| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.82 |
| Liaison | Ryan Ihrke |
| Submission Date | Feb. 23, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Green Mountain College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
10.00 / 10.00 |
Ryan
Ihrke Director of Sustainability Sustainability |
Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Does the institution’s GHG emissions inventory include all, some or none of its Scope 3 GHG emissions from the following categories?:
| All, Some, or None | |
| Business travel | All |
| Commuting | All |
| Purchased goods and services | Some |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | Some |
| Other categories | Some |
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, including how the institution accounted for each category of Scope 3 emissions reported above:
For stationary and mobile fuel sources owned by the college, data were gathered by tallying gallons of different fossil fuels and short tons of woodchips purchased. Waste data were also tallied in short tons, while paper was estimated in pounds. Waste water data were tallied in gallons. Electricity data were comprised of kWhs purchased by Green Mountain Power. Business travel data were inputted by passenger miles or vehicle miles and collected by reviewing the College’s financial records. Finally, commuting, class data were input by passenger miles or vehicle miles and was collected through a survey of students, staff, and faculty.
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 internal and/or external verification process:
Green Mountain College, Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, reviewed the GHG gas inventory and report. He was independent of the GHG data collection and reporting. He met with Sustainability Director after his review and provide feedback on improving the overall report.
Documentation to support the internal and/or external verification process:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 and Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions):
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 1,021.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,229 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 55.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 77 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 646.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 869 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 1,723.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 4,175 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2016 | June 30, 2017 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2006 | June 30, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
The FY 2007 baseline was adopted because it is the first year that the College did a greenhouse gas inventory, and it is the year that President Brennan signed the ACUPCC.
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 2,795 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 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 | 6.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon offsets included above for which the emissions reductions have been sold or transferred by the institution | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon offsets | 2,801.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
The College has maintained climate neutrality since 2011. For FY 16 and FY 17(July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017) emissions GMC purchased community bundle offsets through Urban Offsets on February 6, 2018. The community bundle purchase consists Climate Action Reserve Verified Emission Reductions (VER) project CAR 475, a landfill gas capture and combustion in Gaston County, North Carolina. In addition, the community bundle offset purchase also supports the non-profit New York Restoration Project(NYRP) for the planting and maintenance of trees in accordance with Duke University Carbon Offsets Initiative Urban Forestry protocol V2.0. Any carbon mitigation from the tree planting and maintenance is not factored into the total amount off verifiable offsets identified as offsetting Green Mountain College's emissions.
Additional carbon offsets identified are from on-site composting of organics, primarily food waste generated by the dining services and from students living in the residence halls.
Emissions reductions attributable to Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or Guarantee of Origin (GO) purchases:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Emissions reductions attributable to REC/GO purchases | 4.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the purchased RECs/GOs including vendor, project source and verification program:
The purchase RECs are Green Mountain Power's Cow Power Renewable Energy Certificates that are certified by the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL)
We also receive RECs via a Power Purchase Agreement with Tunbridge Solar, LLC. Per our contract, the RECs generated given directly to Green Mountain College and are not entering the formal REC market. Since they are not verified via the REC market, they are not included in the performance year calculations for Emissions reductions attributable to REC/Go purchases, but they are listed in our complete green house gas inventory documents linked to in this credit.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 4,175 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 394 | 577 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 12 | 5 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 7 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 740 | 749 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 167.20 | 188.75 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 266 | 30 |
| Weighted campus users | 589.40 | 826.31 |
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 | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 5.05 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 | 4,735 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 14,568 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:
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 114.26 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 472.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | 10.61 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 | 65.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Waste generated in operations | 289.17 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 55.30 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Scope 1
Each item in this category has dropped during each inventory to new lows, a trend that began in FY13. Agriculture’s impact went down due to less cows, pigs, chickens, and sheep being raised on the farm. There was an increase in the increase in the number animals of goats and rabbits being raised on the farm, but their overall emissions are lower. Campus fleet fuel use went down a noticeable amount due to a efforts to limit College travel. The majority of the reductions come from operations at the biomass plant. Every year the college increases the efficiency of the biomass plant, so that it carries a greater percentage of the heat and hot water load for central campus. Improvements since 2013 include a switch from #6 oil as a back-up to less carbon-intensive #2 oil, running the plant through the summer for hot water, and upgrades to some steam pipe components. Starting in FY 2016, the biomass is covering between 93-95% of the heat and hot water load for campus during winter. During FY 2017 emissions related to stationary fuel are now 1/3 of FY 2007 totals.
Scope 2
The College utilizes a $30,000 green revolving loan fund to support energy efficiency projects. Using the Green Revolving Loan Fund the fall of 2016, LED lights replaced CFL hallway lights in North Hall. GMC’s annual Do it in the Dark competition works to educate students, staff and faculty on electricity savings through changing behavior. The Do it the Dark competition usually yields a 10% reduction on average during the competition period. Some groups, such as the Vermont Summer Academy have achieved an over 50% reduction in the residence halls. Gains in overall efficiency have been made despite an overall growth in the square footage of campus buildings.
Scope 3
The sustainability office has worked hard to recycle and compost a greater portion of the college’s waste stream through increasing the efficiency of the crew, installing new home-made waste stations, and carrying out educational efforts. Travel emissions have dropped significantly with strategically reducing travel across different areas including relocating a multi-week adventure course from the southwest United States to the Adirondacks of neighboring New York.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The performance year is FY 2017 the year of our most recent Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
The "laboratory space" square footage reported here includes only traditional science laboratories. Computer labs are counted under "other energy intensive space." Other energy intensive space also includes the biomass plant and dining services.
The performance year is FY 2017 the year of our most recent Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
The "laboratory space" square footage reported here includes only traditional science laboratories. Computer labs are counted under "other energy intensive space." Other energy intensive space also includes the biomass plant and dining services.
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.