| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.63 |
| Liaison | Leslie North |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Western Kentucky University
OP-1: Emissions Inventory and Disclosure
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.04 / 3.00 |
Madeline
Petty Graduate Assistant Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory within the previous three years that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
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:
WKU Office of Sustainability previously used the Clean Air Cool Planet carbon calculator to track university GHG emissions. Carbon emissions inventory began in 2010. An inventory was collected in 2016.
Another recent inventory was calculated in 2022 for the 2019-2020 academic year using SIMAP carbon footprint calculator from UNH. The calculator is an online tool that automatically calculates the university's carbon footprint. ***The most recent inventory was calculated for the 2022-23 academic year also using SIMAP. Results from SIMAP calculation are attached above.
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?:
A brief description of the GHG inventory verification process:
In 2016, a representative of Midwest Clean Energy Enterprises worked with us as an external consultant on the development of a institutional climate action plan. The consultant reviewed emissions from the 2009 to 2013 period accuracy and verification and provided feedback and suggestions for ways to improve data collection and interpretation for accuracy. We no longer employee the use of the consultant.
The GHG inventory process is a collaborative effort among several departments at WKU. Inventory entries are provided and verified by each department that collects and shares the data per their category, providing accurate data from the source. A student engaged in a project which created an internal documentation system where each department that has data necessary to a carbon footprint can collect the required data throughout the year within their respective internal document and annually submit the information to the Office of Sustainability to use in the calculation of campus carbon footprint. This also improves data verification in the GHG inventory process.
Documentation to support the GHG inventory verification process:
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Stationary combustion | 10,837.54 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources (mobile combustion, process emissions, fugitive emissions) | 2,016.47 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 1 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year (market-based):
| Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Imported electricity | 22,829.37 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Imported thermal energy | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total gross Scope 2 GHG emissions, performance year:
Gross GHG emissions from biogenic sources, performance year:
Does the GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from the following sources?:
| Yes or No | Weight in MTCO2e | |
| Business travel | Yes | 701.41 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | Yes | 16,676.48 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | Yes | 2,684.44 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 | Yes | 4,387.77 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | Yes | 1,437.67 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other sources | Yes | 7,576.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Total Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
A brief description of how the institution accounted for its Scope 3 emissions:
WKU calculates its carbon footprint using SIMAP calculation software through UNH. The calculator asks for data on commuting, student travel to/from home, business travel/study abroad, waste and wastewater, food, and paper. WKU uses an internal data collection method to collect data from various departments for the academic year in question and inputs the data into SIMAP software. The calculator tools are then utilized to calculate the Scope 3 emissions of WKU.
Other sources includes T&D losses and Student travel to/from home calculated by SIMAP. Purchased goods and services includes Food and Paper purchasing, calculated by weights in SIMAP.
Has the institution completed an inventory within the previous three years to quantify its air pollutant emissions?:
Annual weight of emissions for::
| Weight of Emissions | |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 10.49 Tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | 0.14 Tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 10.30 Tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | 2.95 Tons |
| Ozone (O3) | 0 Tons |
| Lead (Pb) | 0.00 Tons |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | 0.00 Tons |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | 0 Tons |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | 1.41 Tons |
Do the air pollutant emissions figures provided include the following sources?:
| Yes or No | |
| Major stationary sources | No |
| Area sources | Yes |
| Mobile sources | No |
| Commuting | No |
| Off-site electricity production | No |
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
The university utilizes nationally recognized AP 42 emission factors as well as the KY Division for Air Quality’s Emissions Inventory System database to calculate annual emissions from stationary sources.
Annual emission weight values collected from WKU's Emissions Variance Report from April 2023 calculating 2022 emissions.
Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) 0.00117133 tons (Benzene, Formaldehyde, Toluene, Xylene, Chromium, Mercury, Cadmium)
Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations -
VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) 0.98818370 tons
Arsenic 0.00000060 tons
Beryllium 0.00000004 tons
Cobalt 0.00000025 tons
Manganese 0.00000114 tons
Methane 0.42215155 tons
Nickel 0.00000630 tons
Selenium 0.00000007 tons
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity (location-based):
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy (location-based) :
Website URL where information about the institution’s emissions inventories is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Air Pollutant emissions inventory information provided by Laura Tomlin, Environment, Health and Safety Department.
GHG Inventory conducted by the Office of Sustainability from data provided by various offices on campus who collect/maintain the data.
Please note Scope 1 Emissions include refrigerants and chemicals also reported in part 2- air emissions inventory.
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.