Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 59.95
Liaison Mari Acob-Nash
Submission Date Dec. 14, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

North Seattle College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.21 / 10.00 Tim Albertson
Sustainability Coordinator
Student Development Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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 All
Commuting Some
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:

Scope 1: Recorded data for the Scope 1 GHG emission sources include: on campus building energy use such as stationary combustion, and fleet energy use, the percentages of total emission for on-road light duty, off road.
Scope 2: The Scope 2 GHG emission sources operated on campus is only purchased electricity. Some buildings have their own meters, some are connected together and used the same meter. North Seattle College provided the annual purchased electricity consumption report.
Scope 3: This scope includes the data of the employee commuting and the employee business travel. The employee commuting data are calculated based on the number of faculty/staffs and their associated zip codes. Every employee's Business Travel trips are also recorded and the distances are estimated. This data is recorded according to Department of Ecology GHG Calculator Instruction. Moreover, NSC conducts a transportation survey on yearly basis every November.


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?:
No

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:

All the data collected is compiled into a report and a District Sustainability coordinator for Seattle Colleges will vet through it before sending it to Washington Department of Ecology. Additional Scope 3 items support a Washington Department of Transportation survey compiled to support the yearly Commute Trip Reduction Report.


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

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 191 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 292.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 14.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 14.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 122.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 138 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 328.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 445.70 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 Jan. 1, 2016 Dec. 31, 2016
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2005 Dec. 31, 2005

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):

We do not have accurate Fleet energy data (Scope 1 other), so 2016 is used for both the baseline and performance year for that category.


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):
---

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 328.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 445.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 3,827.50 3,728.50
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 560.20 491.30
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 114.70 55.10
Weighted campus users 3,204.75 3,123.52

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 0.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0.14 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
28.12

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
653,167 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 78,578 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 3,709 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
814,032 Gross square feet

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

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 177.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 840 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:

Seattle Colleges 2020 GHG Emission Target is to have a 20% reduction from the baseline of 3,164 MTCO2
Initiatives and projects to promote greener and more sustainable alternative modes of transportation.
- There are four Blink Electric Vehicle charging stations at North, funded by Department of Energy through a project known as the EV Project. These stations are also available for public usage as long as they register an account with Blink Network.
- Bicycle parking stations around campus, encourage bikers to take their bikes out for a ride on a sunny day to school.
- Bike to Green Lake day, where all the students, staffs and faculty are biking to and around Green Lake together. It provides opportunities for bike enthusiastic to have a chance to get out there and go for a ride. It also encourages more people to take on this alternative greener mode of transportation.
- NSC actively take part in the annual Ride Transit Month and Bike Everywhere Celebration Station.
- Orca cards with a reduced fare for staffs, faculty and students are available each quarter for those you want to take public transportation.
- NSC encourage employee who are interested in carpooling, biking, walking or taking public transportation to take part in the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Program by the City of Seattle. The results from a yearly commuting survey are analyzed by Washington State Department of Transportation under the jurisdiction of City of Seattle to create the CTR Survey Report.


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:

CO2 numbers were derived using the Washington State Department of Ecology Greenhouse Gas Calculator and these numbers only include direct energy use emissions.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/WAleadership.htm

Seattle City Light offsets all of its electricity carbon emissions through verified third party offsets. The portion of our CO2e emissions from electricity has verified offsets built in.

http://www.seattle.gov/energybenchmarkingmap/?utm_source=Energy+Benchmarking+News+-+April+2017&utm_campaign=Transparency+2015&utm_medium=email#seattle/2015?layer=site_eui&metrics[]=energy_star_score&metrics[]=site_eui&sort=site_eui&order=desc&lat=47.721657572751155&lng=-122.29637145996092&zoom=12&building=125

Additional URLs for initiatives and projects:
- https://news.northseattle.edu/solar-installation
- https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/electric-vehicle-charging
- https://www.cascade.org/connect/bike-everywhere-month


CO2 numbers were derived using the Washington State Department of Ecology Greenhouse Gas Calculator and these numbers only include direct energy use emissions.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/WAleadership.htm

Seattle City Light offsets all of its electricity carbon emissions through verified third party offsets. The portion of our CO2e emissions from electricity has verified offsets built in.

http://www.seattle.gov/energybenchmarkingmap/?utm_source=Energy+Benchmarking+News+-+April+2017&utm_campaign=Transparency+2015&utm_medium=email#seattle/2015?layer=site_eui&metrics[]=energy_star_score&metrics[]=site_eui&sort=site_eui&order=desc&lat=47.721657572751155&lng=-122.29637145996092&zoom=12&building=125

Additional URLs for initiatives and projects:
- https://news.northseattle.edu/solar-installation
- https://northseattle.edu/sustainability-projects/electric-vehicle-charging
- https://www.cascade.org/connect/bike-everywhere-month

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.