Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.91
Liaison Elizabeth Swiman
Submission Date Dec. 19, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Florida State University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.74 / 10.00 Jackie Bucheck
Lab Prog/Air Resources Manager
Central Utilities Plan
"---" 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 None
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations None
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:

Information is gathered from environmental, fuel usage, transportation, and utility bill reports and consolidated via a proprietary tool to complete a final EPA GHG report. The factors used for Scope 1 calculations are the accepted methods by the Federal GHG reporting tool. Scope 2 techniques are largely consistent with other common calculation tools. Scope 3 emissions are not currently calculated.


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 third party energy contractor under contract at FSU, Cenergistic, also calculates GHG emissions via EnergyCap, an energy management software system. EnergyCAP pulls quantities of fuels purchased (natural gas & fuel oil #5) from FSU billing usage and calculates what the GHG emissions would be if those fuels were burned in FSU boilers. The GHG calculations from EnergyCap matched that of FSU’s internal GHG calculation.
Additionally, all final GHG calculations were reviewed by Maintenance Engineers to verify accuracy of the data.


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 26,221.05 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 23,832.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 223.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 127,421.31 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 111,544.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 153,866.34 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 135,376.31 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, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

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):

FSU’s most accurate set of GHG records begin in FY 2007/08.


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):

N/A


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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

N/A


Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 153,866.34 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 135,376.31 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 6,733 6,296
Number of employees resident on-site 12 22
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 35,340 28,157
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 6,670 6,645
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 2,461 1,190.80
Weighted campus users 31,348 26,787.90

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 4.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5.05 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
2.88

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
13,539,980 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 1,271,017 Square feet
+ Date Revised: July 24, 2019
Healthcare space 58,689 Square feet
+ Date Revised: July 24, 2019
Other energy intensive space 226,854 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
16,426,246 Gross square feet

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

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel ---
Commuting ---
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:

FSU’s GHG reduction program and energy conservation program go hand in hand. While the campus has grown, FSU has reduced energy use and GHG per square foot significantly when compared to the baseline year.

As of 2017, FSU has hired a dedicated staff member to implement a Laboratory Air Change Reduction program in research laboratories targeted at reducing energy waste due to HVAC service. FSU research buildings consume about 38% of energy on campus, with an estimated 70% being attributable to special exhaust and HVAC systems. Additionally, laboratory spaces are, on average, unoccupied for 75% of each day. FSU’s Laboratory Air Change Reduction Program aims to reduce this wasted HVAC energy and has been implemented in two out of about 35 research buildings. The program will continue to expand, with an estimated completion date in 2020.

FSU’s Utilities provider, City of Tallahassee, completed a 20MW solar farm in 2017. FSU committed to purchasing 60% of the commercial allocation of the solar farm, which makes FSU the largest single consumer of solar energy from City of Tallahassee. The next phase 40MW solar farm is to be completed in 2019, at which point FSU will be 10% powered by solar energy.

As of 2017, FSU has hired a staff member to improve and implement the Refrigerant Management Program aimed at reducing the emission of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have a capacity to warm the atmosphere that is 1,000-13,000 times greater than CO2. Not only has the program significantly reinforced EPA compliance for FSU technicians, but it has additionally required and enforced compliance for third party contractors.

In 2017, Florida State University entered into a multiyear contract with Cenergistic LLC to build a customized energy conservation program. The program goals include conserving energy, saving dollars the university can reinvest, preserving a quality learning environment for students, and increasing awareness to empower energy users to be energy savers. The agreement includes a shared responsibility concept in which Cenergistic provides extensive resources, education and on-site training, and action planning that FSU will incorporate into an updated energy conservation program.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.