Vanderbilt University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability |
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 67,692 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 154,007 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 1,771 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7,464 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 34,297 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 223,343 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 | 103,760 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased | 128,058 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 | 128,058 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):
In Spring 2021, Vanderbilt University began a collaboration with the nonprofit organization Climate Vault that allows the university to address the full extent of its carbon footprint now, achieving carbon neutrality in 2021 decades ahead of its initial goal. The initiative effectively removes carbon pollution permits from regulated carbon markets while simultaneously stimulating research into emerging carbon removal technologies. GHG emissions for FY19-20 and FY20-21 were offset through Vanderbilt’s partnership with Climate Vault, making VU carbon neutral for these two reporting years. Vanderbilt plans to continue a carbon offsets program for FY21-22 with the arrival of the renewal cycle in spring 2023.
VU will purchase 128,058 MTCO2E of carbon offsets in FY21-22, to cover:
• 69,463 MTCO2E of Scope 1 emissions
• 34,297 MTCO2E of Scope 2 emissions
• 24,298 MTCO2E of Scope 3 emissions
Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 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, 2021 | Jan. 1, 2005 |
| End date | June 30, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 5,618 | 6,210 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 24 | 7 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 28 | 832 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 13,198 | 11,037 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 5,492 | 19,437 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 15,456 | 25,241.75 |
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 | 15.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor area | |
| Laboratory space | 696,854 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 43,320 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 865,774 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
In 2019, the university set a goal to power its campus entirely through renewable energy and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Several efforts have made significant strides toward this goal. While the university continues to push innovation on many fronts, it identified a near-term opportunity to work with Climate Vault and use the cap-and-trade market—which is designed to limit harmful emissions—to accelerate its impact, allowing Vanderbilt to become the first member of the Association of American Universities to achieve carbon neutrality. In Spring 2021, Vanderbilt University began this collaboration with Climate Vault which allows the university to address the full extent of its carbon footprint for FY20 and FY21, achieving carbon neutrality decades ahead of its initial goal of the year 2050. The initiative effectively removes carbon pollution permits from regulated carbon markets while simultaneously stimulating research into emerging carbon removal technologies. Vanderbilt plans to continue a carbon offsets program for FY21-22 with the arrival of the renewal cycle in 2023.
The university plans to continue its carbon reduction efforts by:
• Investing in on-site clean energy;
• Investing in off-site large-scale renewable energy;
• Increasing green spaces across campus such as more pedestrian-friendly walkways;
• Reducing energy consumption and waste;
• Decreasing the university’s carbon footprint from transportation and commuting;
• Investing in sustainable infrastructure.
To support Vanderbilt’s carbon neutral and net positive + resilience goal, additional goals have been set :
Zero Waste
Vanderbilt announced in January 2020 its commitment to achieving zero waste by the year 2030. Zero waste is defined as a 90% diversion rate from the landfill, acknowledging that no institution is completely waste-free. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and off-campus stakeholders participated in a nine-month, collaborative, research-driven process to address the scopes of the university’s carbon footprint and provide recommendations to reduce the university’s environmental impact as part of FutureVU, the university’s holistic campus planning process.
Once the Zero Waste Study was completed, the Zero Waste Advisory Committee outlined two specific goals for the university and two supporting actions:
• Goal 1: Achieve zero waste, a 90% diversion rate, by 2030
• Goal 2: Reduce the amount of waste generated on campus by 30% by 2030
Supporting actions include ending institutional single-use plastic bottle purchases by 2025 (except in laboratories*) and expanding food waste collection to include all dining areas and residential halls by 2025.
*Laboratories are exempt due to lack of available alternatives and safety concerns.
Large-Scale Renewable Energy
Vanderbilt University entered into an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Nashville Electric Service through TVA’s new Green Invest program to procure off-site large-scale renewable energy to help mitigate the campus’ greenhouse gas emissions. Through this partnership, Vanderbilt is tackling climate change head-on by working towards its goal of powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and committing to carbon neutrality.
Vanderbilt is the first customer to partner with a local power company on this type of agreement in the seven-state TVA region. The 20-year agreement will support Vanderbilt’s goal to power its campus entirely through renewable energy.
Vanderbilt’s initial partnership, announced in January 2020, will mitigate approximately 70 percent of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions beginning in spring 2023. Groundbreaking for the Vanderbilt One solar farm in Bedford County occurred in January 2022 and the installation will open in Spring 2023. The second Green Invest project will supply enough renewable energy to offset the remaining 30 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity when complete.
The agreement is the result of two years of intensive effort through the Large-Scale Renewable Energy Study by Vanderbilt to identify the best renewable energy strategy for the university on the basis of key criteria that include financial, social and environmental benefits and risk mitigation.
Transportation
MoveVU is Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan that falls under the FutureVU comprehensive campus planning efforts. MoveVU goals align with FutureVU guiding principles to beautify the campus, preserve and enhance the park-like character people enjoy, create a walkable and sustainable campus, and better connect areas of campus that feel disconnected. MoveVU calls for diversification of transportation options, reduction of the drive alone rate to campus that aligns with university goals to become carbon neutral, prioritization of pedestrian and micromobility, and improvement of accessibility.
MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making their daily decision on how they will travel to campus and to provide greater flexibility beyond driving alone to campus and using a traditional annual parking permit to better match their dynamic lifestyles.
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:
Vanderbilt University embarked on a new journey as an independent legal entity from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) on May 1, 2016. The University is now smaller in both number of people and square feet, and, therefore, so is our 2016 Greenhouse Gas inventory in comparison to our previous inventories (2005-2015). 2005 baseline data reflects the state of the University at that time, which included VUMC.
Vanderbilt University embarked on a new journey as an independent legal entity from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) on May 1, 2016. The University is now smaller in both number of people and square feet, and, therefore, so is our 2016 Greenhouse Gas inventory in comparison to our previous inventories (2005-2015). 2005 baseline data reflects the state of the University at that time, which included VUMC.
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.