Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 73.80
Liaison Pamela Mischen
Submission Date March 2, 2023

STARS v2.2

Binghamton University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.86 / 8.00 Sandy DeJohn
Utilities Manager / Sustainability Coordinator
Physical Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions

Gross GHG emissions

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 19,865.58 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 38,479 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 7,624.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 18,333 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 27,489.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 56,812 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon sinks

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 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 storage from on-site composting 38.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent ---
Carbon sold or transferred 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks 38.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If total performance year carbon sinks are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
Our composting program captures dining hall pre-consumer waste and grass clipping / leaves from grounds management. The dining hall waste is collected by food services staff and composted at one of the employees' farm. Food compost is then brought back to campus for gardening and landscaping. Since the employee commutes daily to campus for work regardless if he transports the compost, we consider this operation "on-site". Grass clipping and leaves are composted on our Nature Preserves ground behind the campus.

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 27,451.78 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 56,812 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Performance and baseline periods

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2021 July 1, 2007
End date June 30, 2022 June 30, 2008

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
Binghamton University started implementing a "green revolving fund" program in 2006 to improve energy efficiency and increase campus recycling and composting rates. FY 2007-2008 was selected as the baseline to gauge our progress since the inception of our most tangible sustainability program.

Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person

Weighted campus users

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 7,193 6,284
Number of employees resident on-site 41.30 26
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 17,138 12,908
Full-time equivalent of employees 2,835 1,950
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 44.30 0
Weighted Campus Users 16,755.10 12,721

Metrics used in scoring for Part 1

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 1.64 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4.47 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
63.31

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
7,087,348 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 301,559 Square feet
Healthcare space 4,512 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 420,338 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
8,119,828 Gross square feet

Metric used in scoring for Part 2

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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
Binghamton University discontinued burning coal in April of 2016 and switched to wood fuel (with natural gas to supplement). We continue to improve energy efficiency by lighting upgrades (from T8 fluorescent to LED) and expanding energy management system. Additionally Binghamton is part of a New York State higher education consortium working together to contract with a large renewable energy project. It is the consortium's goal to provide financial stability for project development and operations. Finally, under Governor Huchul's Executive Order 22, all state agencies will be aggressively electrifying building heating systems and vehicles to reduce emissions from direct fossil fuel combustion. Binghamton University will be working closely with SUNY and the Green NY Council to achieve all the goals as set under EO22.

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions 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.