Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 67.59
Liaison Susan Dorward
Submission Date Aug. 4, 2022

STARS v2.2

Raritan Valley Community College
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.01 / 8.00 Susan Dorward
Sustainability and Energy Coordinator
Facilities and Grounds
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 1,631.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,482 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 24.96 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 2,775.69 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,927 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 4,432 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10,442 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 1,657 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 1,657 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

Offsets were purchased from a hydropower project in Brazil. The vendor was Element Markets, the project was Salto Pilao Hydropower Plant project verified by Verras. The contract date was March 7, 2022. For more information, visit https://registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/513.


Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 2,775 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10,442 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2020 July 1, 2004
End date June 30, 2021 June 30, 2005

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

This baseline was adopted when we applied for STARS in 2011.


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 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 4,627 3,972
Full-time equivalent of employees 530 363
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 3,000 0
Weighted Campus Users 1,617.75 3,251.25

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 1.72 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
46.59

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
589,000 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 20,300 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 17,375 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
646,975 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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:

Regarding gross scope 1 ghg emissions reduction, most stationary combustion equipment was replaced after baseline. The college now runs a cogeneration plant which is much more efficient than the old systems.

Amount reported for carbon offsets is for offsets, not for RECs.


Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Summer student numbers were not included in the baseline year, as they were not available for the 2004-2005 academic year.

Data was copied from PRE-4 and PRE-5 wherever that option was given. Data was not copied from OP-1 as that was for a prior year. Data is from FY21.

The formal GHG report (provided) is only written every 3 years and includes Scope 3 data, which is why the data for OP-1 is for FY2020. FY2021 data is provided for OP-2 because it the most recent Scope 1 and Scope 2 data that we have.


Summer student numbers were not included in the baseline year, as they were not available for the 2004-2005 academic year.

Data was copied from PRE-4 and PRE-5 wherever that option was given. Data was not copied from OP-1 as that was for a prior year. Data is from FY21.

The formal GHG report (provided) is only written every 3 years and includes Scope 3 data, which is why the data for OP-1 is for FY2020. FY2021 data is provided for OP-2 because it the most recent Scope 1 and Scope 2 data that we have.

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.