Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.94
Liaison John Alejandro
Submission Date Oct. 13, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of San Diego
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.34 / 10.00 Michael Catanzaro
Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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

Does the institution’s GHG emissions inventory include all, some or none of its Scope 3 GHG emissions from the following categories?:
All, Some, or None
Business travel Some
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods Some
Waste generated in operations Some
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 Some
Other categories Some

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, including how the institution accounted for each category of Scope 3 emissions reported above:

The calculation-based methodologies in A1:F88 Local Government Protocol are used to quantify GHG emissions in each scope and category. For some scope 3 categories that are not covered in the Local Government Protocol, the methods from Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) are used.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:

Internal review of the GHG emissions inventory is validated independently by USD Office of Sustainability (GHG reporting conducted by USD Energy Policy Initiatives Center).


Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 and Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions):
Yes

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 3,468 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,926 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 582 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 532 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 8,342 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9,906 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 12,392 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 16,364 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2014 June 30, 2015
Baseline Year July 1, 2009 June 30, 2010

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):

The University of San Diego GHG emissions baseline was adopted and approved in the university's Fall 2016 Climate Action Plan. Using 2010 as a baseline, the goal is to reduce the university’s emissions and environmental footprint with target years of 2020, 2030, and 2035. The targets to reduce emissions levels are informed by and consistent with the City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan, including baselines and target years.


Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) 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 sequestration due to land that the institution manages specifically for sequestration 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 offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Net carbon offsets 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

N/A


Emissions reductions attributable to Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or Guarantee of Origin (GO) purchases:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Emissions reductions attributable to REC/GO purchases 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:

N/A


Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 12,392 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 16,364 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,374 2,543
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 7,291 6,897
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,566 1,507
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 7,236.25 6,938.75

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 1.71 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2.36 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
27.39

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
3,226,969 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 22,889 Square feet
Healthcare space 4,528 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 5,172 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
3,286,975 Gross square feet

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.00 MtCO2e per square foot

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 4,339 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 8,080 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 584 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 645 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 269 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Headcount numbers are from the housing information on the internal IRP site for Fall 2009 and Fall 2014.


Headcount numbers are from the housing information on the internal IRP site for Fall 2009 and Fall 2014.

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.