Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.78
Liaison Jessica Bowen
Submission Date March 4, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Aquinas College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.74 / 10.00 Jessica Eimer Bowen
Director of Sustainability
Center for 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 All
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services Some
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 None
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:
Aquinas College's carbon footprint was completed using the SIMAP tool. We chose this calculator because of its ease of use, thoroughness, and relevance to Higher Education institutions. The process of conducting the carbon footprint inventory was managed by the Director of Sustainability for Aquinas College, with assistance from student interns and multiple college employees. Commuter distance and transportation habits were estimated using an extensive survey of faculty, staff, and students. Business travel miles were gathered using a process developed between the Center for Sustainability and the Business Office. Waste totals are exact weights obtained from the Housekeepers weekly. All other data points were received from appropriate departments heads, such as copy paper, fertilizer use, refrigerants, and utility data.

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:
---

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 2,376.26 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,735 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 117.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 75 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 3,088.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,604 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 5,581.93 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7,414 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, 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):
2007/08 was the first year we began using a standardized carbon calculator.

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 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
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 48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 48 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):
Sequestration was determined using the calculator on the "Michigan Conservation And Climate Initiative" web site. Assumptions= Maple/Beach Forest, 21 acres of forestland, and an age of 26 years or older.

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 5,533.93 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7,366 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 790 763
Number of employees resident on-site 8 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 4 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 1,469.30 1,787.26
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 410 311.67
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 1,612.98 1,764.95

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 3.43 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4.17 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
17.79

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
776,097 Gross 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

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
850,183.50 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

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:
---

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:
---

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.