Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.58
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date April 26, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Boston University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.41 / 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:

Since in FY14, BU has been using the CACP Campus Carbon Calculator tool. In prior years, we have embedded the formulas in the utility data tracking software used by Facilities Management & Planning. With this submission, prior year STARS reports have been corrected using CACP V9.0 and updated Mass DEP emissions factors.


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?:
No

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

N/A


Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 47,531 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 61,339 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 3,526 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,526 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 68,985 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 91,821 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 8,905 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 11,406 11,185
Number of residential employees 162 181
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 25,866 24,623
Full-time equivalent of employees 8,999 8,439
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 882 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, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

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

In an effort to capture a more complete picture of our emissions, we have included fleet, fugitive, and shuttle emissions for the first time under Scope 1 - other sources. These figures had not been included in the past because of missing or incorrect data dating back to FY 2006. Historically, the boundary for the University's STARS reports has been limited to the Charles River and Medical Campuses. This year, for the first time we have been able to capture emissions from facilities off campus within New England. We intend to include Global Programs when that data becomes available in the coming years.


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 1,007,655 Square feet
Healthcare space 49,353 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.