Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.90
Liaison Jessica Bowen
Submission Date Aug. 3, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Aquinas College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.90 / 10.00 Jessica Eimer Bowen
Director of Sustainability
Center for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel Yes
Commuting Yes
Purchased goods and services Yes
Capital goods No
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 No
Waste generated in operations Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
No

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

Aquinas College's carbon footprint was completed using the Clean Air-Cool Planet Calculator. We chose this calculator because of its ease of use, thoroughness, and relevance to Higher Education institutions.


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?:
No

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
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Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 2,193 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,735 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 119 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 75 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 4,780 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,604 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets::
Performance Year Baseline Year
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 48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from on-site composting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
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A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:

Sequestration was determined using the calculator on "Michigan Conservation and Climate Initiative" website.


A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
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A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
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Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 831 763
Number of residential employees 3 0
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 1,901 1,787.26
Full-time equivalent of employees 345.88 311.67
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 0 0

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2012 June 30, 2013
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

This was the first year we began using the CA-CP.


Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
648,806 Square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 30,947 Square feet
Healthcare space 1,247 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 9,698.50 Square feet

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel 58 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 675 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 29.90 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories (please specify below) 562.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":

This represents the GHG emissions from all college-financed air travel.


A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
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The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.