Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.17
Liaison Kimberly Reeves
Submission Date May 21, 2021

STARS v2.2

Agnes Scott College
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.71 / 8.00 Susan Kidd
Executive Director
Center for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions

Gross GHG emissions

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 1,601.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,438 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 21.81 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 5,106 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9,577 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 6,729.63 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,015 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon sinks

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 119.75 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 storage from on-site composting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent ---
Carbon sold or transferred 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks 119.75 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If total performance year carbon sinks are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
The college provides space for four investor-owned solar arrays on campus (beginning in 2014), specifically: one ground mounted array on the Gellerstedt Soccer Field, and three rooftop arrays on the Office of Facilities building, Bullock Science Center, and West Campus 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.

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 6,609.88 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,015 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Performance and baseline periods

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2018 July 1, 2007
End date June 30, 2019 June 30, 2008

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
The baseline was adopted across STARS credits based on Agnes Scott's best historic data within recent years. This same baseline has been used across all STARS reports.

Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person

Weighted campus users

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 829 726
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 1,025.58 880.77
Full-time equivalent of employees 363 314.60
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted Campus Users 1,248.69 1,078.03

Metrics used in scoring for Part 1

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 5.29 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:
48.19

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
95,020.72 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 2,368.28 Square meters
Healthcare space 520.35 Square meters
Other energy intensive space 231.05 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
101,029.04 Gross square meters

Metric used in scoring for Part 2

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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
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, and we have invested a total of $2 million, combining funds raised with utility savings revolved back to the fund, in energy and water efficiency projects. This investment will be paid back to the fund in 15-20 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.

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data reported for FY19.

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.