joule is the international unit for measuring energy and corresponds to the energy produced by a power of one watt flowing for one second.

GREENHOUSE GASES (GHGs): Gases that absorb and radiate heat in the lower atmosphere that otherwise would be lost in space. The greenhouse effect is essential for life on Earth since it keeps the average temperatures of the planet high enough to support plant and animal growth. The main GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Carbon dioxide is by far the most abundant greenhouse gas and accounts for 70 percent of GHG emissions.

HEAVY FUEL OIL: All grades of residual type fuels, including low-sulphur fuels, used mainly for steam and electric power generation and diesel motors. Includes fuel oil grade nos. 4, 5 and 6.

HOSPITAL: The hospital survey population covered by the CES was defined using the following NAICS codes: 622111 General (except paediatric) Hospitals, 622210 Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals and 622112 Paediatric Hospitals. Only complexes with 50 or more employees were surveyed.

HOUSEHOLD: A person or a group of people occupying one dwelling unit.

NATURAL GAS: A mixture of hydrocarbons containing mainly methane with small quantities of various gaseous hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons dissolved in crude oil, found in underground deposits.

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS): A classification system that categorizes establishments into groups with similar economic activities. The structure of NAICS, adopted by Statistics Canada in 1997 to replace the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system, was developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States.

OTHER MIDDLE DISTILLATES: Includes light fuel oil (nos. 1, 2 and 3), kerosene, mineral lamp oil, stove oil, furnace fuel oil, gas oils and light industrial fuel.

PRIVATE DWELLING: A structurally separate set of living premises with a private entrance from outside the building or from a common hallway or stairway inside, such as a single-family house or apartment.

PROPANE: A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams. It can also take a liquid form.

STEAM: A gas resulting from the vaporization of a liquid or the sublimation of a solid, generated by condensing or non-condensing turbines.

TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR BEDS: For campuses or colleges, the total number of part-time and full-time students enrolled in 2003. For hospital complexes, the total number of acute-care and long-term beds available in 2003.

UNIVERSITY: The university survey population covered by the CES was defined using NAICS code 611310.

WOOD: Wood and wood energy used as fuel, including roundwood (cord wood), lignin, wood scraps (chips) from furniture and window frame manufacturing, bark, sawdust, forestry residues, charcoal and pulp waste.

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