Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.20
Liaison Susan Kidd
Submission Date June 21, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Agnes Scott College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.74 / 10.00 Gianni Rodriguez
Climate Action Fellow
Center for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Yes

Does the institution’s GHG emissions inventory include all, some or none of its Scope 3 GHG emissions from the following categories?:
All, Some, or None
Business travel Some
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations None
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 All
Other categories None

A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory, including how the institution accounted for each category of Scope 3 emissions reported above:

Agnes Scott has used the Campus Carbon Calculator, developed by a team at the University of New Hampshire, for our GHG inventory. The calculator has its own emissions factors associated with each of the Scope 3 categories listed above that are specific to each region of the nation.


Has the GHG emissions inventory been validated internally by personnel who are independent of the GHG accounting and reporting process and/or verified by an independent, external third party?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:

This GHG Inventory has been reviewed by two professors in the Physics department and the Director of Facilities, who has experience in GHG Inventory reporting from another institution.


Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
---

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 and Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions):
Yes

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 1,471 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,438 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 44.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 6,209.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9,577 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 7,724.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,015 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
---

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) 160.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Institution-catalyzed carbon offsets generated 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon sequestration due to land that the institution manages specifically for sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from on-site composting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon offsets 160.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

The college provides space for four investor-owned solar arrays on campus, specifically: one ground mounted array on the Gellerstedt Soccer Field, and three rooftop arrays on the facilities building, science building, and parking deck. Though these arrays are housed on campus, we do not directly consume energy generated by these solar projects; the power is sold by the investors to Georgia Power for the utility's power supply and the total estimated power produced is enough for 31 average US homes. In the legal leasing agreement with the investors, Agnes Scott retained the environmental attributes for the arrays; therefore, the college can pursue offset reductions. Given that Georgia has no offset or REC registry, the college worked with Southface Energy Institute to peer review the process for assigning value to these offsets.


Emissions reductions attributable to Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or Guarantee of Origin (GO) purchases:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Emissions reductions attributable to REC/GO purchases 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 7,563.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,015 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 760 726
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 917 880.77
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 336 314.60
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 1,129.75 1,078.03

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user 6.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10.22 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
34.48

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
1,022,795 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 25,492 Square feet
Healthcare space 5,601 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 2,487 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
1,087,468 Gross square feet

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.01 MtCO2e per square foot

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 122.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 921.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 626.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:

Agnes Scott College's approach to reducing GHG emissions revolves around buildings and transportation. Over the past several years the college has assessed and developed plans to address energy use in its buildings. Strategies that have been used include retrocommissioning and retrofits of building systems and equipment, adjustments to time of use, and energy behavior education and implementation. These efforts have been accelerated by the college's commitment to a Green Revolving Fund, for which we have raised over $1 million, all now invested in energy and water efficiency projects. This investment will be paid back to the fund in 4-5 years. The next round of efficiency projects has begun and we are also renewing our fund raising efforts.

Agnes Scott has also supported alternative transportation options including biking, carpooling and public transit such as MARTA. Additionally, a no-idling policy was implemented to addressed localized GHG emissions from service and delivery vehicles.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Performance year was selected as 2016 (Fiscal year 2015-2016)


Performance year was selected as 2016 (Fiscal year 2015-2016)

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.