| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.74 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Lamy |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Emerson College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.43 / 10.00 |
Duncan
Pollock AVP Campus Services Campus Services |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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 | All |
| Commuting | All |
| Purchased goods and services | Some |
| Capital goods | Some |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | All |
| 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:
Emerson contracts with Sightlines to conduct GHG emission assessments, benchmark our institution against other schools and our record, and offer recommendations for lowering our emissions. Sightlines gathers data on commuting, staff and faculty travel, athletic travel, study abroad travel for students, staff and faculty, waste, waste water, paper purchasing, and electricity lost during transmission. Waste includes composting, e-waste recycling, single stream recycling, building materials recycling and metal scrapping, and landfill waste.
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?:
A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
See above
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):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 1,252.73 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 1,455.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 143.19 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 780.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 6,276.33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 6,135 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 4,170.23 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,382 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 11,842.48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 11,753.20 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, 2010 | 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):
Emerson College has grown and dramatically since we began tracking emissions in 2007. While Emerson continues to grow and revitalize its spaces, the majority of the current campus was in operation beginning January 2010. For this reason, I have set the baseline year to be an average of FY11, FY12, and FY13, to better reflect the general resource use and associated emissions, both per capita and per square foot.
"Scope 1 emissions from other sources" is defined as refrigerants and our on campus fleet.
"Scope 2 emissions from other sources" is defined as steam for heating.
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 0 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 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 |
| Carbon offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon offsets | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 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):
NA
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 | 6,272.33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,261.61 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
Emerson has purchased wind renewable energy credits to offset more than 100% of electricity consumption from Renewable Choice Energy for the past 3 years. Emerson has purchased RECs since 2004, beginning with a quantity equal to 2,500,000 kwh. For the past three years, Emerson has purchased RECs equivalent to 25,000,000 kwh.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 5,570.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 8,491.59 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,736 | 1,916 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 6 | 6 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 3 | 3 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 3,783 | 4,350 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 846 | 572 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 3,910.25 | 4,175 |
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 | 1.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2.03 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:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 0 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 21,530 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 1,739.45 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 824.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 119.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | 292.16 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 37.53 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 2,259.63 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Over the past three years Emerson has:
-upgraded two buildings to LEED Gold
-2016 installation of Dyson Airblade V high-efficiency hand dryers in the 40 highest use bathrooms on campus.
- increase in energy-efficient lighting.
- increase in motion detectors have been installed in offices so overhead lights shut off automatically when people leave the rooms.
- additional purchases of Energy Star-rated computers and other appliances whenever possible.
- increase use of Veolia's "green steam" for heating buildings and water
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:
Fuel and energy related activities not included in scope 1 or 2 = T&D losses for electricity generation
Other = student study abroad air travel emissions
Fuel and energy related activities not included in scope 1 or 2 = T&D losses for electricity generation
Other = student study abroad air travel emissions
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.