Overall Rating Reporter
Overall Score
Liaison Carly Thibodeau
Submission Date March 7, 2025

STARS v3.0

College of the Holy Cross
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Carly Thibodeau
Director of Sustainability
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

6.1 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory and disclosure

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
SIMAPAnnual_Report_2023.csv

Online location of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
https://unhsimap.org/public/institution/1049

Performance year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2023

Description of the methodology or calculator used to conduct the scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory:

Holy Cross's GHG inventory was conducted using University of New Hampshire's SIMAP. SIMAP is a software developed by the University of New Hampshire to determine institutions’ total emissions impact through data input and analysis. By entering data on the College’s consumption in a variety of categories, SIMAP calculates the GHG emissions associated with Holy Cross operations. All Scope 1 and 2 categories were included, as well as Scope 3 commuting, faculty air travel, and solid waste.


Scope 1 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion:
8,000.77 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
150.48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG process emissions:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG fugitive emissions:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Which of the following methods were used to quantify the institution’s scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Market-based

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If using a location-based or dual reporting method, the following field is also required:

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (location-based):
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of heating and cooling:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
8,151.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Biogenic emissions 

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required: 

Does the institution’s GHG emissions accounting method separate out biogenic emissions for disclosure purposes?:
No

GHG emissions from biogenic sources:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 3 GHG emissions
Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel:
268.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
2,308.39 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
10.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions in all other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard:
---

If any scope 3 activities have been quantified, the following field is also required:

Description of the methodologies used to identify and account for the institution’s relevant scope 3 activities:

Holy Cross's GHG inventory was conducted using University of New Hampshire's SIMAP. SIMAP is a software developed by the University of New Hampshire to determine institutions’ total emissions impact through data input and analysis. By entering data on the College’s consumption in a variety of categories, SIMAP calculates the GHG emissions associated with Holy Cross operations. All Scope 1 and 2 categories were included, as well as Scope 3 commuting, faculty air travel, and solid waste.


The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
1.63

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Baccalaureate colleges and boarding schools

Gross floor area of building space:
2,367,019.30 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of floor area:
3.44 Kilograms per square meter

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
3.89

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
3,219

Full-time equivalent of employees:
1,174

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
4,393

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
1,855.51 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
2.98

6.4 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon sinks

Report figures for the performance year. If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required. Non-additional sequestration does not qualify as a carbon sink for scoring purposes, but may be reported in the optional field provided. 

Third party certified carbon offsets:
800 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s third party certified carbon offsets:

GET FROM CATHY


Carbon storage from on-site composting:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

Carbon sold or transferred:
---

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Baseline emissions
Does the institution have baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
Holy_Cross_Emission_Inventory_Report_FY07.pdf

Online location of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
https://unhsimap.org/public/institution/1049

Baseline year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2007

Narrative outlining when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., president, signed the American College and University Presidents Climate
Commitment on Sept. 15, 2007, earning Holy Cross charter member status. This visionary commitment energized the campus to move in a new direction with the greater good of the community and environment as a priority.
The College-wide commitment in this area is rooted in the College’s Jesuit values. When the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus met in January 2008, it reaffirmed the call of the former Superior General, Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, to all “Jesuits and those who share our mission to show ever more effective ecological solidarity in our spiritual, communal, and apostolic lives ... to move beyond doubts and
indifference to take responsibility for our home, the earth.”


Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
19,689 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following four figures:

Net carbon sinks:
796.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Adjusted net scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
7,351.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
62.66

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
2.51

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:
---

Additional documentation for this credit:
---

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.