Colorado College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

To complete the GHG emissions inventory, Colorado College utilized the Clean Air-Cool Planet (CAPC) as its emissions calculation tool. CACP is based on well-reviewed methodologies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The tool provides an accessible and well-documented platform for maintaining the greenhouse gas inventory. It is targeted specifically at colleges and universities, allowing for easy comparison with other institutions.

CC offsets carbon emissions through its four solar installations on campus. The College invested in its first solar project during the 2007/2008 fiscal years, installing panels onto the Edith Gaylord roof (39,600 kWh). During 2011/2012, it purchased panels for the Worner Center (63,000 kWh) and in 2012/2013 for KRCC (3,240 kWh) and the Children's Center (25,200 kWh). In 2014, CC installed new solar arrays on the El Pomar Sports Center (278,000 kWh/yr), the Cornerstone Arts Center (164,600 kWh/yr), Spencer Center (18 kW array), Synergy House (4.3 kW array), and the Dean's house (10.7 kW array). In addition, the institution generates offsets through its Energy Audit and Retrofit Program. The program offers students enrolled in the "Energy" (EV 212) course an opportunity to learn the science and mechanics behind energy audits and retrofits through hands-on practice and community-based service. After conducting the audit and obtaining an air exchange value, students work to improve the building's efficiency by installing additional insulation. The project targets low-income neighborhoods and typically results in one completed house per year. However, even though the program has reduced emissions, there is not sufficient data to include these offsets in the number for "institution-catalyzed carbon offsets generated".

In 2011, Colorado College added commercial composting to its solid waste services. The program accommodates all pre- and post consumer food waste from dining & catering and paper towel waste from campus bathrooms. Compost waste is handled through CC's facilities management contractor Sodexo and is hulled from the college to a waste management site via a local company Bestway Disposal. Compost used on-site at the CC Farm is purchased from an off-site facility.

In November 2012, the College purchased 230 kW of solar panels in SunShare's solar garden project. As part of this purchase, the College receives all energy produced by the panels for the next twenty years and renewable energy certificates from SunShare each year. For the 2013 academic year these certificates totaled 462 MWh's. Beginning in 2012, CC has purchased blocks of green power from Colorado Springs Utilities on a monthly basis. The wind power is generated from the Ponnequin Wind Facility, located along the Colorado-Wyoming border. One block is equal to 100-kilowatt hours of electricity. Colorado College has purchased enough blocks to generate 2,000,000 kWh. REC's have been verified through Green-e, an independent certification program.

Colorado College is committed to meeting its 2020 carbon neutrality goal. In the first four years, as directed by the Sustainability Plan drafted in 2009, Colorado College reduced carbon emissions by more than 20% and saved $1.74 million in utility costs. Utilities management at Colorado College has become an area of increased emphasis. In FY13 CC experienced continued success in decreasing energy use and costs campus-wide. Cumulative avoided costs for utilities are estimated in excess of $2.1M since the 2008 baseline. Recent and notable accomplishments include: hiring of a full-time on Campus Energy Manager; developing the Carbon Neutrality Plan through collaboration between the Office of Sustainability, Facilities Services, and the Campus Sustainability Council; increasing renewable energy purchases via wind from Colorado Springs Utilities and solar from SunShare; introducing Sofame Heat Recovery at the Central Heating Plant, the building of various solar arrays on buildings around campus including the dean's house, Synergy house, Gaylord Apartments, The Worner Center, El Pomar Center, and Cornerstone Arts Center. The Dean's house and Synergy House are now net-zero buildings. A Campus-Micro Grid is in the initial stages of execution. This project would create a campus micro grid to reduce carbon emissions by combining heat and power processes, reduce energy costs by peak shaving, and provide infrastructure to critical infrastructure to support emergency operations. Currently during a power outage, CC can operate the central plant, but does not have power to circulate water through the buildings connected to the high temperature hot water distribution system. This project would construct a 400kW combined heat and power system at the central plant. The system would run off of natural gas and provide emergency power to the Worner Center to support cooking operations and El Pomar for use as an emergency shelter. The system would achieve carbon savings and payback by operating in parallel to with the utility grid during summer peak demand periods. This would reduce demand at the central plant, also know as peak-shaving. LED lighting in Schlessman pool and also Honnen Ice Arena replace light bulbs with more energy efficient LED bulbs, reducing GHG emissions generated from coal.

CC Carbon Neutrality Plan: http://rs.acupcc.org/site_media/uploads/cap/1155-cap.pdf The greenhouse gas inventory includes Colorado College's main campus, the Florissant CC Cabin, and the Baca Campus at Crestone, Colorado. Properties owned by the College but managed by external entities were excluded from the inventory, because the College is not responsible for the occupancy or maintenance of utilities for the associated buildings.