Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	77.56
Liaison	John Pumilio
Submission Date	Oct. 11, 2022

STARS v2.2

Colgate University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	7.05 / 8.00	John Pumilio Director of Sustainability Sustainability Office

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions

Gross GHG emissions

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion	7,628.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	6,138 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources	778.36 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	1,443.08 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	1,885 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	8,406.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	9,466.08 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon sinks

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased	6,500 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	3,778 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	---
Carbon sold or transferred	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks	6,500 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If total performance year carbon sinks are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

Each year, Colgate's Office of Sustainability and Sustainability Council publishes an annual Carbon Offsets report that details the university's process for purchasing offsets and the type and specific projects invested in. Colgate's 2021 annual offsets report can be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CdPzWCovpTdOxXOskdbFipHZaTvIVUSh/view?usp=sharing

Additionally, Colgate’s local forest has been certified by the American Tree Farm System for long-term sustainable management. These trees have been inventoried and sequester 3,778 tons of carbon dioxide annually. We actively manage these forests, as outlined in our land-stewardship plan. This plan has five goals: teaching and research; outdoor recreation and aesthetic value; conservation of ecosystems services and biodiversity; timber production; and carbon sequestration. We adhere to this plan to manage our forest for sequestration. More information and our forest carbon inventory can be found here: https://www.colgate.edu/about/sustainability/land-forest-stewardship

The elimination of Scope 2 (electricity) emissions between Colgate's baseline in 2009 and the performance year was due to the Hamilton Municipal Coop (the local utility that Colgate purchases electricity from) securing 100% of its power from carbon-free hydroelectricity and nuclear power within our state.

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions	1,906.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	9,466.08 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Performance and baseline periods

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):

	Performance year	Baseline year
Start date	July 1, 2020	June 1, 2009
End date	June 30, 2021	May 30, 2010

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

Our baseline was established with the hiring of our Director of Sustainability and with our first greenhouse gas inventory after signing the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (since renamed Second Nature's Climate Commitment) in 2009. Before this, Colgate did not measure the university's greenhouse gas footprint (comprehensively).

Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person

Weighted campus users

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site	2,426	2,184
Number of employees resident on-site	4	6
Number of other individuals resident on-site	0	0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment	2,676	2,784
Full-time equivalent of employees	962	968
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education	0	0
Weighted Campus Users	3,336	3,361.50

Metrics used in scoring for Part 1

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	0.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	2.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

79.71

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:

233,832.58 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:

	Floor area
Laboratory space	11,242.38 Square meters
Healthcare space	204.57 Square meters
Other energy intensive space	5,457.31 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:

262,183.79 Gross square meters

Metric used in scoring for Part 2

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

0 MtCO2e per square meter

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

In 2009, we signed the ACUPCC (Second Nature's Carbon Commitment) and committed to carbon neutrality by 2019 with the final approval of our 2011 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. The Plan identified 27 carbon mitigation projects that we have been implementing systematically. To date, we have installed solar thermal and geothermal energy systems, replaced fuel oil #6 with natural gas, built and renovated six buildings that have achieved LEED certification, completed energy conservation measures in our existing buildings (e.g., HVAC upgrades, variable speed drives, LED lighting upgrades, etc.). We have installed electric vehicle charging stations, purchased hybrid and electric vehicles for our vehicle fleet, installed low-flow showerheads throughout campus, introduced an on-campus composting program, expanded our bike share program, introduced student and staff educational programming, among others. As a result of these actions, the university has reduced its carbon footprint by over 50 percent since 2009 despite adding five new buildings and over 100 additional students, faculty, and staff.

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:

https://www.colgate.edu/about/sustainability/carbon-neutrality

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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