Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 53.85
Liaison Stephen Ellis
Submission Date Oct. 7, 2021

STARS v2.2

Boston University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.74 / 8.00 Stephen Ellis
Director, Data Analytics
BU Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 43,677 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 58,825 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 1,566 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,802 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 42,626 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 91,795 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 11,286 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 13,013 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 99,155 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 165,435 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
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Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 99,155 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 165,435 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2019 July 1, 2005
End date June 30, 2020 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 data from facilities off campus within New England. We intend to include Global Programs when that data becomes available in the coming years. In addition, on June 1, 2018, Wheelock College merged with BU, becoming the Fenway Campus; this campus will also be included in our institutional boundary for the last month of the 2018 fiscal year (FY). We intend to include Global Programs when that data becomes available in the coming years.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 11,439 11,185
Number of employees resident on-site 172 181
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 27,832 24,623
Full-time equivalent of employees 9,633 8,439
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 882 1,605
Weighted Campus Users 30,340 26,434.25

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 3.27 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 6.26 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
47.78

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
15,221,297 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 672,331.80 Square feet
Healthcare space 70,684.20 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 226,335.50 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
16,933,664.50 Gross square feet

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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:

BU's initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can be found at the following two websites:
1. BU's Climate Action Plan: http://www.bu.edu/climateactionplan/
2. BU Sustainability's Climate Action website: http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-were-doing/climate-action


Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

This represents FY2020 BU Metrics.


This represents FY2020 BU Metrics.

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.