University of Massachusetts Amherst
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.31 / 3.00 |
Ezra
Small Sustainability Manager Physical Plant |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory within the previous three years that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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:
This data is based on the Fiscal Year 2022
In FY22, UMass contracted with Competitive Energy Services (CES) to compile and calculate all building related Scope I and II fuel consumption and emissions. Scope I transportation related fuel consumption was compiled by Campus Sustainability Manager Ezra Small using fuelserve.net data provided by UMass Transportation Services, and related emissions calculated using MA DOER/DEP emission factors. Scope III business air travel emissions were calculated for the first time since FY15 by the Sustainability Fellow undergraduate student Shane Grant with the advising of Campus Sustainability Manager Ezra Small, using procurement data provided by Unified Procurement Services Team (central UMass System procurement office).
SCOPE I:
Stationary Combustion: CES
Mobile Combustion: UMass Sustainability Office
SCOPE II:
Purchased Electricity: CES
SCOPE III:
Air Travel: UMass Sustainability Office
All Scope I and II consumption data is annually reported to Massachusetts DOER Leading by Example office as well as the UMass President's Office. UMass receives emissions calculations later in the year from MA DOER Leading by Example office, but as of submittal of this report, UMass has not yet received emissions calculations/verification from DOER for FY22 data.
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 GHG inventory verification process:
Scope I stationary fuel consumption and related emissions and Scope II grid electricity consumption and related emissions are generated in partnership with an external energy consultant, Competitive Energy Services (CES). CES compiles the energy consumption data from various sources at UMA, and then calculates the emissions for Scope 1 stationary fuels and Scope II grid electricity.
Scope I vehicle fuel consumption (non-stationary fleet emissions) and Scope III are the only scopes of emissions not externally verified. That data is collected by the Campus Sustainability Manager from our fleet fuel consumption database (Fuelserve.net) and calculates emissions using the emissions factors provided by Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MA DOER), which uses updated EPA Emissions tables.
Energy consumption data is also reported annually to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MA DOER) Leading by Example Division and verified through that state entity as well, as MA DOER calculates emissions for all state agencies who report their data annually. But this process does not take place for some time until after the FY ends and therefore that data is not available at the time of this report.
Documentation to support the GHG inventory verification process:
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Stationary combustion | 104,940 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources (mobile combustion, process emissions, fugitive emissions) | 1,339.78 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year (market-based):
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Imported electricity | 9,460 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Imported thermal energy | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross GHG emissions from biogenic sources, performance year:
Does the GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from the following sources?:
| Yes or No | Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Business travel | Yes | 2,923 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources | No | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
A brief description of how the institution accounted for its Scope 3 emissions:
Scope III business air travel emissions were calculated for the first time since FY15 by the Sustainability Fellow undergraduate student Shane Grant with the advising of Campus Sustainability Manager Ezra Small, using procurement data provided by Unified Procurement Services Team (central UMass System procurement office). This data is not verified by an external reviewer.
Methodology:
Air travel procurement data was attained from the UMass System Unified Procurement Services Team (UPST). That data was then analyzed and emissions calculated using EPA Emissions Factors Hub data: https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/ghg-emission-factors-hub. UMass then used the coordinates between 2 cities to find the traveled distance per flight, then multiplied by the EPA emission factors. We then used GHG Hub Table 10 to get the emissions factor per passenger mile and then used Table 11 to get the global warming potential. Kg emissions were then converted to MTCO2e.
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its air pollutant emissions?:
Annual weight of emissions for::
| Weight of Emissions | |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 16.81 Tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | 2.04 Tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 6.57 Tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | 26.51 Tons |
| Ozone (O3) | 0 Tons |
| Lead (Pb) | 0 Tons |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | 0 Tons |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | 0 Tons |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | 2.89 Tons |
Do the air pollutant emissions figures provided include the following sources?:
| Yes or No | |
| Major stationary sources | Yes |
| Area sources | Yes |
| Mobile sources | No |
| Commuting | No |
| Off-site electricity production | No |
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
The majority of air emissions are created by our Central Heating Plant but also includes emissions from small boilers, emergency generators, and other sources such as ammonium hydroxide tanks, space heating, cleaning degreasers, a maintenance paint booth, and LND burners. NOx, CO and NH3 emissions are measured using our Chemical Emissions Monitoring (CEMs) Equipment. SOx emissions are based on a maximum sulfur content fuel of 0.0015% for oil and 0.8 gr/100cf for gas. Other pollutants emissions are based on stack test data and annual fuel usage. The CHP Emergency generator emissions are based on our emission factors in our Operating permit and NH3 emission factors from AP-42. The "other" category above includes NH3 and VOC.
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity (location-based):
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy (location-based) :
Website URL where information about the institution’s emissions inventories is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Scope 1 Data Sources: CES, Fuelserve.net, and UMass Sustainability
Scope 2 Data Sources: CES
Scope 3 Data Sources: UMass UPST and UMass Sustainability
Scope 1 Data Sources: CES, Fuelserve.net, and UMass Sustainability
Scope 2 Data Sources: CES
Scope 3 Data Sources: UMass UPST and UMass Sustainability
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.