Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.93
Liaison Ezra Small
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Massachusetts Amherst
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.13 / 8.00 Ezra Small
Sustainability Manager
Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 108,244 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 111,482 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 1,777.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,916 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 16,405 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 63,513 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 126,426.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 176,911 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 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 storage from on-site composting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent ---
Carbon sold or transferred 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon sinks 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 126,426.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 176,911 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2018 July 1, 2003
End date June 30, 2019 June 30, 2004

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

FY2004 was selected as the baseline year because UMass reports annually to the MA DOER Leading by Example Program which uses Executive Order 484 goals and 2004 baseline year as a benchmark for tracking progress.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 13,721 11,539
Number of employees resident on-site 62 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 29,175 22,498
Full-time equivalent of employees 7,074 5,838
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 4,204 388
Weighted Campus Users 27,479.50 23,845.75

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 4.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
37.99

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
13,471,486 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 1,455,708 Square feet
Healthcare space 68,362 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 1,690,586 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
18,210,212 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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
---

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The drastic reduction in imported electricity emissions is due to the reduction in imported electricity from baseline year. The amount of kWh imported in baseline year (FY04) was over 113 million. The performance year (FY19) kWh imported was 48 million. UMass has increased on-site electricity production via the Central Heating Co-Gen Plant and on-site solar energy allowing for much less imported grid electricity. The ISO-NE grid emissions factor has also become significantly greener and less carbon intensive over this time.


The drastic reduction in imported electricity emissions is due to the reduction in imported electricity from baseline year. The amount of kWh imported in baseline year (FY04) was over 113 million. The performance year (FY19) kWh imported was 48 million. UMass has increased on-site electricity production via the Central Heating Co-Gen Plant and on-site solar energy allowing for much less imported grid electricity. The ISO-NE grid emissions factor has also become significantly greener and less carbon intensive over this time.

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.