Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.83
Liaison Leslie North
Submission Date Jan. 9, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Western Kentucky University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.67 / 10.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel Yes
Commuting No
Purchased goods and services No
Capital goods No
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 Yes
Waste generated in operations Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

WKU Office of Sustainability uses Clean Air Cool Planet carbon calculator. A carbon emissions inventory was completed in 2009 and 2013, and is currently being conducted for 2014.


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?:
Yes

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

Presently a representative of Midwest Clean Energy Enterprises is working with WKU as an external consultant on the development of a institutional climate action plan. This advisor is reviewing both 2009 and 2013 calculators for accuracy and verification.


Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 10,912,735.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 8,620,424 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 1,443,356.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 521,559.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 24,549,967.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 25,457,426.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets::
Performance Year Baseline Year
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
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:

None to date.


A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:

None to date.


A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:

None to date.


A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:

None to date.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 4,417 4,393
Number of residential employees 25 30
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 16,362 15,951
Full-time equivalent of employees 2,368 2,453
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 1,702.66 500

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2013 Dec. 31, 2013
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2009 Dec. 31, 2009

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
---

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,093,168 Square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 276,712 Square feet
Healthcare space 23,153 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel 4,363,372.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 1,325,010.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Waste generated in operations 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories (please specify below) 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":

none


A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
---

The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:

GHG emission reduction has mostly been addressed through reduced energy use, however WKU is presently creating a climate action plan to address emissions in energy and other areas.


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.