Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.18
Liaison Marianne Martin
Submission Date Dec. 3, 2024

STARS v3.0

University of Colorado Boulder
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 8.58 / 16.00 Edward von Bleichert
Environmental Operations Manager/Campus IPM Coordinator
Facilities Managment
"---" 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:
https://unhsimap.org/public/institution/1519

Performance year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2023

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

A master spreadsheet is used to compile all relevant consumption data from numerous campus sources including Utilities & Energy Services (UES), Transportation Services, the Office of Data Analytics (ODA), the Office of Space Optimization (OSO), the department of Housing, the student Environmental Center, and the division of Infrastructure & Resilience. Appropriate (in accordance w/ SBTI protocols) emissions factors are then applied. Once data is compiled it is reviewed and verified by sustainability staff. Once placed in draft form, the complete inventory is reviewed by a small leadership team, including but not limited to the campus energy manager, director of utilities, and the chief sustainability officer.


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:
53,834.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
1,523 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Scope 1 GHG fugitive emissions:
0 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?:
Both (dual reporting)

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
64,894.91 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):
0 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:
120,252.15 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?:
Full accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel:
17,960 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
23,722 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services:
12,216 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods:
20,944 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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?:
Full accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
19,719 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

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?:
Full accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
418 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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:

UCB historically (2019-2022) reported three Scope 3 emissions categories (Business travel, employee & student commute, and waste generated in operations) following GHG protocols. In 2023, a third party consultant assisted the campus in calculating six additional Scope 3 categories in line with SBTI protocols.


The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
3.75

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Doctoral universities and research institutions

Gross floor area of building space:
1,191,002.20 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

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

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
1.97

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
35,565

Full-time equivalent of employees:
8,530

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
44,095

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
2,727.12 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
2.66

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:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Carbon storage from on-site composting:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Carbon sold or transferred:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
0 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:
OP_6.4__2019_baseline_GHG_emissions_inventory_Annual_Progress_Evaluation_2019_Final_12.23.20.pdf

Online location of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
https://unhsimap.org/public

Baseline year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2019

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

Baseline changed from 2005 to 2019 as part of Climate Action Plan, released April 2024, in an effort to align with the SBTI.


Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
126,422.14 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:
120,252.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
4.88

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
0.20

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:

The GSF used for OP 6 varies slighlty from actual GSF as we only use spaces that are conditioned (heated & cooled) for the EUI GSF.

For 6.1, the campus's 2023 info was submitted to Second Nature in 2024.  The SIMAP website will reflect the PY2023 information as soon as the pending update is uploaded.  


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.