Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 56.90
Liaison Paul Mathisen
Submission Date April 16, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.48 / 10.00 Liz Tomaszewski
Facilities Systems Manager/Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Department
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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

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

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Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
No

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A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:
WPI is mandated by the state of Massachusetts to report its carbon emissions for Scope 1. WPI contracts with Tighe & Bond, an engineering and environmental consultant, to develop our reports. Scope 2 is determined through Clean Air Cool Planet Calculator using annual electric usage.

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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

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A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:
Once every three years, facilities required to submit Scope 1 emissions reports to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection must have their report verified by an approved verification body. WPI completed its first third-party verification process in December 2013. Scope 2 emissions are not verified.

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Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 9,089 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7,375 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 678 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 466 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 10,270 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 7,944 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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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

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

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

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A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
---

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

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Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 1,775 1,501.50
Number of residential employees 4 3
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 4,125 3,372
Full-time equivalent of employees 916 838
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 399 0

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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

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A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
2009 is the first year WPI was required to report its GHG emissions to MA DEP.

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Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
2,394,471 Square feet

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Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 117,366 Square feet
Healthcare space 3,630 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

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Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
Emissions
Business travel 0 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 0 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

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

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A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
None
The website URL where the GHG emissions inventory is posted:
None
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
WPI has focused on improving energy efficiency in existing buildings by installing more efficient equipment, using building management systems, and engaging occupants. WPI has also been installing high efficiency heating, cooling, and lighting systems in new construction. Additionally, WPI continued to offer more transportation options to staff and students, including more ZipCars, additional electric vehicle charging stations, SNAP (evening) van service, Gateway Shuttle service (between campus buildings) and the WOO Bus. Bicycle fix-it stations have also been installed on campus.

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.