| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.57 |
| Liaison | Jennifer McMillin |
| Submission Date | June 15, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Cleveland State University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.49 / 10.00 |
Jennifer
McMillin Director of Sustainability Facilities l Architect l Safety l Technology |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Does the institution’s GHG emissions inventory include all, some or none of its Scope 3 GHG emissions from the following categories?:
| All, Some, or None | |
| Business travel | Some |
| Commuting | All |
| Purchased goods and services | None |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | All |
| Other categories | None |
A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory, including how the institution accounted for each category of Scope 3 emissions reported above:
The Campus Carbon Calculator was used to complete the GHG emissions inventory as it is widely used by institutions of higher education to track and manage institutional greenhouse gas emissions.
The Campus Carbon Calculator utilizes documents from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to generate emissions values. Emissions coefficients provided by the Campus Carbon Calculator were double checked against those provided in referenced documents including the Inventory of U.S Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-2015. For electricity, regional emissions factors are derived from the EPA’s Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGrid).
Waste generated in operations includes data on disposal and treatment of solid waste and wastewater.
Data limitations exist for air travel calculations. Travel related expenditures including per diem allowances, food and accommodation, are frequently recorded together as a single line item. Therefore air travel emissions calculations are based on purchasing data where flights were individually and correctly coded. It is unknown what percentage of air travel is represented in these figures.
Commuter emissions were calculated using the Campus Carbon Calculator and assumptions were based on surveys undertaken by students to assess commuter behavior and modes of transport utilized. Permits sold to faculty and staff (and associated zip codes) were used to determine average commuter distance traveled to CSU. Parking permits purchased by students were determined to be an unreliable way to estimate student commuter emissions as many student's permits are issued to their parent's home address, while the student commuter, in many cases, lives near campus.
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?:
A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
Cleveland State University's 2016 emissions inventory was largely compiled by an intern reporting to the Manager of Utilities and Energy. The inventory and report has been reviewed by the Director of Sustainability.
Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 and Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 1,191 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 1,047 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 164 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 183 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 37,880 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 37,758 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 12,173 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 19,967 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 51,408 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 58,955 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
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, 2004 | June 30, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 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 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 |
| Carbon offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon offsets | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
No carbon offsets to report.
Emissions reductions attributable to Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or Guarantee of Origin (GO) purchases:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Emissions reductions attributable to REC/GO purchases | 8,722.72 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
Cleveland State University entered into a two year power purchasing contract with Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. from 7/29/2014 to 6/20/2016.
NewMix Wind (Load Following) was the product selected for Green-e Energy certified renewable energy certificates, sourced from wind resources located within the United States in an amount equal to 15% of Cleveland State University’s load volume. The 15% green energy purchase of 16,643 RECs is the equivalent to 8,723 tons of CO2e.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 42,685.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 58,955 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,010 | 449 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 13,947 | 12,371 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 1,867 | 1,873 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 429 | 388 |
| Weighted campus users | 11,791.25 | 10,504.25 |
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 | 3.62 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5.61 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 | 509,500 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 11,921 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 310,831 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:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 3,794 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 12,449 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | --- |
| Capital goods | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | 2,622 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | --- |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Purchase of 15% green energy.
Every student at CSU receives an RTA bus pass paid for with tuition fees.
Solar panels on South Garage reduce our emissions by 73 tons annually.
CSU invested $52M in energy conservation measures such as LED lighting, high efficiency fume hoods, and HVAC upgrades as part of the Campus-Wide Energy Conservation and Management Program. This program is entirely self-funded through guaranteed energy and maintenance savings. The program included an exterior LED lighting upgrade project which provided for complete retrofits and replacements of parking lot lighting, parking garage lighting, and walkway and sidewalk lighting throughout the entire campus, totaling nearly 1,700 new exterior LED fixtures. In all, this project changed the quality and efficiency of lighting systems in 5 covered parking garages, 10 surface parking lots, and more than 2.5 miles of walkways, sidewalks, and plazas. As a result of this project, an estimated 75% of all exterior lighting on the 85 acre urban campus has been converted to LED. This project resulted in utility savings, increased efficiency and improved optical control. As a result, CSU’s electrical load decreased by 196,000 watts with a total reduction in consumption of over 1 million kilowatt-hours, a 54% reduction in usage over the previous lighting technologies.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Further information about greenhouse gas emissions at Cleveland State University can be found on our Second Nature reporting dashboard at
http://reporting.secondnature.org/dashboard/dashboard/##2989
Further information about greenhouse gas emissions at Cleveland State University can be found on our Second Nature reporting dashboard at
http://reporting.secondnature.org/dashboard/dashboard/##2989
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.