Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 49.37
Liaison Beth Klein
Submission Date Feb. 5, 2025

STARS v3.0

State University of New York at Cortland
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.88 / 16.00 Matt Brubaker
Energy Manager
Facilites Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

6.1 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory and disclosure

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
Online location of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
---

Performance year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2024

Description of the methodology or calculator used to conduct the scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory:

Every year, campus does an entire inventory of Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG. This is based on utility usage. Scope 3 GHG emissions are based on survey information in three general categories, commuting distances, travel obligations for work related activities, and a general account purchased goods and services. The accounting for purchased goods and services is based on budget related expenditures as they relate to specific categories of expenses.


Scope 1 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion:
11,720.18 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
546.33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG process emissions:
85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG fugitive emissions:
765 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Which of the following methods were used to quantify the institution’s scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Location-based

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If using a location-based or dual reporting method, the following field is also required:

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (location-based):
2,837.81 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of heating and cooling:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
15,954.32 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Biogenic emissions 

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required: 

Does the institution’s GHG emissions accounting method separate out biogenic emissions for disclosure purposes?:
No

GHG emissions from biogenic sources:
---

Scope 3 GHG emissions
Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions in all other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard:
---

If any scope 3 activities have been quantified, the following field is also required:

Description of the methodologies used to identify and account for the institution’s relevant scope 3 activities:

We calculate the emissions from Scope 3 activities through our commuter modal split assessment and correlate that to campus FTE employee count. 


The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
2

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Master’s colleges and universities

Gross floor area of building space:
247,800.17 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of floor area:
64.38 Kilograms per square meter

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
2.17

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
6,407

Full-time equivalent of employees:
1,243.60

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
7,650.60

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
2,085.37 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
2.22

6.4 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon sinks

Report figures for the performance year. If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required. Non-additional sequestration does not qualify as a carbon sink for scoring purposes, but may be reported in the optional field provided. 

Third party certified carbon offsets:
---

Description of the institution’s third party certified carbon offsets:
---

Carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

Description of the institution’s carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

Carbon sold or transferred:
---

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
116 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Baseline emissions
Does the institution have baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
Online location of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
---

Baseline year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2010

Narrative outlining when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

The GHG emissions baseline inventory was established in 2010. In 2007 SUNY Cortland signed the President's Climate Commitment which initiated a wide variety of sustainability and energy related investigations related to Climate Change. Part of these investigations included an investigation and assessment of GHG.


Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
18,141 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following four figures:

Net carbon sinks:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Adjusted net scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
15,954.32 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
12.05

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
0.48

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:
---

Additional documentation for this credit:
---

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.