Virginia Commonwealth University
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure

Part 1. Greenhouse gas emissions inventory

Institution has completed an inventory to quantify its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The inventory may also:

• Include Scope 3 GHG emissions from one or more of the following sources:

• Business travel (the transportation of employees and students for institution-related activities in vehicles owned or operated by third parties)

• Commuting (regular commuting to and from the institution by students and employees)

• Purchased goods and services (e.g., food and paper)

• Capital goods (e.g., equipment, machinery, buildings, facilities, and vehicles)

• Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or 2

• Waste generated in operations (solid waste and/or wastewater disposal/treatment in facilities owned or operated by third parties)

• Other sources not included in Scope 1 or 2 (e.g., student travel to/from home)

• Have been verified by an independent, external third party or validated internally by personnel who are independent of the GHG accounting and reporting process.

Part 2. Air pollutant emissions inventory

Institution has completed an inventory to quantify its air pollutant emissions. The inventory includes at least nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). It may also include other standard categories of toxic air emissions - e.g., carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and so on - from one or more of the following:

• Major stationary sources (e.g., combustion-based energy plants, boilers, furnaces, and generators)

• Area sources (minor stationary sources such as paint booths, book preservation operations, and wastewater treatment plants)

• Mobile sources (e.g., campus fleet, other motorized vehicles, and lawn care equipment)

• Commuting

• Off-site electricity production

This credit applies to all institutions.

Each part is scored independently.

Part 1

An institution earns the maximum of 2.5 points available for Part 1 when it has completed an inventory that includes all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions, includes Scope 3 GHG emissions from at least six of the sources listed in the criteria, and has been validated internally by personnel who are independent of the GHG accounting and reporting process and/or verified by an independent, external third party. Partial points are earned as follows:

Part 2

An institution earns the maximum of 0.5 points available for Part 2 when it has completed an inventory of air pollutant emissions that includes at least three of the categories listed. Partial points are earned as follows:

Timeframe

Report inventories of annual emissions completed or updated within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission.

Sampling and Data Standards

Part 1

To conduct a GHG emissions inventory, campuses may use the The Climate Registry, the Sustainability Indicator Management & Analysis Platform (SIMAP), the Scope 3 Evaluator tool, and/or any methodology or calculator that is consistent with the World Resources Institute (WRI) Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard and the Scope 3 calculation guidance provided by WRI.

This credit is based on GHG emissions calculated using a market-based method that reflects emissions from electricity that the institution has purposefully chosen, including contractual instruments such as RECs, GOs, and I-RECs. An institution that wishes to disclose its Scope 2 GHG emissions calculated using a location-based method that does not consider such contractual arrangements may do so in the optional reporting fields provided. Note that GHG emissions calculated using a market-based method may be the same as GHG emissions calculated using a location-based method, e.g., when an institution does not have supplier-specific emissions factors.

Part 2

There are a number of methodologies for measuring air emissions, including direct measurement, calculation based on site-specific data and/or published criteria, and estimation (see for example, U.S. EPA document AP-42 and associated tools). If data for all sources and/or an entire year are not available, an institution may use representative samples.