Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.76
Liaison Allison Jenks
Submission Date Jan. 26, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

New Mexico State University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.05 / 10.00 Pat Chavez
Manager Energy Management Systems
OFS HVAC
"---" 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:
Consolidation methodology used to determine organizational boundaries is the operational control approach. Emissions calculation tool used Clean Air-Cool Planet. The process of conducting the inventory comprised of gathering consolidated bills from City of Las Cruces billing statements. Facilities and Services takes natural gas totals and does calculation methods from EPA and equipment specification calculations and this is combined to produce metric tons CO2 equivalents for the year. Propane is calculated from bills from the two main propane suppliers and the same process is used to calculate. EPA requires only our de minimis emissions so we calculate everything

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:
The external verification process is the state EPA office to whom our report is submitted.

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 32,089 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 31,438 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 53,452 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 27,258 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 85,541 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 58,696 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, 2014 June 30, 2015
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2011 Dec. 31, 2011

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):
NMSU signed the ACUPCC in 2007. We wrote our first Climate Action Plan in 2009 and wrote an update in 2014. Our plan was to be zero GHG emissions by 2050. Through our Energy Performance Contract in 2014 we cut our energy costs by 25%!

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

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):
---

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:
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 85,541 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 58,696 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 3,892 3,039
Number of employees resident on-site 18 58
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 131 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 18,255 18,024
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 3,514 4,062
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,271 0
Weighted campus users 16,482 17,338.75

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 5.19 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.39 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,879,746 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 549,142 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
6,978,030 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

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 ---
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:
During the last three years we implemented a training program for our utility plant operators using the Niagara system. We hired an Energy Services company and conducted an Energy Services Agreement that audited every building on every campus and cooperative extension service building around the state. After the audit was conducted, nine Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) were completed between 2014 - 2015. The ECM’s were interior lighting upgrades in 50 buidings, 100 new LED streetlights, LED exterior lighting, several mechanical upgrades, two new solar canopies, and an Energy Dashboard. One year later our energy bill in the hottest desert month of the year was cut by a whopping 25%! The seven college deans began the Energy Reduction Program with the Sustainability Manager, asking the campus community to turn off or unplug appliances and computers and peripherals.

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:
http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/nmsu/2016/11/14/nmsu-saves-big-energy-contract/93671762/

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.