Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.95
Liaison Kathleen McCaig
Submission Date June 14, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Berea College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.15 / 10.00 Kathleen McCaig
Sustainability Coordinator
Operations & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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 All
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:
A student labor position, dedicated to data gathering and analysis of GHG for the college, was created in 2013. This student position, along with the Office of Sustainability Coordinator, uses the Cool Planet Calculator as the tool and methodology for compiling and analyzing GHG data. The data is compiled on an annual basis.

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
We work with an external consultant, Jennifer Andrews, with Unlimited Carbon Assistance Network to verify our 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

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 3,604 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,935 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,066 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 22,023 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 21,279 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 25,627 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 26,280 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, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014

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):
Baseline year is 2013-2014

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 16,355 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 16,355 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from on-site composting 77 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 85 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 16,432 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 16,440 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):
Berea College owns a 8000 acre forest which is FSC certified, meaning sustainably harvested. We capture all of our own compost from dining services and events which is used on our organic certified garden and farm.

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:
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Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 9,195 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9,840 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,650 1,587
Number of employees resident on-site 14 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 1,635 1,587
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 523 550
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,034.50 1,999.50

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 4.52 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4.92 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
8.16

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
1,630,000 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 25,000 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
1,680,000 Gross square feet

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.00 MtCO2e per square foot

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 373 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 1,786 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 97.90 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 1,305 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 74.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 1,450 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
2015: LED Lighting Project: The college retrofitted all indoor and outdoor lighting to LED bulbs or fixtures from a mixture of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. 2015 Building Automation: Increased the amount of occupied/unoccupied HVAC scheduling. All renovations and new construction occupancy sensors are installed as standard practice to control both lighting and HVAC set points. All new capital renovations and new construction have been LEED certified Gold or Platinum. 2016: Conducted an energy performance review of all major campus facilities to determine highest value energy upgrade returns and developed process plans.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.