Pomona College
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Alexis
Reyes Assistant Director of Sustainability Facilities & Campus Services |
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions
Gross GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 3,269.69 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,345.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 499.52 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 248.52 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 3,929.87 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 6,331.67 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 | 7,699.08 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 9,925.89 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Carbon sinks
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased | 1,577 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 | --- |
| Carbon sold or transferred | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon sinks | 1,577 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
If total performance year carbon sinks are greater than zero, provide:
France Biobased Concrete: Hemp concrete blocks to avoid emissions. Certified by Riverse (RIV-2023-PROJ-25), Crediting period term Jan 1 2022-Dec 31, 2026.
Clean cooking fuel to protect tropical forests in Kenya: Certified by Gold Standard (GS11440), crediting period term Aug 8, 2020-Aug 27, 2025
Sheep creek reforestation-replanting montana forestland: Certified by Climate Action Reserve (CF23), crediting period Aug 15, 2023-Aug 14, 2124
Tradewater refrigerant destruction in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and US: Certified by ACR (ACR793), (ACR814), (ACR875), crediting period Aug 23, 2022-Aug 22, 2032
Tradewater plugging orphaned oil and gas wells: Certified by ACR (ACR915), crediting period Sep 15, 2023-Sep 14, 2043
Adjusted net GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 6,122.08 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 9,925.89 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Performance and baseline periods
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Start date | July 1, 2023 | July 1, 2013 |
| End date | June 30, 2024 | June 30, 2014 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
Fical year 2014 was the first year in which we were able to be confident in our methodology and data for all the emissions sources we wanted to measure and include in our GHG inventory.
Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person
Weighted campus users
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,674 | 1,602 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 20 | 14 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,735 | 1,635 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 850 | 733 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 2,362.25 | 2,180 |
Metrics used in scoring for Part 1
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user | 2.59 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 4.55 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area
Performance year floor area
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor area | |
| Laboratory space | 19,897.69 Square meters |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square meters |
| Other energy intensive space | 4,858.46 Square meters |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Metric used in scoring for Part 2
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
Pomona College has a wide variety of GHG mitigation efforts in place.
Energy: We conduct regular building energy audits. We have currently audited 21% of all campus buildings. Our goal is to complete all buildings by 2020. As part of the audit, we are in the process of submetering all of our campus buildings for electricity and gas. We will use this data for our analytical software platform. We will use that information to strategically retrofit our buildings in order to reduce our carbon footprint. We have converted all outdoor lighting to LEDs. We drafted thermostat setpoint guidelines for heating/cooling (heat to 68-70, cool to 74-76). The College is committed to purchasing Energy Star-certified energy-efficient appliances whenever available and financially reasonable. This includes laundry equipment, computers, refrigerators, and a variety of office equipment. A number of buildings on campus include roofing or other materials designed specifically to reduce the "heat island effect," and thus cooling loads for the buildings. We also do a winter shutdown program to reduce the operatiing needs of buildings that aren't occupied over winter break, which reduced energy consumption by 36% last year. Our energy manager has been working with the HVAC team to optimize building operations.
http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/on-campus/energy
Transportation: To minimize commuting, Pomona College has a fantastic faculty rental and home loan program for housing located within five miles of campus. This has encouraged an average commuting distance of only 13 miles for faculty and staff. We also have a faculty and staff rideshare program, which offers $2/day for alternative commute, and a public transit reimbursement of up to $100/month. We encourage students to live on campus. 98% of students live on campus. Furthermore, first-year students are not allowed to bring cars to campus. Campus parking is decentralized in order to encourage walking. We encourage bicycle use through our Green Bikes program, which allows students to rent a bike for the year for free. We have 1,600 bike racks on campus, and our campus is designated a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly University by League of American Bicyclists. When vehicles are needed, we have Zip Cars located throughout campus, a rentable van (the “Sagehen”) and bus (the “Sagecoach”). For our campus-owned vehicle fleet, we utilize 75 electric carts and one hybrid vehicle. All new vehicles purchased must comply with green vehicle purchasing standards. To encourage faculty/staff electric vehicle use, we have 6 electric vehicle charging stations, with 12 total charging ports, on campus. Faculty and staff can charge for free. For more information, visit: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/on-campus/transportation
Pomona College institutes a President’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (PACS). PACS is consulted for all issues regarding sustainability. PACS also administers the annual $7,500 President’s Sustainability Fund, where students may apply for funding for sustainability projects on campus. Recent projects have included a self-repair bike station, 6 water bottle refill stations on campus, free LED bulbs for all students, free drying racks for students to checkout, and free powerstrips for all students to checkout. For more information, visit: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/what-you-can-do/funding
Waste: Pomona College has committed to waste reduction, which reduces the frequency and weight of trash pick-ups and reduces emissions from waste in landfills. Pomona College recycles a wide variety of material (including all plastics #1-7, styrofoam, and plastic packaging). Pomona College also composts food waste on campus at our Organic Farm, collects green waste from landscaping for mulch, collects e-waste and hazardous waste, and collects reusable items for resale or donation. Over 71% of our waste is diverted through these programs. Our resale program, “ReCoop”, diverted 21 tons of waste last year and raised over $13,000 for campus sustainability programs. All construction projects must have a diversion rate of 90% or greater. Pomona College conducts an annual waste audit to evaluate our current efforts and identify areas that need improvement.
Water: Pomona College focuses on water efficiency because California is in a drought, and there is a strong connection between water and energy. Our landscaping features stormwater recapture through installation of bioswales and retention ponds and through permeable paving choices. Our grounds are 79% permeable. We also installed pH controllers on all cooling towers, which will result in an annual 3.1 million gallon water savings. We have installed low flow shower heads, sink aerators, and low flow toilets throughout campus. Low flow shower heads and sink aerators also save natural gas due to water heating. More than 3 acres of turf have been removed across campus and replaced with drought tolerant landscaping. All landscaping is watered with high efficiency sprinklers or drip irrigation and uses weather-sensors to determine frequency and duration of waterings. We also monitor the evaporation of our decorative water fountains and only turn on the most efficient fountains. For more information, visit: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/on-campus/water
Food: Pomona College became a Fair Trade campus in 2012. 11% of food served in the dining halls is local, reducing emissions from transportation. All menus are planned ahead of time, and all food ordered directly relates to the recipe on file. This minimizes food waste and reduces emissions from transporting excess food. Dining Services does not use trays in the dining area, which reduces food waste by an estimated 10%. We work to reduce disposable use through reusable clamshells and mugs, Corelleware in Catering, and an extensive Greenware checkout program. Our Food Rescue Group diverted about 6 tons of food waste last year by rescuing extra dining hall food that was prepared but not set out. Pomona College also has an Organic Farm. Students and a full-time Farm Manager maintain this 2.5-acre organic garden on campus. For the past 10 or so years, the Farm has consisted of hundreds of varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs throughout the year, which are sold at a bi-weekly Farm Stand. The Farm is also used for academic purposes, such as the Food, Land, and the Environment course in the Environmental Analysis Program. The Farm also has a small flock of chickens used for pest and weed management. For more information, visit: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/on-campus/food-and-agriculture
Facilities: Purchased Trails End Ranch-- a 50 acre preservation and ecological field site. The 2015 Master Plan identifies energy budgets for new construction, increases bike/walkability, and increases green space. All new construction buildings must meet or exceed LEED Gold standards and comply with Pomona College’s Green Building Standards, which include water and energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and material resources, among other important building impacts. Several buildings have been retrofitted for efficiency. For more information, visit: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/sustainability/on-campus/facilities
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:
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.