| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.02 |
| Liaison | James Speer |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Indiana State University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.97 / 10.00 |
James
Speer Professor Earth and Environmental Sciences |
Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Business travel | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:
In accordance with the American Colleges and Universities President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signed by Dr. Lloyd Benjamin III in 2007 and reinforced by Dr. Dan Bradley, ISU is required to complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first inventory was completed by Sebesta Blomberg in 2008. A second greenhouse gas analysis was completed internally by the Office of Sustainability at ISU in 2011 and these numbers were updated on the ACUPCC website in 2013. We have also completed a fifth iteration of the Carbon Footprint Analysis in 2015 which contains the most complete carbon footprint that we have calculated to date.
A greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory (a.k.a. carbon footprint) is an itemized inventory of GHG emissions. Each of ISU carbon footprints since 2007 was determined using methodology outlined by the ACUPCC and the most current Campus Carbon Calculator (version 8.0) from the Sustainability Institute at University of New Hampshire which was designed and maintained by the not-for-profit organization called Clean Air-Cool Planet. This version of the calculator is more enhanced than the one used to perform Indiana State University’s previous carbon footprints, yet still incorporates GHG Protocol developed by the World Resources Institute.
We have had a hard time getting data on commuter driving distances, air travel, fleet fuel use, and refrigerant use so we have consistently used the estimates developed by the consultants from our original Carbon Footprint Analysis.
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:
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 19,004 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 72,654 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 42,111 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 45,866 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
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 | 530 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon storage from on-site composting | 26.80 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 |
A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
We are a Tree Campus USA with 3,500 trees on our campus. We also maintain about 15 tree farms on ISU owned property around the main campus and have about 230 acres in forested and grassland locations that are remote from campus (but included in our defined boundaries). We calculated the amount of carbon fixed in these areas at 530 metric tons of carbon fixed each year.
A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
The carbon sequestration from our on-campus trees is 286.3 metric tons of CO2 per year. Our off-campus holdings are 230 acres (or 93 hectares) and, based on Eddy Flux Tower data from Morgan Monroe State Forest, our forested areas sequester approximately 2.62 metric tons of C per hectare per year (Ehman et al. 2002). An estimation of total carbon sequestered by the trees on ISU’s campus and forested properties owned by ISU is approximately 530 metric tons of CO2 per year. This number needs to be improved by more studies on carbon sequestration in eastern deciduous forests, understanding of carbon sequestration in grass lands, and a more quantitative assessment of the land use of ISU’s external landholdings (Table 2 of carbon footprint analysis).
A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
Our Grounds Maintenance staff manage our composting of materials from across campus where they are composted at the ISU Community Garden and used by the gardeners as an organic soil amendment. Pre-consumer kitchen scraps are used as well as leaves from across campus. Post-consumer food waste is processed in a SOMAT machine at Lincoln Quad dining facility and used as an organic matter additive to the compost. Each year we increase the amount of compost by approximately 30% according to the best estimates from what the grounds crew has been able to determine. We have also been increasing the number of community garden plots that use this compost and will be expanding to our third half city block in Spring 2016.
A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
None.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 3,881 | 3,116 |
| Number of residential employees | 43 | 2 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 10,452 | 8,400 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,308 | 1,300 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 1,519 | 0 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Aug. 1, 2014 | July 31, 2015 |
| Baseline Year | Aug. 1, 1989 | July 31, 1990 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
In accordance with the American Colleges and Universities President’s Climate Commitment
(ACUPCC) signed by Dr. Lloyd Benjamin III in 2007 and reinforced by Dr. Dan Bradley, ISU is
required to complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first inventory was completed by Sebesta Blomberg in 2007.
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 8,406.07 Square meters |
| Healthcare space | 3,148.67 Square meters |
| Other energy intensive space | 4,270.29 Square meters |
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 1,458 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 4,566 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 |
A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":
We have collected most of our Scope 3 GHG values through commuting and air travel. We send very little waste to the landfill now, but our landfill captures methane and Boral Bricks uses that captured methane to fire its bricks. According to the Carbon Calculator we receive 9 metric tons of carbon credit from our landfill process, but this form requires that we report zero or higher.
A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
ISU has been has been trying to effect student behavior change through energy conservation including the Campus Conservation National, light switch plate "turn-off-the-lights" campaign, and most recently two old 12 story residence halls that were used as academic buildings were taken down sustainably (recycling rebar and using ground up concrete for fill) which should create a step change in our carbon footprint with our next analysis.
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The baseline numbers for 1989-1990 were calculated as an average of our earliest data from 1999 to 2011 before we started to intentionally increase the number of students on campus and to reduce the number of faculty and staff.
The baseline numbers for 1989-1990 were calculated as an average of our earliest data from 1999 to 2011 before we started to intentionally increase the number of students on campus and to reduce the number of faculty and staff.
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.