Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.15
Liaison Kelly Wellman
Submission Date Dec. 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Texas A&M University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.27 / 10.00 Les Williams
Associate Dir For Utilities & Energy Management
Utilities & Energy Management
"---" 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 Some
Waste generated in operations Some
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:

All work (data collection and verification) is performed by Sightlines Inc.


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:

All data collection and verification is performed by Sightlines Inc.


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 118,045 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 233,757 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 11,366 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 16,001 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 183,210 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 159,646 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 312,621 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 409,404 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 Sept. 1, 2017 Aug. 31, 2018
Baseline Year Sept. 1, 2003 Aug. 31, 2004

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 was selected because this was the first year we officially began tracking our GHG emissions. Since that time, GHG inventories are completed on a regular basis and monitored for improvement. This baseline was used to inform our Sustainability Master Plan evergreen goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.


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 312,621 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 409,404 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 11,575 9,110
Number of employees resident on-site 226 167
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 86 5
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 58,691 44,813
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 8,658 7,627
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,045 0
Weighted campus users 52,764.25 41,654.25

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 5.92 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9.83 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
39.72

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
29,568,000 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 4,127,220 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 9,640,240 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
47,462,680 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 50,191 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 36,136 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods 927 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 9,373 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 32,271 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:

The primary GHG reduction effort is from reducing the energy consumption of the campus. For the baseline year (FY04), the total campus energy consumption was 6.5 million mmBtu for a campus size of 20.5 million GSF. In the measurement year (FY18), the total campus energy consumption was 5.2 million mmBtu for a campus size in excess of 27.7 million GSF. Even though the campus saw tremendous growth, the overall energy consumption was reduced by 23%. This reduction in energy consumption was accomplished with a new combined heat and power plant, a focus on energy efficient chillers and an aggressive building level energy reduction program.


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:

There will be a difference in the space for OP-1 and the other credits because OP-1 data is delayed by one year and represents FY18, where as the other credits have FY18 data available. In FY19, the RELLIS campus was spun off from the College Station campus so the FY18 values include RELLIS. Since the numbers for this credit are from FY18, we have used FY18 student, faculty, and staff numbers as well.

Les Williams 10-9-19


There will be a difference in the space for OP-1 and the other credits because OP-1 data is delayed by one year and represents FY18, where as the other credits have FY18 data available. In FY19, the RELLIS campus was spun off from the College Station campus so the FY18 values include RELLIS. Since the numbers for this credit are from FY18, we have used FY18 student, faculty, and staff numbers as well.

Les Williams 10-9-19

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.