| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.48 |
| Liaison | Heather Albert-Knopp |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
College of the Atlantic
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.66 / 10.00 |
Andrea
Russell Sustainability Coordinator and Community Energy Center Program Manager -- |
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 | All |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | None |
| Other categories | Some |
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:
We used the Clean Air-Cool Planet carbon calculator to inventory our GHG emissions beginning in 2006. In FY-16, COA migrated to CA-CP’s online version (The Campus Carbon Calculator), and in FY-17 upgraded to the latest iteration: SIMAP. As all of our electricity is either solar energy generated on campus or purchased green electricity from wind power, our Scope 2 GHG emissions are zero. Information is collected from our heating fuel and electricity providers and from our business office regarding business travel. Commuter surveys have been used to gather information from students, faculty and staff on commuting distances and frequency. Information on number of students comes from the college's Common Data Set. Note: The 'Performance' year is FY-17 and the 'Base' year is 2005.
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:
Student Summer Energy Summer Fellows work in conjunction with faculty and staff to collect data related to GHG emissions and complete a yearly inventory using the online calculator. Work-study students double-check this calculator, with the assistance of staff, during the academic year. In addition, this student/staff team manually checked the SIMAP calculator data import from the previous GHG calculator (CarbonMAP) for accuracy.
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 | 550.53 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 584 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 141.77 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 21 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 233.05 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 434 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 43 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Total | 925.35 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 1,082 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, 2016 | June 30, 2017 |
| 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):
In spring 2006, COA began using the Clean Air-Cool Planet Carbon Calculator, so 2005 was the most recent year for which we could collect accurate data to enter into the calculator.
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 | 7.04 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 | 7.04 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):
On-site composting has been a COA tradition since the 1970s. In-house tracking and COA’s annual Discarded Resources audit are the best ways to measure on-campus composting, which is carefully tracked by Buildings & Grounds and “Discarded Resources” work-study students. At COA there are six areas that produce leftovers: “Take-a-Break” dining hall, Sea Urchin cafe, on-campus student residences, off-campus housing, special events, and snacking on campus property. The College has different locations were these organic “resources” are deposited: Green Cones, community compost drop-offs, compost bins at each dining area, etc. These bins are emptied into larger compost piles on campus and at Peggy Rockefeller Farm. The College uses a record of the piles’ temperatures to ensure they are effectively decomposing.
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 | 233.05 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:
Electricity RECs:
RECs purchased from Native Energy for electricity for the calendar years 2004 and 2006. Certification - Green-E.
RECs and electricity purchased as a bundle from the Worumbo Hydropower Plant in Maine for the calendar years 2008, 2009 and 2010. Certification - Green-E.
RECs purchased for electricity for calendar years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 from Constellation New Energy includes both electricity and RECs as a bundle. Certification - Green-E.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 685.26 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 1,082 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 150 | 104 |
| 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 | 325 | 276 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 108 | 98 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 362.25 | 306.50 |
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 | 1.89 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent | 3.53 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 | 20,000 Square Feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square Feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 30,910 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 | 183.90 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Commuting | 206.62 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 6.36 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 | 0 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 0 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
| Other categories | 0 Metric Tons of CO2 Equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
The College conducted an energy audit of every building on campus in 2014-2015. A working group of students, staff and faculty reviewed the audits, and in 2017 presented a recommendation to COA's Board of Trustees proposing a three-phase implementation plan. The Board has authorized $750,00 for Phase I of this plan.
Students have installed over 60 solar panels as part of academic courses and are involved in every aspect of our energy framework through these courses, work-study positions, independent studies and senior projects.
The College continues to contract all of its electricity from mid-west wind power sources while paying for the associated RECs in real time. We are switching out CFL bulbs and fluorescent tube lighting for newer, more energy efficient LED lights using both bulb and modular tube LED types. A switch to modular LEDs in the college's dining hall kitchen was completed in May 2014.
Through practical, hands-on energy courses students are working on energy reduction issues on campus. In the Physics and Math of Sustainable Energy course, offered each year, student-group projects have included a wide number of emissions reduction initiatives, including: reducing water pumping for irrigation at one of the college's farms; assessing heating needs and alternative heating solutions for campus; and investigating heat pump technology to take heat out of the campus kitchen and use it to heat domestic hot-water.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support 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.