Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.94
Liaison Nathan King
Submission Date Dec. 19, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Virginia Tech
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.02 / 10.00 Ruben Avagyan
Campus Energy Manager
Facilities Services
"---" 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 None
Commuting All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 None
Other categories None

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:

Municipal solid waste (MSW), commuter emissions, as well as water and wastewater scope 3 emissions are accounted for. Water and Wastewater emissions were obtained from an outside source that provides water for the institution as well as the source that deals with wastewater treatment. Commuter data was obtained by recording how many commuter passes were purchased from the school. With this data we could find the emissions from this source after calculating the average amount that each commuter emits. The emissions for MSW were found by using the emissions rate per ton of MSW to calculate the total emissions from the amount of MSW produced in tons.


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?:
No

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
---

Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
---

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 108,397 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 117,111 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 4,420 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,316 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 155,608 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 183,784 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 268,425 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 304,211 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 Jan. 1, 2016 Dec. 31, 2016
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2013 Dec. 31, 2013

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):

There was a significant increase in GHG emissions in the 2013 baseline year used. This year was chosen to demonstrate the progress made by Virginia Tech in the three year time period to reduce campus-wide energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.


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):
---

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:
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 268,425 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 304,211 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 9,433 9,035
Number of employees resident on-site 2 2
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 33,223 31,738
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 7,678 7,501
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,010 809
Weighted campus users 32,277 31,081.75

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 8.32 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9.79 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
15.03

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
10,140,464 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 1,529,278 Square feet
Healthcare space 100,000 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 923,882 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
14,322,902 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 ---
Commuting 17,121 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services ---
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations 2,256 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 4,420 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:

A calendar year 2013 baseline year was chosen in comparison to a calendar year 2016 performance year.


A calendar year 2013 baseline year was chosen in comparison to a calendar year 2016 performance year.

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.