Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	67.61
Liaison	Ian Johnson
Submission Date	May 4, 2023

STARS v2.2

Colorado College
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	8.00 / 8.00	Ian Johnson Sustainability Director Office of Sustainability

"---" 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	6,969.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	10,158 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources	307.51 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	379.41 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity	30.61 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	15,692.47 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	7,307.54 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	26,229.88 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon sinks

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased	16,521 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	12 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon sold or transferred	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks	16,521 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	12 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):

Colorado College's offset purchases are used to invest in the Larimer County Landfill Capture Project. This project is used to capture methane, burn methane to create electricity, and then released as CO2.

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:

	Performance year	Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	26,217.88 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, 2021	July 1, 2008
End date	June 30, 2022	June 30, 2009

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

Following Colorado College’s signing of the ACUPCC and our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2020, the GHG emissions inventory was initiated. The baseline was first accounted for in 2008.

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	1,740	1,480
Number of employees resident on-site	16	28
Number of other individuals resident on-site	0	0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment	2,266	1,996.50
Full-time equivalent of employees	827	685
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education	0	0
Weighted Campus Users	2,758.75	2,388.13

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 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	10.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

100

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:

2,363,320 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:

	Floor area
Laboratory space	195,825 Square feet
Healthcare space	0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space	269,227 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:

3,024,197 Gross square feet

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 foot

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

As of January 1st, 2020 Colorado College reached its goal of Carbon Neutrality. 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 $6.8M 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.

As of January 2015, LED lights were installed in the Honnen Ice Arena which resulted in 75% energy reduction and annual carbon savings of 100 MTCO2. In May 2015, LED lights were also installed in Schlessman Pool, resulting in 75% energy reduction and annual carbon savings of 40 MTCO2.
A water conservation project including pipe repairs at Schlessman Pool was completed in 2017. It resulted in savings of 4.1 million gallons of water saved from 2015 to 2016.
Numerous improvements have been made across campus in machine efficiency, ranging from instruments in Barnes to the steam generator in our campus cogeneration plant. Real-time energy dashboards accessible for the public were completed.
In 2018, Colorado College acquired the neighboring Fine Arts Center, which increased GHG emissions. Audits and commissioning are in the works, and RECs were purchased in 2017. Colorado College also completed renovations to Tutt Library. Tutt Library is powered using geoexchange and is a net-zero building that sets a national precedent for sustainable libraries.

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

https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/sustainability/state-of-sustainability-/SUS_%20SOS20.pdf

Additional documentation to support the submission:

SUS__SOS20.pdf

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

CC Carbon Neutrality Plan: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/sustainability/carbonneutral2020/index.html

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.

2020 Energy Report:
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/facilities/energy-management/CC%202020%20Annual%20Energy%20Report.pdf

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.