| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.84 |
| Liaison | Noah Upchurch |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Catawba College
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
8.00 / 8.00 |
Noah
Upchurch Senior Sustainability Specialist Center for the Environment |
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 1,068.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 1,018.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 168.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 179.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5,803.90 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 | 1,236.84 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7,002.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased | 3,213 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 | 47 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon sold or transferred | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon sinks | 3,213 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):
The College has purchased 2963 Metric tons CO2e of Climate Action Reserve methane gas destruction offsets from the Buncombe County Landfill and 250 Metric tons CO2e of methane gas destruction offsets from the South Wake Landfill, certified through ACR.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7,002.20 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 | June 1, 2022 | June 1, 2009 |
| End date | May 31, 2023 | May 31, 2010 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
The Greenhouse Gas emissions baseline was adopted for Fiscal Year 2010 because that was the earliest that the College began accurately reporting through the Second Nature Reporting Platform. Fiscal Year 2010 also aligns with the best baseline year data for campus waste.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 688 | 679 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 16 | 16 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 8 | 8 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,201 | 1,305 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 297.70 | 314.33 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 88 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 1,242.03 | 1,396.25 |
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 | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5.02 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor area | |
| Laboratory space | 1,176 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 2,570 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 112,040 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
Since the baseline period, Catawba College has implemented a number of upgrades to reduce campus emissions.
170 kilowatts of behind-the-meter photovoltaic solar panels have been installed on campus rooftops, which reduce the College's demand for power generated off campus using more carbon-intensive generation methods. Solar water heating systems have been installed in numerous buildings, including Abernathy Gymnasium, the Hayes Field House, and Woodson, Stanback, and Barger-Zartman residence halls. These solar water heating systems reduce on-site natural gas usage. The College also benefits from the 16 geothermal wells that assist in heating and cooling many campus buildings. Geothermal wells eliminate the need for natural-gas-fired water heaters and HVAC units powered by electricity generated off campus. The College's dining hall has also upgraded its facilities to reduce energy use and has implemented diversion of food waste to Gallins Family Farm, a third-party composting contractor.
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.