Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.71
Liaison Lisa Kawai
Submission Date June 22, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Soka University of America
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.81 / 10.00 Tom Harkenrider
Chief of Operations
Operations
"---" 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 None
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:

Our inventory only includes Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Scope 1 emissions were calculated from volumetric natural gas combustion in boilers, diesel consumption in stationary emergency electrical generators, and diesel and gasoline consumption in vehicles owned by the university.
Conversion factors for Scope 1 fossil fuel combustion and Scope 2 emissions factors for the CAMX eGrid subregion were those cited by carbonfund.org.


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 was conducted by personnel from our facilities contractor, and verified by a faculty member, Dr. M. Robert Hamersley in our Environmental Studies Program.


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 1,355.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,179.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 47.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 3,302.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,821.80 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 4,705.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,001.30 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, 2014 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 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):

The baseline period (July 2007 to June 2010) is a three year period in order to average out year-over-year variation. The same three year baseline period is used for all calculations requiring a baseline except when data is unavailable.


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):

None


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:

None


Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 4,705.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,001.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 434 377
Number of employees resident on-site 6 6
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 11 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 450 383
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 210 158
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 616 501.50

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 7.64 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
4.27

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
1,046,473 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 8,152 Square feet
Healthcare space 1,488 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 22,307 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
1,088,060 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 ---
Commuting ---
Purchased goods and services ---
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:
---

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.