| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.66 |
| Liaison | Eric Boles |
| Submission Date | March 5, 2021 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Arkansas
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.06 / 10.00 |
Eric
Boles Director Office for Sustainability |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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 | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | All |
| 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:
Comprehensive data collection for the University of Arkansas included compilation and detailed analyses of utility bills (including fuel source data for our electricity provider), steam and chilled water uses, fleet fuel uses, air travel documents, fugitive refrigerant reports, solid waste reports, and fertilizer invoices. Results of a 2005, 2015, and 2019 commuter study/survey were used to estimate commuting energy use.
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?:
A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
The University of Arkansas contracts with Gordian (formerly Sightlines LLC) to provide data and benchmarking for our energy use on campus through their Greenlines 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):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 39,411 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 28,752 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 5,607 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2,350 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 58,097 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 81,356 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 | 103,115 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 112,458 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, 2018 | June 30, 2019 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2001 | June 30, 2002 |
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 year was adopted because that was the year the University of Arkansas first started tracking GHG emissions to work towards sustainability goals.
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 | 32 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 | 32 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 UA composts pre and post-consumer food scraps from all campus dining halls.
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 | 103,083 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 112,458 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 6,234 | 2,996 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 14 | 10 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 22,598 | 12,250 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 4,342 | 3,583 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 673 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 21,262.25 | 12,626.25 |
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 | 4.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 8.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 719,351 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 18,405 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 103,806 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 6,431 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 11,029 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 113 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | 3,038 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 4,039 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 67 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Major initiatives to reduce GHG emissions over the past three years include the deployment of a 5MW natural-gas combined heat and power system for the campus. Every kWh of energy coming from this on-campus facility has approximately half the carbon footprint of a kWh purchased from our local grid.
Four rounds of Energy Savings Performance Contracts have been used to instal approximately $25,000,000 of energy conservation measures in buildings across campus.
As of March 2021, the UofA Board of Trustees is voting on a Solar Services Agreement for 5MW of solar energy for the UA campus.
Also in 2021, the UofA will have locally produced wind energy RECs available from its utility. Purchasing RECs has so far been avoided on campus, but the UofA played an active role in advocating for this wind farm and feels that they have an honest claim to incentivizing additional renewable energy through this project.
Fayetteville Arkansas is showing very positive commuter mode-share trends, which has helped to reduce our scope 3 emissions from campus commuters.
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 building square footage is IC-2 minus buildings finished in fall 2019, 2020, and 2021
The building square footage is IC-2 minus buildings finished in fall 2019, 2020, and 2021
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.