Northeastern University
Sustainability Incubator
September 2, 2026
CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
AI Carbon Intelligence ReportPrototype — Spring 2026
Prepared by
Ilia Duda, Mathematics & Business Administration, Class of 2028
Institution
Northeastern University, Boston MA
Status
Research Prototype — Not an Official University Publication
| Metric | Current Estimate | Confidence | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily AI queries at NU | ~192,000 | Medium | Modeled (EDUCAUSE 2024) |
| Daily CO₂ from AI (kg) | 222.3 | Medium | IEA 2024 / EPA eGRID |
| Semester CO₂ total (kg) | 51,763 | Medium | Modeled (since Jan 13, 2026) |
| Annual projection (tonnes) | 60.7 | Low–Medium | Extrapolated daily rate × 273 days |
| Peer university avg (tonnes/yr) | ~190 | Low | Public sustainability reports |
| Transparency ranking | #1 (prototype basis) | — | This dashboard |
All estimates carry inherent uncertainty due to reliance on survey-derived adoption rates and published energy benchmarks. Confidence levels reflect data provenance: “Medium” indicates model-based estimates with peer-reviewed inputs; “Low–Medium” indicates extrapolation; “Low” indicates estimates from publicly available institutional reports.
Commission a formal AI energy audit in partnership with NU IT
Northeastern's Office of Information Technology already logs API traffic at the network layer; a formal partnership to access this data in anonymized, aggregated form would replace modeled estimates with direct measurement within one semester. This audit should be scoped as a joint deliverable between the Sustainability Incubator and OIT, with results published in the next Annual Sustainability Report.
Establish a student-led AI Carbon Observatory within the Sustainability Incubator
A formalized research unit — three to four undergraduate and graduate students, one faculty advisor, one semester of dedicated time — could produce Northeastern's first peer-reviewed AI carbon baseline and the first replicable methodology framework in American higher education. Seed funding of $20,000–$40,000 would cover survey infrastructure, data analysis tools, and open-access publication costs.
Publish Northeastern's methodology as an open standard for peer institutions
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and Second Nature actively seek replicable carbon accounting methodologies; Northeastern's first-mover position on AI carbon measurement would generate significant institutional recognition and position the university as a national leader in sustainability transparency. Publication of an open-source framework, modeled on this prototype, would cost nothing beyond the research effort already proposed.
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