Overall Rating	Silver - expired
Overall Score	58.55
Liaison	Amy Brunvand
Submission Date	April 5, 2017
Executive Letter	Download

STARS v2.1

University of Utah
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	4.39 / 10.00	Matt Abbott Sustainability Manager for FM Facilities Management

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

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	All
Commuting	All
Purchased goods and services	None
Capital goods	None
Waste generated in operations	All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2	None
Other categories	None

A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:

OP-1_ File Report.pdf

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 University of Utah uses the Clean Air-Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator and follows ACUPCC guidelines to complete its GHG emissions inventory.

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 QA/QC - The GHG emissions report is updated and maintained by the Sustainability Facilities Management Business Services Department, in conjunction with the university's Sustainability Office. Results are reviewed by staff not associated with data collection. There is no external verification process currently in place.

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

Part 2

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion	102,498.47 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	105,354.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources	7,522.37 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	5,585.14 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity	114,462.38 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	100,276.88 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	224,483.22 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	211,216.31 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	Jan. 1, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Baseline Year	Jan. 1, 2010	Dec. 31, 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):

2014 was selected as the performance year based on our latest Greenhouse Gas inventory. We did not perform an inventory for 2015. GSF for Laboratory, Clinical/Healthcare and Energy Intensive space as well as "weighted campus user" figures (students, employees, residents, etc.) is also from 2014, - MW 2010 was selected as baseline year, it was the performance year from our previously submitted STARS report in 2011. We considered using the original baseline year from our first STARS submittal (2005), but those figures had been established by trend-line from 2007-2009 data (as was required in STARS 1.0). We did not feel the information was accurate enough to be used moving forward. All future STARS reporting will use 2010 baseline information.

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

If total performance year carbon offsets are greater than zero, provide:

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

The University of Utah participated in Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky program during the performance period. This program allows the University to buy clean energy, sourced from wind farms in Wyoming, at a supplemental rate. Commercial and industrial users, like the University, received a bulk discount for participation in this program making it a high-level program at the time. Since the performance period, the University has shifted it's strategy to more direct energy buying and renewable energy construction.

The reporting fields in the table below are reserved for institutions that have NOT already accounted for renewable energy purchases (including RECs and GOs) in their Scope 2 GHG emissions calculations. Other institutions - including all SIMAP users - should report zero ('0') to avoid double-counting.

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	25,446.53 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	35,412.65 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

2015: The U ranked eighth in the nation—and first in the Pac-12—during the 2014-15 competition by purchasing 85,926,100 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy. The total represents 28 percent of the U’s total energy use. "Red Goes for Green Energy," U News, (June 5, 2015). URL: https://unews.utah.edu/red-goes-for-green-energy/ 2011: The U of U is being recognized for its voluntary purchase of 85 million kilowatt-hours (kwh) of green electricity (green-e) certified renewable energy and solar panel installations on campus. The EPA estimates that the University of Utah’s green power purchase is equivalent to 31 percent of the school’s total electricity consumption. "University of Utah’s Green Efforts are Lauded by EPA, Others." U News Center, (May 2, 2011). URL: http://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/university-of-utahs-green-efforts-are-lauded-by-epa-others/

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions	199,036.69 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	175,803.66 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site	3,914	3,558
Number of employees resident on-site	167	156
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds	2,308	2,222
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment	30,038	29,456
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty)	17,806	15,319
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education	527	355
Weighted campus users	38,816	36,465.50

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	5.13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	4.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:

15,320,374 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:

	Floor Area
Laboratory space	3,986,998 Square feet
Healthcare space	2,759,360 Square feet
Other energy intensive space	464,683 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:

29,277,773 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

Optional Fields

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:

	Emissions
Business travel	12,898.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting	54,200.92 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	8,404.06 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories	0 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 Energy Management office and program are continuously working to analyze and reduce energy use and accompanying emissions on campus. Phase 1 and 2 of Better Buildings Challenge were in design and construction to reduce emissions from major research and laboratory buildings. Building energy standards for new construction have minimized the impact of new construction by requiring a minimum 35% reduction from code. All remodeling and modernization projects are reviewed by energy management staff to look for opportunities to reduce emissions and energy use beyond typical scope. Commuting has been reduced through raising parking permit pricing, as well as opportunities to improve bicycle infrastructure in, and around campus. Shuttle fleet is being transitioned from diesel to NG and electric - new through campus routes will significant reduced miles traveled to provide the same service.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:

http://sustainability.utah.edu/

Additional documentation to support the submission:

building list for ghg inventory STARS and LEED.xlsx

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

DATA INCONSISTENCY WITH IC2 AND IC3: 2014 was selected as the performance year based on our latest Greenhouse Gas inventory. We did not perform an inventory for 2015. GSF for Laboratory, Clinical/Healthcare and Energy Intensive space as well as "weighted campus user" figures (students, employees, residents, etc.) is also from 2014, - MW 2010 was selected as baseline year, it was the performance year from our previously submitted STARS report in 2011. We considered using the original baseline year from our first STARS submittal (2005), but those figures had been established by trend-line from 2007-2009 data (as was required in STARS 1.0). We did not feel the information was accurate enough to be used moving forward. All future STARS reporting will use 2010 baseline information. BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE Data about campus facilities comes from Space Planning master building list (attached) and filtered for performance year and building type. Buildings not included were unconditioned (parking structures, etc.) SOLID WASTE: --> Since 2011, the University of Utah has reported a negative balance for their Scope 3: Solid Waste GHG emissions. In 2014, the institution had -66.2 MT eCO2 of solid waste, and has saved almost 200 MT eCO2 of solid waste since the baseline reporting year. SCOPE 3 GHG EMISSIONS: --> As defined by the CACP calculator, the "Business Travel" field includes emissions from Directly Financed Air Travel, Study Abroad Air Travel, and Other Directly Financed Travel (specifically, Personal Mileage Reimbursement). -->"Fuel- and energy-related activities" field includes Scope 2 Transportation & Distribution Losses. NUMBER OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS Includes hospital beds + family members in Administrative Services Apartments.