Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 52.02
Liaison Christine Bruckner
Submission Date Jan. 24, 2025

STARS v3.0

Illinois State University
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 9.00 / 16.00 Elisabeth Reed
Director
Office of 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:
2023

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

Scope 1 emissions were calculated using annualized data stationary combustion data compiled by the Office of Energy Management to produce emissions reports of our boilers/use of natural gas and propane as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Data on mobile combustion was collected from monthly data maintained by University Fleet. Scope 2 emissions were provided by the Office of Energy Management and annualized using monthly electricity usage from our provider, MidAmerican Energy. 

The emissions inventory attached to this submission is from fiscal year 2023 which spans from July 2022 to June 2023.  

We used the 2022 emissions factors published by the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP) to convert measures of consumption to kilograms of CO2, CH4, and N2O. For CO2 in calendar year 2023, data on Illinois average emissions factor from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s eGRID resource released in 2025 is used. All emissions factors are reported as CO2e emissions in metric tons. CH4 and N2O emissions are converted to CO2e using IPCC standards.  


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:
23,991 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
786 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?:
Location-based

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
---

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):
15,895 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of heating and cooling:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
40,672 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?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
---

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?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
---

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?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
---

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 Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
1

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Doctoral universities and research institutions

Gross floor area of building space:
643,664.31 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

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

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
2.73

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
18,590.30

Full-time equivalent of employees:
3,295

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
21,885.30

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
1,858.42 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
3.09

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:
---

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

Carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

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

Carbon sold or transferred:
---

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
---

Baseline emissions
Does the institution have baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data?:
Yes

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:
2013

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

We used 2013 as our baseline year because this was the first time we calculated and reported on GHG emissions for STARS.


Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
89,363 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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:
40,672 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
54.49

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
2.18

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.