Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.39
Liaison Weston Dripps
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Amherst College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.10 / 10.00 Laura Draucker
Director of Sustainability
Office of Environmental Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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 None
Commuting None
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 Some
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:
We follow the Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program to quantify our Scope 1 emissions, and use the basic GHG Protocol calculation methods for Scope 2 emissions, We also include T&D loss as part of our Scope 2 emissions ( even though this is technically a scope 3 category according to the GHG Protocol. )

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:
From 2010 until present we followed the General Verification Protocol from The Climate Registry for Voluntary GHG emissions reporting, as instructed by the Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program, for our scope 1 emissions.

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

Part 2 

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 14,479 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 14,363 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 270 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 297 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 4,052 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,684 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 186 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 179 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 18,987 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 18,523 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, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2009 June 30, 2010

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):
We chose a 2010 baseline for a few reasons. First, we have data for 2006 but no data for 2007 & 2008. We started reporting to the MASS program in 2009, but this was also the year that we installed the CHP plant. Therefore we considered 2010 to be a good year to start a baseline looking forward from the CHP. This baseline data was determined by a multi-stakeholder work group as part of our climate action planning process.

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) 0 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

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

The reporting fields in the table below are reserved for institutions that have NOT already accounted for renewable energy purchases (including RECs and GOs) in their Scope 2 GHG emissions calculations. Other institutions - including all SIMAP users - should report zero ('0') to avoid double-counting. 

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 18,987 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 18,523 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,799 1,741
Number of employees resident on-site 13 13
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 1,836 1,795
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 900 1,000
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,505 2,534.75

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 7.58 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7.31 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
2,153,352.57 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 176,904.87 Square feet
Healthcare space 13,002.80 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 21,926.09 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
27,502,802.91 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel ---
Commuting ---
Purchased goods and services ---
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations ---
Other categories ---

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
We are in the final stages of developing a climate action plan which will drive actions moving forward. In anticipation, we have been developing a Green Revolving Fund, installing energy meters, and considering renewable projects both on and off campus. While these efforts have not resulted in emission reductions yet, we believe they will over time.

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 sq meter includes both new science center and old science center since both were using energy during the 17-18 year

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.