| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.41 |
| Liaison | Yolanda Cieters |
| Submission Date | Feb. 22, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Seattle University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
7.12 / 10.00 |
Phillip
Thompson Director CEJS |
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:
Seattle University's CEJS staff (Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability) collects the data annually from different departments and inputs it in the Campus Carbon Calculator:
--For Electricity/Compost/Waste/Natural Gas/Fertilizer Application: Program Managers from the different departments track greenhouse gas emissions data for their department and fill out a datasheet (used since 2009 and annually updated for the GHG Emissions Inventory).
--For Gas/Diesel/Propane of University fleet: At the end of each fiscal year CEJS gathers the mileage (odometer readings) for the entire University fleet (data coming from different departments)
--Air Travel for Employees: calculated based on reimbursement documents to staff/faculty for Air Travel
--Air Travel Study Abroad and Athletics students: data provided by Travel operator
--Population: data provided by SU Institutional Research
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 Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability is responsible for GHG accounting and reporting. Staff from SU facilities verified the data that was gathered and reported by each unit from within the university.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 2,275 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,402 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 166 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 129 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 497 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 206 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 1,392 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 | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon storage from on-site composting | 204 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 18 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased | 13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 153 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
N/A
A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
N/A
A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
Pre-consumer food waste: This goes to our on-campus compost facility. The pre-consumer systems makes 60-80 tons of raw compost per year. All of the finished product is used on campus.
Post-consumer food waste: There are food waste bins at every restaurant and cafe, outside every building, at catered events, in employee kitchens and in every dorm room. Post-consumer food waste is collected by a local hauler and taken to a local compost facility because our campus compost facility is not permitted to take it. There is post-consumer collection at 175 stations around campus in the academic buildings.
A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:
We purchase our Renewable Energy Certificates (REC's) directly from Seattle City Light.
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 2,160 | 1,845 |
| Number of residential employees | 0 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 6,454.50 | 6,520 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,377 | 1,169.50 |
| 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, 2014 | June 30, 2015 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
We started collecting data in 2005. The three next years we developed processes and identified emissions we were missing. Fiscal year 2009 was the year we had data with confidence. Also, SU's Climate Action Plan was approved in 2010 to implement the requirements of signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 6,600 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 0 Square feet |
Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year::
| Emissions | |
| Business travel | 6,257 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 6,208 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 | 97 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories (please specify below) | 40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":
Electricity loss from transmission & distribution, fertilizer, refrigerant
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:
Seattle University continues to be a sustainability leader in our region. In November 2013, we were selected for Seattle Business Magazine's award as the Greenest Academic/Government Institution in the state, and in fall 2014, the Seattle 2030 District awarded SU its Visionary Award for Transportation.
Seattle University's commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is most evident in the data itself. Through investments in new campus infrastructure and energy conservation, we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by over 30 percent since 2009.
The following operational initiatives have happened to reduce GHG emissions:
*4 LEED Gold buildings
*Reduced carbon dioxide emissions from buildings by 18 percent by installing new natural gas boilers and discontinuing purchased steam energy. The system lowered the university's heating bill by approximately $138,000 a year.
* The swimming pool heat-recovery system captures waste heat from the swimming pool area exhaust and uses it to preheat incoming fresh air and pool water. The system cuts annual carbon dioxide emissions by 575,000 pounds annually and saves an estimated $106,000 in annual energy costs.
* No bottled water is sold anywhere on campus and bottle fillers were installed on water fountains
* Secured, covered bike parking area and subsidized transit pass for students
* Purchased hundreds of new color-coded and signed food waste, recycling and trash bins for inside and outside buildings and in each dorm room. All to-go ware at campus cafés and catered events is compostable.
* Switched to an environmentally-friendly bathroom products vendor which resulted in a $25,000 annual cost reduction, no longer having to buy 3,600 batteries annually to power the paper towel dispensers nor spend $2,700 in labor to change batteries, and 50% less packaging because there is no paper tube, no individually paper-wrapped toilet paper and towel rolls, and no cardboard boxes.
* Planted a fruit orchard and P-Patch raised beds for students and employees to grow vegetables
*Community recycling event lets employees, students and our neighbors drop off their electronics, appliances, batteries, confidential paper, compact fluorescent light bulbs, Styrofoam blocks and packaging material, and toner cartridges.
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.