Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.42
Liaison Austin Sutherland
Submission Date Feb. 18, 2025

STARS v2.2

University of Pennsylvania
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.56 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Greenhouse gas emissions inventory

Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory within the previous three years that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Yes

A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
OP-1_OP-2_FY23_CarbonFootprint_MainCampus_final_clean.xlsx

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

The University of Pennsylvania conducts its GHG emissions inventory through a detailed methodology developed by the Center for Environmental Building + Design (CEB+D) within the School of Design. This inventory aligns with the World Resources Institute's Greenhouse Gas (WRI GHG) Protocol, which ensures consistent and comparable emissions accounting. Adjustments are made to the protocol by CEB+D to accommodate Penn’s unique district energy systems, such as the Grays Ferry cogeneration plant.


Emissions Scopes and Calculations
The emissions inventory considers three scopes:

  1. Scope 1: Direct emissions from on-site activities, including fuel combustion and university-owned vehicles.
  2. Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy, including electricity and district steam.
  3. Scope 3: Indirect emissions from activities such as commuting and air travel, estimated based on surveys and institutional data.

Each emission source is calculated using two primary factors: the magnitude of activity (e.g., energy consumption, air miles traveled) and the corresponding emissions factor. These factors are specific to Penn's systems and energy sources and are reviewed annually to maintain accuracy.

Categories with Year-to-Year Estimates
Certain emissions categories, such as fugitive emissions from refrigerants and other minor sources, are estimated and carried forward year-to-year due to the difficulty of directly measuring these emissions annually. The methodologies and assumptions behind these estimates are periodically reevaluated to ensure they remain as accurate and representative as possible.


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?:
No

A brief description of the GHG inventory verification process:
---

Documentation to support the GHG inventory verification process:
---

Scope 1 GHG emissions
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
Weight in MTCO2e
Stationary combustion 1,227 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other sources (mobile combustion, process emissions, fugitive emissions) 7,585 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Total gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
8,812 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year (market-based):
Weight in MTCO2e
Imported electricity 87,094 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Imported thermal energy 92,078 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Total gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year:
179,172 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

GHG emissions from biomass combustion
Gross GHG emissions from biogenic sources, performance year:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 3 GHG emissions
Does the GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from the following sources?:
Yes or No Weight in MTCO2e
Business travel Yes 9,138 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting Yes 8,161 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 Yes 539 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other sources No 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Total Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
17,838 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of how the institution accounted for its Scope 3 emissions:

Scope 3 Data Collection Methodology
Scope 3 emissions, often less straightforward to measure, are derived using the following methods:

  • Business Travel: Emissions from business travel are calculated using purchasing data, such as records of airline tickets and hotel stays. The level of confidence in this data depends on the completeness of purchasing records and the availability of emissions factors for specific modes of travel.
  • Commuting: Emissions from commuting are based on periodic surveys conducted with the university community. These surveys capture details such as commuting distance, frequency, and modes of transportation. While surveys provide a reasonable estimate, the confidence level is influenced by participation rates and the accuracy of self-reported data.


Ongoing Review and Updates
Where direct tracking isn't feasible, estimates and historical data are utilized. Some of these estimates, especially within Scope 3, are under review for refinement and updates to improve the accuracy of Penn’s overall GHG emissions inventory.


Part 2. Air pollutant emissions inventory

Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its air pollutant emissions?:
No

Annual weight of emissions for::
Weight of Emissions
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) ---
Sulfur oxides (SOx) ---
Carbon monoxide (CO) ---
Particulate matter (PM) ---
Ozone (O3) ---
Lead (Pb) ---
Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) ---
Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) ---
Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations ---

Do the air pollutant emissions figures provided include the following sources?:
Yes or No
Major stationary sources No
Area sources No
Mobile sources No
Commuting No
Off-site electricity production No

None
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
---

Optional Fields

Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity (location-based):
87,094 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy (location-based) :
92,078 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Website URL where information about the institution’s emissions inventories is available:
https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/resources?combine=&field_campus_initiative_target_id=All&field_nr_resource_type_target_id=38

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

You can review GHG emissions data on SIMAP: https://unhsimap.org/public/institution/1913. 


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.