Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.27
Liaison Konrad Schlarbaum
Submission Date Feb. 15, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Colorado Colorado Springs
OP-6: Clean and Renewable Energy

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.59 / 4.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total energy consumption (all sources, excluding transportation fuels), performance year :
164,027.30 MMBtu

Total clean and renewable electricity generated on site during the performance year and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes:
31.20 MMBtu

A brief description of on-site renewable electricity generating devices :

There is a 42kW system on the Alpine Garage and Field. UCCS retains 17/42 of the attributes. For the following two systems, UCCS does not retain attributes and they are not included.
There is a 13.6 mW solar photovoltaic thin-film laminate system on the roof of the Science & Engineering Building. And there is a 25 mW solar photovoltaic panel system on the roof of Centennial Hall. Since rebates were provided by Colorado Springs Utilities in order to make the projects financially feasible, UCCS does not retain the environmental benefits of these systems.


Non-electric renewable energy generated on-site, performance year:
2,242 MMBtu

A brief description of on-site renewable non-electric energy devices:

There is a 68 panel solar thermal system on the roof of the Recreation Center that is designed to supply the energy required to heat the swimming pool, spa, and showers.


Total clean and renewable electricity generated by off-site projects that the institution catalyzed and for which the institution retains or has retired the associated environmental attributes, performance year:
1,690 MMBtu

A brief description of off-site, institution-catalyzed, renewable electricity generating devices:

UCCS has participated in 4 solar garden projects in the area with Colorado Springs Utilities and private vendors. These are 20 year purchase agreements. For two of the gardens, UCCS retains the attributes. For the other two, the vendor purchases RECS in the amount of the electricity production, as CSU retained the attributes. These 2 systems are not included in Option 3 but are in Option 4.


Total third-party certified RECs, GOs and/or similar renewable energy products (including renewable electricity purchased through a utility-provided certified green power option) purchased during the performance year:
61,341.87 MMBtu

A brief description of the RECs, GOs and/or similar renewable energy products, including contract timeframes:

UCCS has a practice of purchasing RECS for new LEED buildings in the amount of 100% anticipated electricity use. Additionally, the university has added numerous existing buildings that are now included in 100% energy REC purchases. These RECS are purchased from either 3Degrees or Renewable Choice Energy, both third-party certified.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Electricity use, by source (percentage of total, 0-100):
Percentage of total electricity use (0-100)
Biomass 0
Coal 42.64
Geothermal 0
Hydro 9.19
Natural gas 44.39
Nuclear 0
Solar photovoltaic 0.01
Wind 0.00
Other (please specify and explain below) 2.90

A brief description of other sources of electricity not specified above:

Other refers to market purchases. This is likely mostly natural gas.


Energy used for heating buildings, by source::
Percentage of total energy used to heat buildings (0-100)
Biomass ---
Coal ---
Electricity ---
Fuel oil ---
Geothermal ---
Natural gas 100
Other (please specify and explain below) ---

A brief description of other sources of building heating not specified above:
---

Percentage of total energy consumption from clean and renewable sources:
39.81

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

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.