| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 51.72 |
| Liaison | Alex Frank |
| Submission Date | Aug. 1, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Wisconsin-Madison
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.16 / 10.00 |
Alex
Frank Sustainability Analyst 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 | Some |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| 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:
UW-Madison utilized the SIMAP (Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform) tool to complete the GHG emissions inventory (https://unhsimap.org/home). SIMAP offers campuses a simple, comprehensive, and affordable online tool for measuring, calculating, and reporting carbon and nitrogen footprints. The mission of SIMAP is to help institutions, colleges, and universities track their carbon and nitrogen footprints so they can meet their sustainability goals as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Leveraging the emission factors and calculation methodologies included in SIMAP, UW-Madison included the following components in the Scope 3 Inventory:
- Business Travel: Estimates of emissions from air travel booked through UW-Madison's central travel agency (Fox World Travel) and the travel agency used by the athletics department (Anthony Travel) were included. This is estimated to capture 90% of business air travel from students, staff, and faculty. Estimates of personal vehicle use for business travel (through tracked mileage reimbursement) were also included.
- Commuting: Emissions from student, staff, and faculty commuting were estimated from mode choice and distance traveled data obtained from the 2018 biennial transportation survey.
- Purchased Goods and Services: Estimates of emissions from purchased paper products on campus were included.
- Waste Generated in Operations: Estimates of emissions from solid waste and wastewater generated from campus operations were included.
- Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2: SIMAP calculates emissions from transmission and distribution losses associated with electricity use.
- Other: Estimates of emissions from student study abroad air travel (based on study location) were included.
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:
Validation of the GHG emissions data collection and analysis was completed with Office of Sustainability staff (who were not directly involved with the creation of the inventory) and by members of the Sustainability Data Working Group (SDWG, https://sustainability.wisc.edu/chancellor-announces-sustainability-working-group/). The SDWG was created to include representation from across campus to participate in the data collection and validation activities for all STARS related data. Given the complexity of the GHG analysis, multiple members of the SDWG reviewed the GHG inventory for completeness and accuracy.
Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
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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 | 221,601.97 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 453,141.46 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 16,169.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 19,082.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 266,548.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 328,941.52 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 | 504,320.51 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 801,165.28 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, 2017 | June 30, 2018 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2006 | June 30, 2007 |
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):
FY07 was adopted as the preferred baseline year for STARS data reporting as it represented consistent data availability across the majority of credits.
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):
UW-Madison does not currently purchase or develop carbon offsets. Composting operations are done at an off-site digester.
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:
This analysis followed a market-based methodology for Scope 2 emissions therefore REC purchases were not included in the above fields. Details on UW-Madison REC purchases are included in the response to credit OP06.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 504,320.51 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 801,165.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 7,524 | 7,259 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 178 | 178 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 39,624 | 37,237 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 17,908.30 | 16,255.20 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 45,074.73 | 41,978.40 |
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 | 11.19 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 19.09 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
41.38
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
24,271,554
Gross square feet
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 1,351,493 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 119,443 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 1,643,556 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
28,856,982
Gross square feet
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.02
MtCO2e per square foot
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 49,022.32 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 34,554.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 1,104.06 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Capital goods | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | 13,921.84 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 177.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 5,395.90 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:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.