Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.18
Liaison Josh Nease
Submission Date May 21, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Radford University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.38 / 10.00 Josh Nease
Sustainability Manager
Academic Programs
"---" 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 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 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:

The GGI process requested information and support from many individuals, departments, offices, and the Sustainability Steering Committee. The data included in the inventory is the most up-to-date and accurate information available and provides a comprehensive snapshot of the University’s greenhouse gas emissions. Some assumptions and estimations were necessary due to limitations in the data.

Radford University’s Sustainability Manager worked with the university’s Energy Manager to initiate the GGI process. Radford University’s Energy Manager collected most of the data related to facilities and operations, Scopes 1 and 2, by reaching out to the appropriate manager or department contact from each category. The Sustainability Manager managed the collection of the Scope 3 data and demographic information.
During the data collection phase, a Radford University Sustainability Work Study entered the raw data into SIMAP where appropriate and processed other data into units that are compatible with the tool when necessary. When the data collection and entry was complete, the Sustainability Manager and other university employees began analyzing the results for any omissions or unusual discrepancies.

Faculty, Staff, Student Commuting: Using the addresses of all commuter parking pass holders and a GIS platform, we calculated the roundtrip driving distance for all commuters.

Air travel is calculated using dollar to mile conversion in SIMAP for all University purchased and reimbursed purchase airline tickets.

Exact mileage for all University driving travel through reimbursement and rental.

All solid waste is recorded when it is unloaded at the landfill or recycling center.

Water and wastewater bills.

Paper inventory conducted with Purchasing/Procurement


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:

N/A


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 9,494.22 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7,588.04 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 603.02 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 622.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 22,273.97 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 20,423.29 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 32,371.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 28,633.75 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, 2009 June 30, 2010

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):

FY 2010 was Radford University's first Greenhouse Gas Inventory. It was the University's first step after signing the ACUPCC in 2009 to develop the RU Climate Action Plan.


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 32,371.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 28,633.75 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 3,487 2,939
Number of employees resident on-site 10 4
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 9,165 8,558
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,397 1,224
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 430 68
Weighted campus users 8,473.25 8,021.25

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 3.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
2,833,245 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 33,018 Square feet
Healthcare space 3,016 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 146,207 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
3,051,520 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

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 1,300.05 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 4,371.43 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 107.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
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:

We've added nearly 250,000 square feet since 2010, taken some square footage offline, and renovated many old buildings since our baseline year. Of the new square footage, 115,000 square feet is the new Center for the Sciences, composed of lab space and other energy intensive space.

Primary GHG emissions reduction initiatives since 2010 have focused on new building construction and renovation to LEED Gold and Silver standard, retrocommissioning, converting parking lot lights to LED, and other energy efficiency improvements.


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.