| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.58 |
| Liaison | Tom Twist |
| Submission Date | June 12, 2020 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Bates College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
9.91 / 10.00 |
Tom
Twist Sustainability Manager Facilities |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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 | None |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | All |
| Other categories | Some |
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:
Bates College carbon inventories are completed both in-house and by outside contractors. Our outside contractor, the Stone House Group, completed our first inventory in 2009. Early years used the Clean Air Cool Planet emissions calculator.
Our most recent 2019 carbon inventory has been completed in-house, working with the students, faculty, and the facilities department. We have taken energy usage data and standardized the methodology from years past. Our emissions factors are from the EPA's GHG Emissions Hub. Our scope 3 emissions were collected for commuting by creating a GIS map of staff and faculty homes (anonymously) and taking an average of miles commuted, days commuted, and vehicle mpg. We also keep track of our waste stream tonnage, again using EPA emission factors, using our bills for our tipping fees. All travel data - commuting, staff, faculty, and student study abroad trips - were also calculated using the EPA GHG Emissions Hub.
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 internal and/or external verification process:
As stated above, we have several iterations of inventories, some validated by external consultants, for example, the Stone House Group, and others performed in-house. For our most recent carbon inventory, we had the Committee for Environmental Responsibility, the Director of Facilities, and the Chief Financial Officer review the emissions inventory. These groups are independent from the carbon reporting, which takes place under the Sustainability Office. We have also sent our inventory for verification to other peer NESCAC schools, one example being the faculty of Smith College, who are working on compiling a resource for colleges on the path to carbon neutrality.
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):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 2,700.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 8,217.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 86.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 128 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 3,689 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5,150 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 | 6,475.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 13,495.80 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, 2018 | July 1, 2019 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2000 | July 1, 2001 |
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):
Our Energy Task Force, as well as our Committee for Environmental Responsibility, made up of Facilities and Faculty members, sought to begin the process of documenting our carbon emissions in 2000. The initial motivation for this came from the newly-hired part-time Environmental Coordinator, and from the Environmental Studies department. By 2001, they had put the structures in place to start collecting very basic energy data for the first GHG inventory. Our Environmental Coordinator also believed that it would be a good project to involve students in real-world data analysis, and so part of the initial motivation was student-driven.
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 4,805 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 | 4,805 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
For FY 2019, we purchased 4805 MT of carbon offsets - landfill gas recapture in New England, third party verified by the American Carbon Registry (ACR). See attached file below.
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 | 3,689 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:
We purchase our RECs for all our electricity from the energy supplier Constellation New Energy, enough to account for 100% of our electrical use. Their RECs come from 100% wind power. Constellation uses Green-e Energy for its verification program (from their website):
Green-e Energy is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy and companies that use renewable energy. Green-e Energy sets consumer protection and environmental standards for renewable electricity products. Green-e Energy standards address such issues as the environmental performance of the facility, the year in which the facility began operation, and the year in which the REC was generated. The Green-e Energy label certifies that the power is from an eligible renewable energy resource.
Their program is highlighted here -
http://www.constellation.com/solutions/for-your-commercial-business/renewable_energy.html
https://www.constellation.com/energy-101/faqs/small-business-energy-faqs.html
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 13,495.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,780 | 1,630 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 130 | 120 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 100 | 95 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,772 | 1,645 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 696 | 876 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,428.50 | 2,423.25 |
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 | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 118,609 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 11,000 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 445,770 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 720 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 1,417 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | --- |
| Capital goods | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | --- |
| Waste generated in operations | 86.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | --- |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
We have converted our central heating plant to burn a new biomass-based liquid fuel in our steam plant. This fuel, known as Renewable Fuel Oil, has dramatically reduced our carbon emissions. It comes from a rapid pyrolysis process of waste sawdust - that is, the wood fibers are volatilized in the absence of oxygen, then condensed to form a liquid fuel. We were able to use our original central steam plant boilers to burn this fuel, which helped enormously with the cost of adoption of this new fuel. See Innovation Credit for more info.
About a third of our reductions come from energy efficiency measures. Installing VFD's and heat recovery systems, as well as upgrading sections of our steam line, and insulating our largest buildings have helped us see a large EUI reduction. We have recently installed a more robust building controls and monitoring system, which has allowed us to establish night time and holiday setbacks.
We also purchase 100% green power for all our electricity. We have begun burning a B20 biodiesel blend in our smaller houses. We have hit our carbon neutrality goal a year yearly (2019), and are currently working towards developing our 2030 goals.
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.