Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.39
Liaison Maria Kirrane
Submission Date July 20, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.78 / 10.00 Mark Poland
Director of Buildings and Estates
Office of the Director of Buildings and Estates
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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 Some
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 None
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:
Methodology used based on Greenhouse Gas Protocol corporate accounting and reporting standard. This standard was previously used to calculate UCC's Carbon Footprint in 08/09 and 11/12, so the same methodology was employed here using updated data for AY 16/17 and updated emission factors. Scope one and two data were obtained from the Buildings and Estates office for Stationary Combustion, Mobile Combustion, Purchased Grid Electricity and CHP. Fugitive emissions were negligible and not included. CO2 emission factors for Ireland were sourced from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, CH4 and N20 were sourced from the SIMAP tool. Employee and student commuting figures were extrapolated from the commuting surveys described in OP16 and 17. Academic business travel data was sourced from the UCC finance office for staff academic travel. Waste and water figures were also obtained from the UCC Buildings and Estates office. All Scope three emission factors were sourced from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) in the UK, from their 2017 inventory - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2017

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:
Internal verification by Dr Niall Dunphy of the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit at University College Cork.

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

Part 2 

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 7,611.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,624 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 56.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 220.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 11,740.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,848.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 3,640.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,497.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 23,049.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 22,190.70 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. 30, 2016 Oct. 1, 2017
Baseline Year Sept. 30, 2008 Oct. 1, 2009

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):
UCC's carbon footprint was previously calculated in 08/09 and 11/12.

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

If total performance year carbon offsets are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
---

The reporting fields in the table below are reserved for institutions that have NOT already accounted for renewable energy purchases (including RECs and GOs) in their Scope 2 GHG emissions calculations. Other institutions - including all SIMAP users - should report zero ('0') to avoid double-counting. 

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 23,049.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 22,190.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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 and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 18,464 16,119
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,696.72 2,674
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 48 117
Weighted campus users 15,834.54 14,007

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 1.46 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1.58 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
8.12

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
193,780.92 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 48,354.98 Square meters
Healthcare space 1,562 Square meters
Other energy intensive space 17,977 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
311,591.87 Gross square meters

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.07 MtCO2e per square meter

Optional Fields 

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:
Note: Data on scope three emissions were included as available up to the point of this STARS submission. Further data is being collected and will form the basis of an updated full inventory and carbon management plan, to be prepared in 2019.

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.