Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 69.67
Liaison Julie Newman
Submission Date Sept. 30, 2021

STARS v2.2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.93 / 8.00 MIT Office of Sustainability
Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 132,508 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 161,579 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 6,190 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,150 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 15,107 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 38,765 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 153,805 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 205,494 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 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 storage from on-site composting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon sold or transferred 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

N/A


Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 153,805 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 205,494 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2019 July 1, 2013
End date June 30, 2020 June 30, 2014

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

Driven by MIT's plan for Climate Action, a GHG reduction goal was set using fiscal year 2014 as the baseline year.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 5,851 6,007
Number of employees resident on-site 53 39
Number of other individuals resident on-site 600 411
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 11,261 11,301
Full-time equivalent of employees 10,239 11,380
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted Campus Users 18,201 18,933.25

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 8.45 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
22.14

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
12,162,657 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 1,739,308 Square feet
Healthcare space 27,560 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 6,500 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
15,702,893 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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:

Each year, MIT measures the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the operation of our campus to better understand our direct contribution to the heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere – the gases contributing to global climate change. This basis informs our carbon reduction strategies and allows for tracking progress over time.


Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

For more information, see:
https://sustainability.mit.edu/topic/zero-carbon-campus#!climate
https://sustainability.mit.edu/mit-campus-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-strategy-published
https://sustainability.mit.edu/ghginventory

Note that the Scope 2 GHG emissions reported in this credit have been adjusted based on the renewable electricity produced by the Summit Farms solar installation. Please see credit OP-6 for additional details.


For more information, see:
https://sustainability.mit.edu/topic/zero-carbon-campus#!climate
https://sustainability.mit.edu/mit-campus-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction-strategy-published
https://sustainability.mit.edu/ghginventory

Note that the Scope 2 GHG emissions reported in this credit have been adjusted based on the renewable electricity produced by the Summit Farms solar installation. Please see credit OP-6 for additional details.

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.