| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.96 |
| Liaison | Olivia Herron |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Miami University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.53 / 10.00 |
Adam
Sizemore Director of Sustainability Physical Facilities Department |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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 | All |
| Commuting | All |
| Purchased goods and services | None |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | All |
| Other categories | Some |
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:
Miami University's most recent GHG emissions inventory was calculated using FY2018 specific data to calculate Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. The inventory was conducted by the Director of Sustainability and Sustainability Coordinator using the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis (SIMAP) platform. We have made the calculations for each source public on the University’s Sustainability website here http://miamioh.edu/about-miami/sustainability/indicators/index.html
Scope 1: The sources included are Coal, Natural Gas, Refrigerants & Chemicals, Direct Transportation, and Agriculture. A brief description and/or data source for each source is presented below.
Coal- Miami University made a commitment to eliminate the use of coal onsite by 2025. FY2017 was the first year Miami did not burn coal on-site. Miami continued to not burn coal on-site in FY2018 and FY2019.
Natural Gas- the total MMBTU for FY2018. Data sourced by the Director of Energy Systems
Refrigerants and Chemicals- pounds of each type of refrigerant purchased and refrigerant charge for each chiller (estimated 5% annual leakage) on-site for FY2018. Data sourced by the Director of Energy Systems and the Technology Product Manager.
Direct Transportation- the gallons of unleaded gasoline and diesel dispersed from Physical Facilities in FY2018. Data sourced by the Director of Lean Initiatives and Quality in Physical Facilities.
Agriculture- the average number of horses at our equestrian center in FY2018. Data sourced by the Director of the Equestrian Center.
Scope 2: The only source included is the total kWh of purchased electricity in FY2018. Data sourced by the Director of Energy Systems
Scope 3: The sources included are Business Travel, Commuting, Waste, T&D, BCRTA Mileage, and Wastewater. A brief description and/or data source for each source is presented below.
Business Travel- This includes emissions from all directly financed air travel, as well as personal mileage reimbursement. Data sourced by Human Resources.
Commuting- Commuting mileage was calculated using GIS software. Address data was obtained through Institutional Research. Address data included variables for whether the address was for a student, faculty, and staff, as well as full time/part time status for faculty and staff. Using this data, the Sustainability Department partnered with the Geography Department, where Ian Berg, a student in the Geography department mapped all addresses and calculated each addresses’ distance from the University’s address in Roudebush Hall. To better predict commuting patterns, we made some assumptions:
Assumption 1: All students living in a dorm are walkers. Freshman and Sophomore are not allowed to have vehicles on campus and over 95% of Freshman and Sophomores live in residential halls.
Assumption 2: All people living within the Mile Square, a geographical boundary around campus, are walkers.
Assumption 3: All students living outside of the Mile Square and not in a dorm are driving to campus 4 days a week for 30 weeks total (15 in Fall and 15 in Spring).
Assumption 4: All full staff living outside of the Mile Square are driving to campus 5 days a week for 50 weeks. This assumes one full week vacation, as well as having a week off in the holidays.
Assumption 5: All part-time staff living outside of the Mile Square are driving to campus 3 days a week for 50 weeks. This assumes one full week vacation, as well as having a week off in the holidays.
Assumption 6: All full-time faculty living outside of the Mile Square are driving to campus 5 days a week for 46 weeks. We determined 46 weeks based on the academic calendar: 15 weeks for Fall, 15 weeks for Spring, 4-week Winter term, and 12-week Summer term.
Assumption 7: All part-time faculty living outside of the Mile Square are driving to campus 3 days a week for 46 weeks. We determined 46 weeks based on the academic calendar: 15 weeks for Fall, 15 weeks for Spring, 4-week Winter term, and 12-week Summer term.
From these assumptions, we estimated a total driven mileage by all students, staff, and faculty in FY2018.
Waste: The total amount of waste taken to Rumpke’s landfill with methane recovery and flaring. Data sourced by Director of Sustainability.
T&D Losses: Average estimated purchased electric loss rate provided by EIA for the state of Ohio.
BCRTA Mileage: Total number of miles driven around Miami’s campus in FY2018 by the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA). Data sourced by BCRTA.
Wastewater: The total gallons of wastewater. Data sourced by Commissioning Engineer.
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:
Jeff Johnson, Miami's Director of Environmental Health and Safety, has historically internally validated campus-wide GHG inventories. Jeff Johnson continued this tradition by validating the GHG inventory for FY2018 by meeting with the sustainability department and going over data sources, data for each source, and calculations from SIMAP. Internal validation confirmation is presented here http://miamioh.edu/about-miami/sustainability/indicators/index.html
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):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 26,871.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 55,939 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 2,400.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 10,072 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 57,765.92 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 66,077 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 | 87,038.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 132,088 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, 2017 | June 30, 2018 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2007 | June 30, 2008 |
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):
The baseline, FY2008, is the year for which Miami's first carbon footprint was calculated.
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 | 0 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 | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
NA
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:
NA
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 87,038.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 132,088 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 7,631 | 4,863 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 243 | 35 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 17,700 | 17,583 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 3,175 | 3,179 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 346 |
| Weighted campus users | 17,624.75 | 16,536.50 |
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 | 4.94 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7.99 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 204,515 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 31,086 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 423,780 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 4,941.87 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 13,077 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 | 2,817.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 641.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 207.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Miami University has made successful strides in our GHG reductions from combined efforts to reduce energy consumption and utilizing geothermal energy on-site. When comparing Coal, Natural Gas, and Purchased Electricity (including T&D losses) to FY2008, Miami University has reduced our carbon emissions by 44 percent per gsf (taking into account offline buildings during renovations) and 30 percent for total emissions. Our goal is to reduce emissions per gsf by 30% by 2020, 40% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. We have successfully met and exceeded our 40 percent goal by 2025 seven years early.
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 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.