| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 64.13 |
| Liaison | Michael Kensler |
| Submission Date | Feb. 4, 2022 |
Auburn University
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.83 / 3.00 |
Amy
Strickland Program Manager Office of Sustainability |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory within the previous three years that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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:
Auburn University utilizes the Sustainability Indicator Management & Analysis Platform (SIMAP) to complete its inventory. Data for the inventory is gathered by the Office of Sustainability from units/departments across campus.
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?:
A brief description of the GHG inventory verification process:
NA
Documentation to support the GHG inventory verification process:
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Stationary combustion | 28,975.74 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources (mobile combustion, process emissions, fugitive emissions) | 14,367.44 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year (market-based):
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Imported electricity | 89,186.41 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Imported thermal energy | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross GHG emissions from biogenic sources, performance year:
Does the GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from the following sources?:
| Yes or No | Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Business travel | Yes | 24,514 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | Yes | 11,738 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | No | --- |
| Capital goods | No | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | Yes | 4,578 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | Yes | 6,025.34 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources | --- | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
A brief description of how the institution accounted for its Scope 3 emissions:
Office of Sustainability staff acquired travel data from the financial management system, waste data from Facilities Management, and partnered with Facilities Management and the Department of Civil Engineering to conduct a transportation choices survey to account for the above-reported Scope 3 emissions. We recognize this isn't all Scope 3 emissions, but they represent those we currently have the best data given university reporting/accounting systems.
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its air pollutant emissions?:
Annual weight of emissions for::
| Weight of Emissions | |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 0 Tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | 0 Tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 0 Tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | 0 Tons |
| Ozone (O3) | 0 Tons |
| Lead (Pb) | 0 Tons |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | 0 Tons |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | 0 Tons |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | 0 Tons |
Do the air pollutant emissions figures provided include the following sources?:
| Yes or No | |
| Major stationary sources | Yes |
| Area sources | No |
| Mobile sources | No |
| Commuting | No |
| Off-site electricity production | No |
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
The University has been issued a Synthetic Minor Operating Permit (SMOP)as administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). The application for SMOP coverage was submitted in 2001 and captures all stationary sources having a capacity ≥ 10 MMBTU. As part of the SMOP application process, AU agreed to self-imposed fuel limitations for all stationary sources meeting the previously mentioned BTU criteria. Fuel limitations are for a twelve month period and include: 450 tons of coal, 850,000 gallons of fuel oil and 1 MMCF natural gas annually. These self-imposed limitations are evaluated each year and have not been approached since their inception.
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity (location-based):
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy (location-based) :
Website URL where information about the institution’s emissions inventories is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Due to form input limitations in STARS, we were required to submit a value for criteria pollutants. However, values for emissions inventory results are not technically zero. As described above, the university does not perform an actual emissions inventory but does operate with fuel limits in place, thus limiting our weight of emissions below the regulatory values.
The SMOP application previously submitted implemented the self-imposed fuel limitations mentioned above. Based on these fuel limitations, the maximum emission potential from all stationary sources would not exceed 100 tons per year (TPY) for any criteria pollutants and below 250 TPY threshold for the Prevention of Significant Deterioration threshold for criteria pollutants. In addition, the SMOP application calculated HAP emissions estimates based on the AP-42 document for coal, fuel oil and natural gas combustion. According to the calculations, the combined emission rate is not expected to exceed the 10/25 TPY threshold for HAPs. Furthermore, Ozone and Lead were not evaluated as part of the SMOP application and administration process.
Due to form input limitations in STARS, we were required to submit a value for criteria pollutants. However, values for emissions inventory results are not technically zero. As described above, the university does not perform an actual emissions inventory but does operate with fuel limits in place, thus limiting our weight of emissions below the regulatory values.
The SMOP application previously submitted implemented the self-imposed fuel limitations mentioned above. Based on these fuel limitations, the maximum emission potential from all stationary sources would not exceed 100 tons per year (TPY) for any criteria pollutants and below 250 TPY threshold for the Prevention of Significant Deterioration threshold for criteria pollutants. In addition, the SMOP application calculated HAP emissions estimates based on the AP-42 document for coal, fuel oil and natural gas combustion. According to the calculations, the combined emission rate is not expected to exceed the 10/25 TPY threshold for HAPs. Furthermore, Ozone and Lead were not evaluated as part of the SMOP application and administration process.
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.