Boston University
OP-5: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction

Boston University requested that AASHE Staff correct a mistake in this reporting field for the reason specified below.

Previous Value: 169379.0

Explanation: Calculating energy, water, and greenhouse gas metrics involves an ongoing process of validation. This process resulted in a refinement of our data from 2005 through the present. We have adopted the Clean Air-Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator to calculate campus-wide greenhouse gas emissions going forward, and are currently using this tool to assess previous greenhouse gas emission calculations. As a result, we have found that greenhouse gas emissions from previous years deviate from those reported through STARS in the past. Adjustments in our corrected emissions measurements stem from minor changes in our calculated Scope 1 emissions and major changes in our calculated Scope 2 emissions. The minor changes to our Scope 1 emissions are due to the Campus Carbon Calculator's more robust calculation of the CO2 equivalence of methane and nitrous oxide emissions. These calculations use flat conversion factors that vary only slightly from previously used factors, making negligible adjustments to Scope 1 emissions. Major changes to Scope 2 emissions stem from more robust calculations of emissions from steam and purchased electricity. Previously, calculations for purchased steam emissions were based upon a flat conversion factor obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency. Steam emissions are now calculated more precisely based upon the fuel mix reported by our steam supplier; the information on this fuel mix is uploaded into the Cool Air Clean Planet calculator and produces a more precise result. Our steam supplier’s heavy use of natural gas and cogenerated steam has significantly lowered our steam emissions from the previously calculated values. Electricity emissions are based on published Combined Emissions Rates from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, available at the following web address: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/climate-energy/climate/approvals/ma-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reporting-program.html Massachusetts GHG Emission factors (published in units of lb/MWh and converted to MT/kWh) have been released and verified through calendar year 2012. Our fiscal year runs from July to June (i.e. Fiscal Year 2013 begins July 1, 2012 and ends June 30, 2013). As published data does not exist for calendar year 2013, we use the 2012 emissions rates to calculate electricity emissions for the second half of Fiscal Year 2013. We believe this is a valid practice that produces a conservative estimate, as reported emissions rates have steadily decreased every year since 2006. These converted emissions factors are uploaded into the Clean Air Cool Planet calculator to produce our corrected purchased electricity emissions. Massachusetts emissions rates are well below the reported average of the regional power grid, producing a significant reduction in our electricity-related emissions. To ensure the consistency in comparisons against the baseline year, we are changing our baseline year for GHG emissions to Fiscal Year 2006.

Boston University requested that AASHE Staff correct a mistake in this reporting field for the reason specified below.

Previous Value: 159641.0

Explanation: Calculating energy, water, and greenhouse gas metrics involves an ongoing process of validation. This process resulted in a refinement of our data from 2005 through the present. We have adopted the Clean Air-Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator to calculate campus-wide greenhouse gas emissions going forward, and are currently using this tool to assess previous greenhouse gas emission calculations. As a result, we have found that greenhouse gas emissions from previous years deviate from those reported through STARS in the past. Adjustments in our corrected emissions measurements stem from minor changes in our calculated Scope 1 emissions and major changes in our calculated Scope 2 emissions. The minor changes to our Scope 1 emissions are due to the Campus Carbon Calculator's more robust calculation of the CO2 equivalence of methane and nitrous oxide emissions. These calculations use flat conversion factors that vary only slightly from previously used factors, making negligible adjustments to Scope 1 emissions. Major changes to Scope 2 emissions stem from more robust calculations of emissions from steam and purchased electricity. Previously, calculations for purchased steam emissions were based upon a flat conversion factor obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency. Steam emissions are now calculated more precisely based upon the fuel mix reported by our steam supplier; the information on this fuel mix is uploaded into the Cool Air Clean Planet calculator and produces a more precise result. Our steam supplier’s heavy use of natural gas and cogenerated steam has significantly lowered our steam emissions from the previously calculated values. Electricity emissions are based on published Combined Emissions Rates from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, available at the following web address: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/climate-energy/climate/approvals/ma-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reporting-program.html Massachusetts GHG Emission factors (published in units of lb/MWh and converted to MT/kWh) have been released and verified through calendar year 2012. Our fiscal year runs from July to June (i.e. Fiscal Year 2013 begins July 1, 2012 and ends June 30, 2013). As published data does not exist for calendar year 2013, we use the 2012 emissions rates to calculate electricity emissions for the second half of Fiscal Year 2013. We believe this is a valid practice that produces a conservative estimate, as reported emissions rates have steadily decreased every year since 2006. These converted emissions factors are uploaded into the Clean Air Cool Planet calculator to produce our corrected purchased electricity emissions. Massachusetts emissions rates are well below the reported average of the regional power grid, producing a significant reduction in our electricity-related emissions. To ensure the consistency in comparisons against the baseline year, we are changing our baseline year for GHG emissions to Fiscal Year 2006.