| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.49 |
| Liaison | Richard Johnson |
| Submission Date | Nov. 11, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Rice University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.73 / 10.00 |
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 | Yes |
| 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 | 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:
Consolidation methodology used to determine organizational boundaries: Rice uses an operational control approach to consolidate its GHG emissions. Under the control approach, Rice accounts for 100 percent of the GHG emissions from operations over which it has control. Thus, it does not account for GHG emissions from operations in which it owns an interest but has no control. As defined under the operational control approach employed by the University, Rice has operational control over an operation if it, or one of its subsidiaries has the full authority to introduce and implement its operating policies at the operation.
Emissions calculation tool: instead of the Clean Air-Cool Planet calculator that most campuses use, Rice uses a “custom tool” developed in a Rice chemical engineering class, “Engineering Solutions for Sustainable Communities” to complete its GHG emissions inventory. The tool allows Rice to input the specific fuel mix for the electricity composition from the electrical grid that serves the University. It also allows Rice to input natural gas emission factors for the gas that the University combusts. Furthermore, the tool allows the University to develop estimates of carbon footprints on a per-building level.
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 inventory has been reviewed both by a chemical engineering professor as well as a consultant who was hired by the university to develop a climate and energy master plan.
The baseline year set by the consultant was FY2012, which is the period from July 1, 2011 thru June 30, 2012.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 27,972 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 31,174 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 595 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 595 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 69,651 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 65,952 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 | 57,640 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 57,640 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:
A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
Rice University owns timberland in Southwest Louisiana, known as The Rice Land Lumber Company. It comprises approximately 50,000 acres of slash pine, and was initially used to fund the original buildings on Rice’s campus. Today, a portion of that timberland is harvested for logs for telephone and power poles, and the trees on those 50,000 acres are estimated to absorb more than 57,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which offsets more than half of the university’s annual gross greenhouse gas emissions. The property is enrolled in the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ safe-harbor program for the Louisiana red-cockaded woodpecker, which helps protect the endangered bird that excavates its roost and nest cavities exclusively in live pine trees. Also noteworthy is use by Rice faculty members of residual forest biomass gathered from the Louisiana site for their research on biochar, which has the potential to accelerate biomass growth, improve water retention in soil and sequester carbon.
A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 2,824 | 2,824 |
| Number of residential employees | 71 | 71 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 6,446.67 | 6,071.33 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 2,861 | 2,842 |
| 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, 2012 | June 30, 2013 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2011 | June 30, 2012 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
The baseline year was adopted by our consultant in the development of RICEMaP, the Rice Integrated Climate and Energy Master Plan. RICEMaP contains multiple reports: the report containing the carbon footprint and key elements of the climate action plan was submitted in the fall of 2013.
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 1,663,367 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 288,109 Square feet |
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 4,070 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 5,783 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Purchased goods and services | --- |
| Capital goods | --- |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | --- |
| Waste generated in operations | 372 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories (please specify below) | --- |
A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":
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:
(1) Through the RICEMaP process, the university's consultant conducted ASHRAE Level-2+ building energy audits for approximately 10 campus buildings. The results of these audits were used to establish a fund for energy efficiency retrofit projects. The first project from that fund is underway as of May 2014, and will focus on Dell Butcher Hall. The second project from that fund will start in the summer of 2014, and it will focus on Keck Hall.
(2) Rice University participates in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition. The University has adopted numerous waste reduction strategies on campus, from the robust campus recycling program to promoting inter-office reusable envelopes for campus mail to composting virtually all landscaping waste, including grass, leaves, and wood chips from tree pruning. The campus also hosts an annual free-cycling event, providing an opportunity for members of the Rice community to swap office supplies, recycle electronics, etc.
(3) Rice encourages use of and provides access to public transportation. We operate a fare-free shuttle system, with routes on-campus as well as to the Graduate Student Apartments on Bissonnet, the Rice Village during certain hours on weekends, the Texas Medical Center, and from the Graduate Student Apartments to major shopping areas on the weekend. The University also provides free transit passes for students to take the light rail, which has three stations conveniently located adjacent to campus, as well as numerous bus lines with stops along or adjacent to the campus perimeter. Furthermore, Rice also has an active ZipCar program, and was the first location in the state of Texas to offer ZipCar (inaugurated August 2008).
(4) Rice has committed to green building through the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Rice has adopted a policy of LEED-Silver minimum certification for appropriate on-campus buildings.
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
While we had 2012 faculty headcount data, we had to use 2013 for staff in calculating the baseline year.
While we had 2012 faculty headcount data, we had to use 2013 for staff in calculating the baseline year.
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.