Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.46
Liaison Margaret Bounds
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Connecticut College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.25 / 10.00 Margaret Bounds
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Yes

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 None
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations Some
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 None
Other categories None

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:
The UNH SIMAP system was used to calculate both the baseline FY13 emissions and the FY17 emissions. A custom fuel mix was used based on information from our electricity provider, TransCanada. Commuter data was collected through a survey of faculty and staff to determine modes of transportation. Commuter mileage estimates were calculated using information from Human Resources and Parking Services. Solid waste was calculated based on the weight of trash sent to a mass burn incinerator.

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?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
A student intern compiled the necessary information and produced the initial GHG inventory. This was then independently reviewed by the Associate Director of Budget & Administration for Facilities, a faculty member, and the Assistant Director of Sustainability to confirm the results.

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):
Yes

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 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, 2012 June 30, 2013

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):
FY2013 was the year of our last submission to Second Nature, so data was more readily available.

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Institution-catalyzed carbon offsets generated Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon sequestration due to land that the institution manages specifically for sequestration Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from on-site composting Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon offsets Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 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):
Connecticut College manages, via 25-year contract with Reforest the Tropics, a 40-acre carbon offset forest in Costa Rica. The most recent report found an average of 307 MTCO2e was sequestered since the planting. The contract was signed in 1999.

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 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions Metric tons of CO2 equivalent Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site
Number of employees resident on-site
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty)
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education
Weighted campus users

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 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 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:
149,564.54 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 2,800.84 Square meters
Healthcare space Square meters
Other energy intensive space 395.02 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
155,561.24 Gross square meters

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.08 MtCO2e per square meter

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel ---
Commuting Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services ---
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations ---
Other categories ---

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about 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.