| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.55 |
| Liaison | Jack Byrne |
| Submission Date | June 9, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Middlebury College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
9.50 / 10.00 |
Jack
Byrne Director of Sustainability Integration Environmental Affair |
Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
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?:
A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:
Middlebury's GHG inventory was developed by it's Office of Sustainability Integration and student summer interns in 2007. After extensive research about the various options available (e.g., the Clean Air Cool Planet GHG calculator) we concluded that a custom GHG spreadsheet/workbook would be most suitable. It is based primarily on the WRI ghg protocol and the EPA Climate Leaders guidance and emissions factors.
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:
The GHG is prepared annually by the Office of Sustainability Integration using data from various sources within the College, primarily Facilities and the Budget Office as well as data from our utility companies (electric and solid waste). The scope 1 emissions data and results are then reviewed and ok'd (or modified if needed) by the Director of Facilities. The scope 2 data comes directly from the utility accounting office after they produce their annual fuel mix report which is independently audited. Scope 3 data for solid waste comes from our Materials Recovery Facility which tracks recycling and waste on a monthly basis. This data is not verified internally but is externally by the recycling service that receives our recyclables (66% of total waste typically). The amount of landfill waste is derived from the internal data and is not independently verified by the receiving landfills since it is not tracked separately.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 8,236 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 26,592 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 343 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 366 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 1,357 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 635 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 | 10.56 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon sequestration due to land that the institution manages specifically for sequestration | 22,954 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 | 634 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 865 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
none
A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
The figure in this field represents an initial value produced by Blue Source, a carbon project consulting firm using forest data from lands that Middlebury recently placed a conservation easement on and additional parcels that are being managed either for no harvest or, in very small increments, improved forestry management. We are currently in the process of deciding if we will register these credits (after verification) with the American Carbon Registry. The figure would be the first year's estimate (current value) with varying values projected out over the following five years.
A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
none
A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
We purchase carbon offsets from Native Energy (Vermont) equal to the estimated emissions from our Snow Bowl ski area. The estimate includes all carbon emissions from the operation of the Snow Bow plus an estimate of the seasonal emissions from vehicles used by the skiers who come to the Snow Bowl.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 3,777 | 2,988 |
| Number of residential employees | 0 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 2,853 | 2,718 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,168 | 1,186 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2015 | June 30, 2016 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2006 | June 30, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
2007 was the year we adopted our goal of carbon neutrality by 2016.
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 220,000 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 8,500 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 708,704 Square feet |
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 3,219 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 | 129 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:
Middlebury is on track to meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2016, according to an update issued by the College's Office of Sustainability Integration. The reduction is largely due to the College's biomass gasification plant, which came online in 2009, and numerous energy efficiency projects.
A new biomethane initiative will provide the next major cut in carbon emissions — potentially by as much as 40%. That project will supply biomethane fuel generated from Addison County dairy farms to displace the remaining oil still used in the College's heating and cooling plant. It is estimated to come online for commissioning in late 2014/early 2015.
The report also touches on a few other initiatives underway to reduce carbon emissions on campus.
- See more at: http://www.middlebury.edu/newsroom/node/469210#sthash.WwJwSpZz.dpuf
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
We are in the process of reviewing the methodology for our business travel emissions and it is possible those numbers will change if a more accurate method is developed.
We are in the process of reviewing the methodology for our business travel emissions and it is possible those numbers will change if a more accurate method is developed.
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.