| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.20 |
| Liaison | Maddie LoDico |
| Submission Date | Nov. 5, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Colby College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
10.00 / 10.00 |
Maddie
LoDico Director of Sustainability Sustainability Office |
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 | All |
| Commuting | All |
| Purchased goods and services | Some |
| Capital goods | Some |
| 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:
To measure greenhouse gas emissions, Colby uses the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP), designed by the University of New Hampshire, which is recommended by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) because it was designed specifically for college and university campuses.
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:
A student intern collected the data for the campus carbon inventory. The data was then reviewed by a number of people within the Facilities Department, including the Sustainability Director, the Director of Operations and Maintenance, the Director of Business and Administrative Services, and the Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Campus Planning.
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 | 4,171.37 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 12,333 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 587.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 261 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 2,031.45 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 194 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 6,789.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 12,788 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, 2017 | June 30, 2018 |
| 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):
We are using FY2005 as a common baseline throughout this submission, as this was the year that the College began formally tracking data in all STARS reporting fields.
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 8,900 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 | 40 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 | 8,900 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 40 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):
3,000 metric tons CO2e from tree planting by TIST in Kenya, Uganda, and India; VCS and CCB Gold.
1,500 metric tons CO2e from Guatemala Water Treatment and Cookstove Project project, Guatemala, Gold Standard VER
1,500 metric tons CO2e from India Solar Water Heating project, India, Gold Standard CER.
1,500 metric tons CO2e from Sichuan Household Biodigester project, China, Gold Standard CER.
1,400 metric tons CO2e from Mississippi Valley Reforestation Project project, United States, ACR.
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 | 2,031.45 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 8,392 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
Constellation NewEnergy Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates, 100% National Wind
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 12,554 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,860 | 1,664 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 10 | 13 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 5 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,917 | 1,764 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 817 | 640 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,523 | 2,222.25 |
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 | 5.65 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 | 40,284.90 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 49,391.62 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 | 2,408.27 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 1,919.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | --- |
| Waste generated in operations | 199.17 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:
Colby is a carbon neutral campus, and thus is constantly considering its GHG emissions. Colby hosts an annual Dorm Electricity Competition to encourage students to cut back on their electricity use, and therefore the amount of greenhouse gases released due to energy production. The College has also been undergoing a utility retrofitting project which includes replacing lighting fixtures with LEDs, insulating the steam pipes, and developing the on-going commissioning program to ensure operational efficiency. Colby composts all of its landscaping debris on-campus, however this amount is not measured and all food waste is taken off-campus to a composting facility 50 miles from the College. Additionally, 100% of the steam from the biomass plant goes out to campus to heat and generate electricity.
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:
RECs were not included in the Scope 2 emissions in SIMAP. The Scope 2 emissions reported above represent the gross scope 2 emissions exclusive of the purchased RECs.
RECs were not included in the Scope 2 emissions in SIMAP. The Scope 2 emissions reported above represent the gross scope 2 emissions exclusive of the purchased RECs.
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.