Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.80
Liaison Gioia Thompson
Submission Date March 2, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Vermont
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.76 / 8.00 Gioia Thompson
Sustainability Strategist
UVM Office of Sustainability
"---" 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 28,577 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 34,655 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 1,322.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,336.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 19,949 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 23,159 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 49,848.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 61,150.50 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):

None


Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 49,848.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 61,150.50 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, 2006
End date June 30, 2019 June 30, 2007

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

Beginning of a major campus expansion


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 5,451 4,791
Number of employees resident on-site 24 19
Number of other individuals resident on-site 15 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 12,914 10,805
Full-time equivalent of employees 3,799 3,437
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 105 2
Weighted Campus Users 13,839.75 11,882.50

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 3.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
30.01

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,938,319 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 441,824 Square feet
Healthcare space 10,988 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 95,247 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
6,939,190 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:

Energy infrastructure upgrades, LEED building policy, Energy Revolving Fund, solar study and installations, cleaner fuels, Active Transportation Plan, progressive parking fees, RECs purchase


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

The University of Vermont has continued to work with the local electricity and natural gas utilities, as well as the statewide energy efficiency utility, to reduce energy use and peak demand by buildings, with an emphasis on new construction and major renovations. UVM contracts with Sightlines, LLC to analyze facilities needs and to find the most effective ways to invest in building improvements. The decision by the Board of Trustees has been to focus on removing buildings with the greatest need for repair, and replacing them with more efficient buildings that meet current programmatic needs. This strategic direction is supported by the $13M Energy Revolving Fund and the 2004 policy that all major construction and renovation projects be formally commissioned as well as certified at a minimum of LEED Silver level. UVM has also switched from using #6 fuel oil as a backup fuel for the central heating and cooling plant, to using #2 fuel oil, and has converted the boilers in small buildings that are not part of the central system from oil to natural gas.

Sightlines, LLC also conducts the institution's greenhouse gas inventory, which includes building energy use, commuting, business travel (ground and air), and study abroad travel. On the transportation front, UVM has continued to expand programs for commuters while further limiting the number of parking spaces on campus, requiring relatively high parking fees, and strictly enforcing policies. A new Active Transportation Plan provides guidance for how to make the campus safe and accessible without a car. Many of the vehicles in the campus fleet cannot easily be replaced with alternate fuel vehicles due to their function --- needing to be used for snowplows, for example, or 15-passenger vans -- but then again, many of these are not used very frequently. The decision has been to focus on the campus buses, which are in near-constant use, and which are responsible for most of the fleet's fuel use. These are now run on natural gas, which provides the benefit of not having the diesel or biodiesel emissions that used to be noticeable to the campus community as buses went by.

UVM’s 2010 Climate Action Plan set a goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2015. This goal has been met by purchasing Green-E certified RECs to cover all campus electricity. The decision to buy RECs was made despite the fact that the Burlington Electric Department buys 100% of its power from renewable sources; these sources are not necessarily Green-E certified, however. In addition, UVM has installed solar panels to the extent feasible, working with the Burlington Electric Department to hire a consultant to identify every possible space where solar could be installed at a reasonable price. Several solar projects are already providing power to campus buildings. The LEED Platinum Aiken Center, home of the Rubenstein School for Environment and Natural Resources, sources about 40% of its power from 17 solar trackers nearby.


The University of Vermont has continued to work with the local electricity and natural gas utilities, as well as the statewide energy efficiency utility, to reduce energy use and peak demand by buildings, with an emphasis on new construction and major renovations. UVM contracts with Sightlines, LLC to analyze facilities needs and to find the most effective ways to invest in building improvements. The decision by the Board of Trustees has been to focus on removing buildings with the greatest need for repair, and replacing them with more efficient buildings that meet current programmatic needs. This strategic direction is supported by the $13M Energy Revolving Fund and the 2004 policy that all major construction and renovation projects be formally commissioned as well as certified at a minimum of LEED Silver level. UVM has also switched from using #6 fuel oil as a backup fuel for the central heating and cooling plant, to using #2 fuel oil, and has converted the boilers in small buildings that are not part of the central system from oil to natural gas.

Sightlines, LLC also conducts the institution's greenhouse gas inventory, which includes building energy use, commuting, business travel (ground and air), and study abroad travel. On the transportation front, UVM has continued to expand programs for commuters while further limiting the number of parking spaces on campus, requiring relatively high parking fees, and strictly enforcing policies. A new Active Transportation Plan provides guidance for how to make the campus safe and accessible without a car. Many of the vehicles in the campus fleet cannot easily be replaced with alternate fuel vehicles due to their function --- needing to be used for snowplows, for example, or 15-passenger vans -- but then again, many of these are not used very frequently. The decision has been to focus on the campus buses, which are in near-constant use, and which are responsible for most of the fleet's fuel use. These are now run on natural gas, which provides the benefit of not having the diesel or biodiesel emissions that used to be noticeable to the campus community as buses went by.

UVM’s 2010 Climate Action Plan set a goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2015. This goal has been met by purchasing Green-E certified RECs to cover all campus electricity. The decision to buy RECs was made despite the fact that the Burlington Electric Department buys 100% of its power from renewable sources; these sources are not necessarily Green-E certified, however. In addition, UVM has installed solar panels to the extent feasible, working with the Burlington Electric Department to hire a consultant to identify every possible space where solar could be installed at a reasonable price. Several solar projects are already providing power to campus buildings. The LEED Platinum Aiken Center, home of the Rubenstein School for Environment and Natural Resources, sources about 40% of its power from 17 solar trackers nearby.

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.