Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.74
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date March 1, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Boston University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.62 / 10.00 Dennis Carlberg
Associate Vice President for Sustainability
BU Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel No
Commuting No
Purchased goods and services No
Capital goods No
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 No
Waste generated in operations No

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
No

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

The University switched to using the CACP Carbon Calculator in FY14. Historically, formulas embedded in the utility data tracking software were used to report emissions. In September 2014, all prior STARS submissions were revised with CACP results to ensure consistency between reporting years.

CACP V6.9 and Mass DEP emissions factors are used for calculating the University's 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?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:

Boston University has gone through an external verification and validation process using the Verified Carbon Standard by Det Norske Veritas (DNV).


Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 53,610 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 61,464 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 63,087 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 91,808 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 11,126 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 13,013 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets::
Performance Year Baseline Year
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
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:

N/A


A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:

N/A


A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:

N/A


A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:

N/A


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 11,446 11,185
Number of residential employees 197 181
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 25,663 24,623
Full-time equivalent of employees 8,979 8,439
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 863 1,605

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2014 June 30, 2015
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
---

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
14,843,003 Square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 968,417 Square feet
Healthcare space 53,768 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 89,716 Square feet

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel ---
Commuting ---
Purchased goods and services ---
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations ---
Other categories (please specify below) ---

A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":

N/A


A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
---

The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
---

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.