Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.14
Liaison Kelsey Beal
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Indiana University Bloomington
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.07 / 10.00 Makayla Bonney
Assistant Director
Sustain IU
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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:
The greenhouse gas emissions inventory was completed using the UNH Sustainability Institute "SIMAP" tool.

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:
GHG inventory was verified by University Director of Energy Management and Utilities Keith Thompson.

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

Part 2 

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 76,617.13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 146,032.06 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 2,915.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,499.51 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 222,139.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 241,586.71 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 301,671.63 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 390,118.28 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, 2009 June 30, 2010

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):
A 2009-2010 baseline was chosen to coincide with the creation of the IU Office of Sustainability.

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 72.03 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 72.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If total performance year carbon offsets are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
Onsite compost operated by Campus Division then used in growing greenhouse plants, mulching, and other soil amendment onsite.

The reporting fields in the table below are reserved for institutions that have NOT already accounted for renewable energy purchases (including RECs and GOs) in their Scope 2 GHG emissions calculations. Other institutions - including all SIMAP users - should report zero ('0') to avoid double-counting. 

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:
Renewable Energy Credits are purchased from Sterling Planet in support of our LEED Silver and Gold buildings. The RECS represent 50% wind, 50% small hydro, with generators located nationwide.

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 301,599.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 390,118.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 12,222 12,355
Number of employees resident on-site 10 10
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 190 190
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 38,219 37,472
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 8,715 8,155
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 4,560 676
Weighted campus users 35,028.50 36,994.50

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 8.61 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10.55 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
18.35

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
17,232,144 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 543,850 Square feet
Healthcare space 25,069 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 709,509 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
19,079,491 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

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 29,034.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
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:
Between 2010 and 2012, IU began phasing out the use of coal and increasing the use of natural gas in the Central Heating Plant (CHP). In FY 2010, 92% of the fuel use in the CHP was coal, and 8% natural gas. In FY 2017, 13% of the fuel used in the CHP was coal, and 86% natural gas. Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent associated with coal burned at IU decreased 89% from 2010 to 2017, while GMTCDE associated with natural gas increased slightly. Overall, the CHP emissions during this timeframe resulted in a 51% decrease. This dip is more modestly reflected in IU's overall emissions reduction because the CHP only accounts for 24% to 36% of IU's total emissions footprint in a given year. Excluding the dramatic jump in reductions since 2009-2010, when the Office of Sustainability was formed and began tracking emissions at IU, we still see a downward trend in emissions. Between 2013 and fiscal year 2017, for example, emissions decreased~7%, which we attribute to a decrease in campus electricity use due to increased efficiency measures like LED lighting, installation of light sensors, installation of window film, the IU Energy Challenge, and a standard for all new construction to be LEED certified. In May 2018, the IU Office of Sustainability will convene a strategic planning session to discuss how IU can continue to decrease its emissions in the face of increasing cooling degree days and renovations which upgrade residential dormitory HVAC systems, including bringing central air to new spaces. We plan to also discuss best practices for decreasing IU's fleet fuel use, which has steadily increased over the years as the IU staff population grows. IU looks forward to decreased electricity consumption at the IU Data Center -- naturally the building with the largest electricity consumption footprint -- due to heat exchanger upgrades in summer and fall 2018. https://itconnections.iu.edu/2018-march/data-center-feature.php

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:
The 190 "other individuals resident onsite" includes average nightly occupants in the Biddle Hotel, part of the Indiana Memorial Union. This hotel is onsite and part of IU's energy, waste, water, and food footprint. IU uses a custom fuel-mix emission factor provided yearly by Duke Energy. All purchased utility data excludes REMC Electricity purchases at properties such as Bradford Woods (owned by IU but located 27 miles off campus), and other field stations. This electricity accounts for <1% of total electricity use, and this property is not reflected in total campus acreage or footprint (also excluded from vegetated grounds entry in OP9 and OP22 categories). Because of staff turnover in the last seven years and multiple iterations and upgrades of CarbonMap and SIMAP, central heating plant production reports, fleet fuel invoices, custom Duke Energy fuel mix reports, and purchased electric invoices were pulled and confirmed for 2010-2017 accuracy by Makayla Bonney in April 2018 with the assistance of Erica Steinfeldt (Utilities Analyst), Mark Meneffee (Assistant Director, Utility Operations), Jeff Honaker (Account Manager, Duke Energy) and Amanda Wilson (Fleet Manager). Questions associated with IU's fuel datasets or associated emissions reductions may be directed to Makayla Bonney, Assistant Director of IU Sustainability - mjbonney@indiana.edu Yearly information on IU Energy Challenge Savings, a behavior-change initiative which runs for 3-4 weeks each spring and fall, can be found here, under the History tab: https://energychallenge.indiana.edu/index.cfm

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.