Overall Rating Reporter
Overall Score
Liaison Kate Keppen
Submission Date March 7, 2025

STARS v3.0

Ursinus College
OP-6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

6.1 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory and disclosure

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
---

Online location of the institution’s GHG emissions inventory:
Performance year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2023

Description of the methodology or calculator used to conduct the scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory:

Ursinus College utilized the SIMAP Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform to calculate its carbon dioxide emissions. To gather the data a yearly inventory of the colleges energy bills (purchased electricity and on campus generated) is conducted based on a fiscal year. 


Scope 1 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion:
3,250.52 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG emissions from mobile combustion:
20.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG process emissions:
0.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 1 GHG fugitive emissions:
75.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required:

Which of the following methods were used to quantify the institution’s scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Location-based

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (market-based):
---

If using a location-based or dual reporting method, the following field is also required:

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of electricity (location-based):
2,737.04 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Scope 2 GHG emissions from off-site sources of heating and cooling:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
6,084.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Biogenic emissions 

If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required: 

Does the institution’s GHG emissions accounting method separate out biogenic emissions for disclosure purposes?:
No

GHG emissions from biogenic sources:
---

Scope 3 GHG emissions
Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from business travel:
278.28 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from commuting:
100.84 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services?:
Partial accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services:
11.09 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from capital goods:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities not included in scope 1 or scope 2:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution:
---

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations?:
Full accounting

Scope 3 GHG emissions from waste generated in operations:
111.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Within the previous three years, to what extent has the institution quantified its scope 3 GHG emissions in all other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard?:
Not at all

Scope 3 GHG emissions from other applicable categories identified in the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard:
---

If any scope 3 activities have been quantified, the following field is also required:

Description of the methodologies used to identify and account for the institution’s relevant scope 3 activities:

Ursinus College utilized the SIMAP Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform to calculate its carbon dioxide emissions

Ursinus College Scope 3 emissions that are currently assessed are: 

  • Solid Waste (assessed on a yearly basis)
  • Waste Water (Assessed on a yearly basis)
  • Student Commuting (estimate based on previous data)
  • Travel related to business of the college (estimate based on previous data)
  • Study Abroad (estimate based on previous data)

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator OP 6.1:
2

6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter

Peer group:
Baccalaureate colleges and boarding schools

Gross floor area of building space:
114,438.60 Square meters

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of floor area:
53.17 Kilograms per square meter

Points earned for indicator OP 6.2:
2.38

6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person

Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
1,502

Full-time equivalent of employees:
480

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following three figures:

Full-time equivalent students and employees:
1,982

Annual scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per person:
3,069.73 Kilograms of CO2 equivalent

Points earned for indicator OP 6.3:
2.31

6.4 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon sinks

Report figures for the performance year. If claiming points for a scope 1 and scope 2 GHG inventory, the following information is required. Non-additional sequestration does not qualify as a carbon sink for scoring purposes, but may be reported in the optional field provided. 

Third party certified carbon offsets:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s third party certified carbon offsets:
---

Carbon storage from on-site composting:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Description of the institution’s carbon storage from on-site composting:
---

Carbon sold or transferred:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Baseline emissions
Does the institution have baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data?:
Yes

Copy of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
---

Online location of the institution’s baseline GHG emissions inventory:
Baseline year for scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
2010

Narrative outlining when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

The year 2010 was a adopted as the baseline data year in 2013 when Ursinus College completed the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan. 


Baseline scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
---

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following four figures:

Net carbon sinks:
0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Adjusted net scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
6,084.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from baseline:
0

Points earned for indicator OP 6.4:
0

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:
---

Additional documentation for this credit:
---

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.