Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 73.17
Liaison Emily Vollmer
Submission Date May 16, 2024

STARS v2.2

Virginia Tech
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.90 / 8.00 Emily Vollmer
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 68,149 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 109,397 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 12,109 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,420 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 127,842 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 155,608 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 208,100 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 269,425 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 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 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 0 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):
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Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 208,100 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 269,425 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 Jan. 1, 2022 Jan. 1, 2016
End date Dec. 31, 2022 Dec. 31, 2016

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
We selected 2016 as the baseline year for GHG Emissions and many of the other credits to include OP 5 Building Energy Efficiency and OP 21 Water Usage. In 2016 our primary fuel source at the Virginia Tech Power Plant was equal with 50% coal and 50% natural gas, and Phase 1 of our Five-Year Energy Action Plan implementation was completed. Phase 1 focused on our top 10 “energy hogs.” By 2019 our primary fuel source at the Virginia Tech Power Plant was reversed to 80% natural gas and 20% coal. We use this baseline to show how far we've come.

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 9,775 9,433
Number of employees resident on-site 2 2
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 36,207.40 33,223
Full-time equivalent of employees 8,270.36 7,678
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 747.82 1,010
Weighted Campus Users 35,241.71 32,277

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 5.90 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 8.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
29.26

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
11,014,986 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 630,660 Square feet
Healthcare space 102,423 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 261,516 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
12,742,668 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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
- The conversion from coal to natural gas as the primary fuel source in the Virginia Tech Power Plant.

- Major upgrades to our underground infrastructure to include upgrades to the chilled water lines.

- The Office of Energy Management within the Division of the Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities guides the operations of the university to achieve tangible reductions in energy consumption on campus through the development of various Demand Side Management (DSM) policies, initiatives and projects. DSM promotes energy efficiency by means of upgrading, retrofitting, and commissioning mechanical, lighting, building automations and electrical systems in university buildings.

- The Five –Year Energy Action Plan developed in 2015-2016 addresses the energy efficiency improvements with the 50 most energy-intensive buildings on campus (“Energy Hogs”).

- The Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment requires all new construction projects and major renovations project pursue LEED Silver Certification or better.

- Smart meter and solar energy projects underway through Virginia Tech Electrical Service (VTES)

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
2022_Greenhouse_Gas_Inventory_and_Assessment_Report.pdf

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.