| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.44 |
| Liaison | Bradley Flamm |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2022 |
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.23 / 8.00 |
Bradley
Flamm Director of Sustainability Office of the President |
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 4,745.61 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 13,391.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 442.01 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 390.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 10,877.95 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 17,018.02 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 | 16,065.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 30,799.72 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):
None of these categories of offsets were purchased or implemented by WCU in FY 2021.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 16,065.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 30,799.72 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, 2020 | July 1, 2009 |
| End date | June 30, 2021 | June 30, 2010 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
West Chester University's GHG emissions baseline represents the first year for which the university calculated carbon emissions. That year -- Fiscal Year 2010 -- was included in WCU's first Climate Action Plan, published in 2013.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 581 | 4,397 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 10 | 10 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 16,750.90 | 11,561 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,646 | 1,621 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 13,743 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 3,638.18 | 10,988.25 |
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 | 4.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 2.80 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 | 79,201 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 13,193 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 21,667 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:
WCU continues to make significant investments in its district geothermal heating and cooling system. Since FY 2014, the system has expanded by almost 400 wells, has been connected to seven additional buildings representing almost 650,000 square feet of space. We retired a Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreement to replace inefficient lighting fixtures with LED technology (and other energy savings investments) in FY 2019, but have continued to implement energy efficiency and conservation strategies in the university's buildings. Newly constructed and renovated buildings (including the new Sciences and Engineering Center/The Commons, the Business and Public Management Center, Mitchell Hall, and Wayne Hall) have been designed and constructed to LEED standards.
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:
Energy use on campus for building operations and university vehicle fleet were significantly different during FY 2021, a full year of COVID-19 pandemic campus closure. A small number of students continued to live on campus and a small number of employees continued to work and teach in person (less than 10% in both cases); the rest of the campus community studied, did research, and worked remotely. While the data portray large decreases in energy use and carbon emissions, we recognize the extraordinary circumstances portray greater progress towards our carbon neutrality commitment than will be evident in subsequent years with our university community back on campus. Nevertheless, we believe it helpful to document FY 2021 energy consumption and GHG emissions in this way, knowing that FY 2022 and (hopefully) subsequent years will see returns to near-previous levels of energy use while we continue to pursue strategies to achieve carbon neutrality in the future.
Data compiled by Bradley Flamm, Director, Office of Sustainability (bflamm@wcupa.edu, x2053) from sources in Facilities, Public Safety, and other offices.
Energy use on campus for building operations and university vehicle fleet were significantly different during FY 2021, a full year of COVID-19 pandemic campus closure. A small number of students continued to live on campus and a small number of employees continued to work and teach in person (less than 10% in both cases); the rest of the campus community studied, did research, and worked remotely. While the data portray large decreases in energy use and carbon emissions, we recognize the extraordinary circumstances portray greater progress towards our carbon neutrality commitment than will be evident in subsequent years with our university community back on campus. Nevertheless, we believe it helpful to document FY 2021 energy consumption and GHG emissions in this way, knowing that FY 2022 and (hopefully) subsequent years will see returns to near-previous levels of energy use while we continue to pursue strategies to achieve carbon neutrality in the future.
Data compiled by Bradley Flamm, Director, Office of Sustainability (bflamm@wcupa.edu, x2053) from sources in Facilities, Public Safety, and other offices.
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.