| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.14 |
| Liaison | Bremen Leak |
| Submission Date | July 10, 2024 |
Brigham Young University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.89 / 8.00 |
Bremen
Leak Associate Director Sustainability & Continuity |
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions
Gross GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 75,789.06 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 43,758.73 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 2,145.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2,837.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 3,404.93 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 57,536.08 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 | 81,339.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 104,132.05 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
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 | 588 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 588 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration | --- | --- |
| Carbon sold or transferred | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon sinks | 588 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 588 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
If total performance year carbon sinks are greater than zero, provide:
Each year, BYU produces 2,000 tons of compost for campus landscaping—a carbon sink of 588 MTCo2e, according to SIMAP, which draws on information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to estimate the emissions factor of compost, accouning for collection, transportation, mechanical turning, direct soil carbon storage, and carbon stored in humus compounds. BYU's compost is used as a soil additive.
Adjusted net GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 80,751.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 103,544.05 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Performance and baseline periods
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Start date | Jan. 1, 2022 | Jan. 1, 2015 |
| End date | Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2015 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person
Weighted campus users
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 7,609 | 6,201 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 31 | 31 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 3,283 | 3,485 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 33,912 | 31,215 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 9,139 | 8,832.17 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 355 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 37,215 | 35,078.38 |
Metrics used in scoring for Part 1
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user | 2.17 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2.95 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area
Performance year floor area
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor area | |
| Laboratory space | 897,369 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 13,865 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 697,372 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Metric used in scoring for Part 2
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
In its sacred stewardship of natural and financial resources, BYU has made significant improvements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
COGENERATION
Voluntarily and at great expense, BYU converted its coal-fired central heating plant to a cogeneration facility that runs on natural gas. Sulfur dioxide emissions have decreased dramatically, improving air quality. The facility also captures waste heat to heat and cool campus without the need of additional fossil fuels.
CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY
BYU energy managers practice load-shifting and other best practices to reduce energy demand. Buildings are constructed and operated to be highly efficient and compliant. Occupancy scheduling, retro-commissioning, and lighting upgrades are ongoing and reviewed monthly.
ELECTRIFICATION
Many campus vehicles are now hybrid or fully electric. Some groundskeeping tools with two-stroke engines are being replaced with battery-powered equivalents.
EMISSIONS CONTROL
BYU's cogeneration plant uses selective catalytic reduction, while its laundry facility uses new, low-NOx burners. Emergency generators on campus are being replaced with new Tier 3 and Tier 4 generators, which are more efficient and required by the Clean Air Act. BYU also abates dust to control particulate matter.
SEQUESTRATION
As older buildings are razed, they are replaced with more efficient buildings or converted to green space that sequesters carbon. As examples, the Fletcher Building is now a tree-lined quad, and a former thoroughfare between the law school and the student center is now a car-free greenway.
Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.