Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.95
Liaison Parker Long
Submission Date July 24, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Virginia Commonwealth University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.34 / 10.00 Steve Heinitz
Recycling Manager
Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel Yes
Commuting Yes
Purchased goods and services Yes
Capital goods No
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 Yes
Waste generated in operations Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

Utilized Sightlines to collect and review data for the GHG emissions inventory.


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:

External verification process through Sightlines


Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 27,774 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 21,416 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 2,283 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,694 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 83,868 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 63,501 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets::
Performance Year Baseline Year
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
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 43 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:

None in place at this time.


A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:

Not utilized


A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:

No composting program in place at this time.


A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:

Net Emissions of 43 MTCDE were purchased for FY2014 for one VCU Men's Basketball Game.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 5,700 4,706
Number of residential employees 11 0
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 28,159 23,884
Full-time equivalent of employees 6,392 5,210
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 0 0

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

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

The first year VCU inventoried greenhouse gas emissions was 2008, therefore it is the baseline used.


Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
4,819,720 Square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 620,110 Square feet
Healthcare space 11,379.58 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 141,627 Square feet

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel 9,121 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 24,212 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 488 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 5,184 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 69 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories (please specify below) 2,552 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":

Study Abroad Air Travel GHG


A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:

In 2013 the exterior light post lanterns were upgraded to LED's. Ongoing installation of interior ceiling fixtures with LED's in renovated spaces.
In 2012 (2) Boilers in Grace E Harris Hall were replaced 110 HP each
In 2012 (3) Boilers in the Monroe Park Campus Steam Plant were replaced, 150 HP each.
All the boilers have enhanced controls for increased efficiency to reduce GHG emissions. In 2014 The O2 monitors were replaced on the (3) Boilers in the MCV Steam Plant.


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.