Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 80.17
Liaison Mike Wilson
Submission Date May 5, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Victoria
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 8.00 / 8.00
"---" 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 10,408.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 13,139.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 318.92 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 274.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 683.15 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,719.36 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 11,410.92 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 15,132.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 11,587 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 15,334.06 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 11,587 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 15,334.06 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):

Offset p rojects are procured through the Provincial Government of British Columbia's Climate Action Secretariat (CAS). In fact, the entire BC Public Sector purchases offsets in the same way, with CAS sourcing verified emission reduction (VER) units and retiring them on the public sectors behalf. For the 2018 year the VERs for 12 offset projects were purchased and retired. The projects fit into 3 categories, Fuel Switching, Energy Efficiency, and Sequestration. Approximately 644,633 tonnes of CO2e was retired in association with these projects.

More Info for the projects can be found here (Table 4, p. 6):
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/climate-change/cnar/2018/347953_attachment_cng_annual_report_summary_2018.pdf


Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 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 Jan. 1, 2018 Jan. 1, 2010
End date Dec. 31, 2018 Dec. 31, 2010

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

2010 was chosen as our baseline year since this was the first year that UVic completed a comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory as per the standardized methodology legislated by the Provincial Government of British Columbia for all public sector organizations. It is also the first year the university purchased third-party verified offsets.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 2,472 2,240
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 19,334 16,975
Full-time equivalent of employees 3,553.84 4,982
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 800 1,800
Weighted Campus Users 17,183.88 15,677.75

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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
4,289,115.70 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 39,889.28 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 13,121.86 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
4,382,016.12 Gross square feet

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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:

In 2017/2018 fifteen building energy efficiency projects were completed which included :
• The retrofit of UVic exterior walkway lighting to LED
• Building heating and lighting control upgrades to the Visual Arts Building and the Fine Arts Building
• A variable speed drive installation in the University Centre ventilation system
• A lighting upgrade in McPherson Library

Furthermore, energy saving opportunity studies were conducted in nine buildings on campus and in combination with all other GHG emission reduction efforts, were estimated to prevent 80 tonnes of emissions from being emitted annually.

In the 2018/2019 year UVic undertook optimization work and/or lighting upgrades in eight different buildings which achieved an estimated 900,000 kWh savings. The UVic exterior walkway lighting continued to be retrofit to LED lighting, and in total ten associate projects were estimated to prevent over 100 tonnes of emissions annually.

UVic will continue its efforts to reduce GHG emissions through activities such as optimization work and/or lighting upgrades in seven buildings across campus. Additionally, projects aimed at increasing sustainability and reducing GHG emissions will continue to be implemented through the UVic Revolving Sustainability Loan Fund. In the future, the option to reduce temperature in the district energy loop of the newly commissioned District Energy Plant will be explored, as well as the identification of new energy saving projects that enable the university to reduce emissions beyond our goal of a 30 percent reduction of GHGs by 2021.


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

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.