| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.40 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Bodine |
| Submission Date | April 25, 2022 |
Weber State University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.14 / 8.00 |
Jennifer
Bodine Sustainability Specialist Facilities Management |
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 6,306.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 9,619.64 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 585.12 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 725.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 6,061.66 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 14,994.65 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 | 12,953.13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 25,340.20 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 | 23.27 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 | 23.27 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):
The only offsets generated by WSU are via the on campus composting program. Estimated tons of CO2 equivalent are provided by SIMAP.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 12,929.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 25,340.20 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, 2019 | July 1, 2006 |
| End date | June 30, 2020 | June 30, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
FY 2007 is the year that WSU became an ACUPCC signatory and made the commitment to become a carbon neutral campus. This is the year we have used as our baseline for all of our ACUPCC reports and all internal reporting.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 834 | 475 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 5 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 17,436 | 12,692 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,866 | 1,516 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 7,034 | 1,828 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 9,410.75 | 9,403.75 |
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 | 1.37 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2.69 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 | 40,774 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 4,035 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 21,823 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:
WSU has an aggressive energy efficiency and GHG emissions reduction program. In 2009, the University had an investment-grade audit completed by AMERESCO and all of the projects identified by the audit have been completed. Some of those initial projects included insulating the chilled water and steam lines throughout the district heating and cooling tunnels, upgrading to high efficiency florescent bulbs across all of campus, installing VFDs and upgrading motors, improving building insulation and glazing, and improving automation and controls.
WSU is now implementing its second wave of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. For example, WSU is 80% of the way finished with an entire university-wide LED upgrade (both interior and exterior lights). And for the past six years, WSU has been completing full mechanical system upgrades on existing buildings to transition the building over to all-electric, high coefficient of performance variable refrigerant flow systems with Energy Recovery Ventilation systems. Two large ground source well fields have also been constructed on the Ogden campus and are tied into the campus chilled water loop. Utilizing VRF systems allows heat to be shared within buildings and coupling that technology with ground source systems, tied into the central chilled water plant, allows for heat to be shared between buildings as well. Therefore the need for simultaneous heating and cooling is eliminated and significant energy is saved. About 25% of campus has been converted to this system to date.
This strategy allows WSU to electrify its buildings and and eliminate the need for natural gas. Then the university will look to source that electricity from renewable sources. WSU has several small solar projects on campus but the largest project, a 1.85 MW array, was completed two years ago on the Davis Campus. This array provides all of the electricity that the Davis Campus needs. WSU also completed its largest solar array on the Ogden campus this past year.
Further details about the technology being used by WSU and the implementation strategy can be found here - https://apps.weber.edu/wsuimages/sustainability/Plans%20and%20Reports/ESIP%20II%20Manual%20wAppendices%202-1-2015.pdf
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:
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.