Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.82
Liaison Stephanie MacPhee
Submission Date Jan. 7, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Dalhousie University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.00 / 10.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

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Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel No
Commuting Yes
Purchased goods and services No
Capital goods No
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 No
Waste generated in operations No

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Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
No

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A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:
The CAN/CSA‐ISO 14064‐1‐06 Greenhouse Gases ‐ Part 1: Specification with Guidance at the Organization Level for Quantification and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals (Adopted ISO 14064-1:2006, first edition, 2006‐03‐01) standard was used as a framework for the GHG inventory report. Calculations were derived from The Climate Registry (TCR) ‐ General Reporting Protocol ‐ version 2.0, March, 2013. Emission factors used were taken from TCR 2013 Default Emission Factors document April 2, 2013, and the Nova Scotia Power website.

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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

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A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
Stantec Consulting validated the GHG report methods and outline.

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Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 28.13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 38.75 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0.48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 56.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 58.39 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets::
Performance Year Baseline Year
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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
---

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A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
---

None
A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
---

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A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
---

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Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 2,169 2,259
Number of residential employees 9 5
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 15,794 14,164
Full-time equivalent of employees 7,106 6,497
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 240 160

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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year April 1, 2013 March 31, 2014
Baseline Year April 1, 2009 March 31, 2010

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A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
The baseline year (2009-2010) is used in our University Sustainability Plan to compare progressive targets to for water, energy, GHGs. This year is when accurate data could be reliably accessed.

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Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
420,896.39 Square meters

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Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 44,369.27 Square meters
Healthcare space 1,350.72 Square meters
Other energy intensive space 50,030.77 Square meters

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Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 9,701 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 0 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 (please specify below) 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":
---

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A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
---

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The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
None
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Reduce Greenhouse Gases: · Implemented a number of energy efficiency projects that reduced GHGs including campus wide lighting upgrades, compressed air leakage fixes, refrigerator/freezer exchange, and insulation initiatives. · Fuel switching to renewable energy sources and cleaner fossil fuels – This included adding solar thermal and PV projects and switching from Bunker C to natural gas in the central heating plant. · Implemented new transportation demand management programs including employee bus pass and bike loans. Adapt to a changing climate: · Implementation of two new rain gardens and green roof for storm water management · Vulnerability mapping for the AC campus Increase climate change knowledge: · Worked with climate experts to model campuses for climate changes in next 80 years. · Published journal article in International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education on Climate Change Adaptation Planning method · Many faculty working on climate related research and questions. Active climate work being done by a number of Departments including Political Science, Physics, Oceans, Arch and Planning.

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This information includes the Halifax campuses. The Nova Scotia Agriculture College merged with Dalhousie in September 2012. This campus which is 1/10 the size of the Halifax campuses will be included in the next STARS report for this category.

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.