Overall Rating Bronze
Overall Score 32.64
Liaison Jennifer Parrott
Submission Date Jan. 10, 2025

STARS v3.0

Idaho State University
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.80 / 16.00 Jessica Carnes
Sustainability Manager
Environmental Health, Safety & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

6.1 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory and disclosure

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
Online location of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
---

Performance year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2022

Description of the methodology or calculator used to conduct the scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory:

Idaho State University used SIMAP to conduct and calculate scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions inventory. The inventory was collected for FY2022 with a few considerations: 

The commuting data was calculated using parking pass permits for the FY2022 and assumptions, as there has not been a survey conducted on commuter behaviors. 

  • The Sustainability office assumed students took 4 one-way trips a week. This assumption was based on class scheduling, with T/Th being the primary days academic classes are held. The four trips accounted for students who lived off campus to drive to and from campus twice a day, two times a week. This does not account for extracurricular events. The office assumed a student would perform all their campus activities in a full day spent, and not make more than two trips a day. 
  • To be conservative the calculations were run assuming 100% of the trips were driven alone.
  • The trip distance for students was assumed 10 miles (one way) as an average distance to off campus housing for the region.
  • The parking pass data did not differentiate between faculty and staff, and was based on all University employees as a whole, so the emission data is a conservative estimate.
  • It was assumed seven one way trips a week for employees, which is the average between staff and faculty. It was assumed faculty take 4 one way trips/week and it was assumed staff take 10 one way trips/week. 
  • Calcuations assumed driving alone 100% of the time
  • The trip distance for employees was assumed 15 miles (one way) as an average distance for the region

No data regarding alternative modes of transportation was collected.

No data regarding University travel of any kind was collected.

No data regarding landfill waste was provided.

Data considered in the calculations was not comprehensive as the office was not able to collect all the information to get a holistic snapshot of commuting emissions on campus. These numbers serve to represent a basic understanding of university behavior and associated GHG emissions. 


Scope 1 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion:
18,587 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
445.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG process emissions:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG fugitive emissions:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Which of the following methods were used to quantify the institution’s scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Both (dual reporting)

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
21,532.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If using a location-based or dual reporting method, the following field is also required:

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (location-based):
21,532.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of heating and cooling:
---

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
40,564.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Biogenic emissions 

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required: 

Does the institution’s GHG emissions accounting method separate out biogenic emissions for disclosure purposes?:
No

GHG emissions from biogenic sources:
---

Scope 3 GHG emissions
Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
7,235.27 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
3,568.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions in all other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard:
---

If any scope 3 activities have been quantified, the following field is also required:

Description of the methodologies used to identify and account for the institution’s relevant scope 3 activities:

The Sustainability Office reached out to appropiate contacts withing University Facilities Operations Departmant to collect the data used for the inventory.


The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
1.50

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Doctoral universities and research institutions

Gross floor area of building space:
541,176.56 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of floor area:
74.96 Kilograms per square meter

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
2.49

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
5,074

Full-time equivalent of employees:
1,150

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
6,224

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
6,517.44 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
0.81

6.4 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon sinks

Report figures for the performance year. If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required. Non-additional sequestration does not qualify as a carbon sink for scoring purposes, but may be reported in the optional field provided. 

Third party certified carbon offsets:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s third party certified carbon offsets:
---

Carbon storage from on-site composting:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

Carbon sold or transferred:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Baseline emissions
Does the institution have baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data?:
No

Copy of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
---

Online location of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
---

Baseline year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
---

Narrative outlining when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
---

Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
---

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following four figures:

Net carbon sinks:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Adjusted net scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
40,564.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
0

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
0

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:
---

Additional documentation for this credit:

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.