| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.29 |
| Liaison | Holly Andersen |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2022 |
Bennington College
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.88 / 3.00 |
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:
We have all of out building analytics on a web-based platform so that we calculate emissions in real time. Basically, we have a template Power BI that loads all the electrical gauges, oil deliveries, and the like from with the local utilities on line information and google sheets. From dashboard, we simply married in to it emissions information so that we have a real time platform to see emissions.
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:
Basically, the third party entity is our consultant whom our IT office hires to build this platform for us. The verification process is legitimized through our utility (electricity), vendors (gas, propane, fuel oil, diesel, and wood chip deliveries) through the internet.
Documentation to support the GHG inventory verification process:
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Stationary combustion | 1,572.33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources (mobile combustion, process emissions, fugitive emissions) | 104.70 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 | 0 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 | No | --- |
| Commuting | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources | No | 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:
We continue to get better and more inclusive as we capture more and more scopes of emissions. If, for example, one looks at the American College and University President's Climate Commitment through second nature, it would look as if the College emissions are going up. They are not going up, we are just getting better about reporting more and more information.
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) | Metric tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | Metric tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | Metric tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | Metric tons |
| Ozone (O3) | Metric tons |
| Lead (Pb) | Metric tons |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | Metric tons |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | Metric tons |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | Metric tons |
Do the air pollutant emissions figures provided include the following sources?:
| Yes or No | |
| Major stationary sources | Yes |
| Area sources | No |
| Mobile sources | Yes |
| Commuting | No |
| Off-site electricity production | Yes |
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
The College does not presently track any of these emissions indicated as no above. The wood chip boiler plant, fuel oil, and vehicle fuel is included in this inventory.
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:
Our electric utility, Green Mountain Power, has a 100% carbon free: https://greenmountainpower.com/energy-mix/. The reason why we are claiming no emissions for Scope 2 is that al our imported electricity is carbon neutral. From the GMP website:"Our annual mix is 100% carbon free and more than 68% renewable. We work hard to make sure customers have clean, cost-effective, reliable power. Most of our energy supply is hydro power, from both small local hydro facilities in Vermont and large sources in Quebec. GMP pledged to be 100% carbon free by 2025, and met that target in 2020, as we continue to increase local and regional renewable energy sources."
Our electric utility, Green Mountain Power, has a 100% carbon free: https://greenmountainpower.com/energy-mix/. The reason why we are claiming no emissions for Scope 2 is that al our imported electricity is carbon neutral. From the GMP website:"Our annual mix is 100% carbon free and more than 68% renewable. We work hard to make sure customers have clean, cost-effective, reliable power. Most of our energy supply is hydro power, from both small local hydro facilities in Vermont and large sources in Quebec. GMP pledged to be 100% carbon free by 2025, and met that target in 2020, as we continue to increase local and regional renewable energy sources."
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.