Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.22
Liaison Mary Ellen Mallia
Submission Date Dec. 21, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University at Albany
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.52 / 10.00 Mary Ellen Mallia
Director of Environmental Sustainability
Finance and Business
"---" 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 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 university uses the SIMAP calculator, administered by the University of New Hampshire. https://unhsimap.org/home
Our GHG emissions inventory is available on the Second Nature reporting website: http://reporting.secondnature.org/institution/detail!2866##2866
We determine GHG via operational control, that is those buildings that are under direct ownership and maintenance of the university. We include heat, fleet, electricity, fertilizer use, commuting miles, water use, waste and paper purchases in our footprint.


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:
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Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
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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 26,780 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 27,218 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 1,195 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 970 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 11,703 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 31,824 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 39,678 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 60,012 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, 2005 June 30, 2006

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 is representative of the year prior to any sustainability/energy efficiency/carbon reduction activities on campus.


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):

The university did not purchase offsets during this period


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:
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Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 39,678 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 60,012 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 7,765 7,056
Number of employees resident on-site 40 43
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 16,259 15,040
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 3,203 3,649
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 669 0
Weighted campus users 16,046 15,791.50

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 2.47 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
34.93

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,806,849 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 158,786 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
6,124,421 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 11,283 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 41 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 1,515 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 6,305 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 88 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 university has been continuing energy efficiency projects, installed a 30 kw solar array and reduced its waste stream. More significantly, an Energy Plan has been completed. Thirteen key strategies were identified and these are currently being implemented with the goal of reducing our carbon emissions by 20% by 2020.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.