Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 61.51
Liaison Karen Eckert, Ph.D.
Submission Date March 5, 2021
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Principia College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 8.30 / 10.00 Karen Eckert, Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Center for Sustainability
"---" 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 None
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services Some
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 All
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:

To assemble and then analyze campus data related to GHG emissions, we used an online tool developed by the University of New Hampshire’s Sustainability Institute. The tool, known as the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP), was developed over a period of nearly two decades and was preceded by the “gold standard of carbon calculators” known as the Clean Air-Cool Planet “Campus Carbon Calculator” (UNH, 2015).

SIMAP is comprised of three sections, referred to as “Scopes”. Scope 1 is defined as, “Direct emissions from sources that are owned and/or controlled by your institution”; Scope 2 is defined as, “Indirect emissions from sources that are neither owned nor operated by your institution but whose products are directly linked to on-campus energy consumption”; and Scope 3 is defined as, “Other emissions attributed to your institution, deemed ‘optional’ emissions by corporate inventories. This includes emissions from sources that are neither owned nor operated by your institution but are either directly financed or are otherwise linked to the campus via influence or encouragement” (UNH, 2020).


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 inventory document was independently reviewed by Facilities and Contracting officers at the college. Data collection and analysis was done by faculty in the Center for Sustainability.


Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
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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 2,418.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,767.88 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 331.31 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 327.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 8,988.07 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 2,749.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 12,083.85 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, 2019 Dec. 31, 2019
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2008 Dec. 31, 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):
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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):
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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:
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Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 2,749.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 12,083.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 407 514
Number of employees resident on-site 75 91
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 35 13
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 407 503
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 267 323
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 661 783.75

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 4.16 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 15.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
73.02

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
1,084,017 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 49,003 Square feet
Healthcare space 11,092 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
1,204,207 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 411.11 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 35.93 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 42.55 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:

1. Principia continues its commitment to sourcing 100% power (electric)
2. Old (30-45 yr) boilers and air-cooled chillers have been replaced with a constant volume piping/ pumping system that relies on two water-cooled chillers and two condensing boilers. All pumps are variable flow controlled by VFD. The new system is designed to operate using 140°F or below heating water temperature (vs. the old 180°F) to take full advantage of the condensing boilers.
3. RCx completed on the largest campus building (Crafton Athletic Center) in 2019, RFP currently out for an RCx on the Science Center - the aim is to ensure our building emissions are as low as possible.
4. An RFP has been released for a comprehensive Energy Management Plan for the college.


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:
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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.