| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.64 |
| Liaison | Yolanda Cieters |
| Submission Date | March 2, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Seattle University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
6.20 / 10.00 |
Phillip
Thompson Director CEJS |
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 | None |
| Capital goods | None |
| Waste generated in operations | All |
| Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 | None |
| Other categories | None |
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:
Seattle University's CEJS staff (Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability) collects SU's GHG data annually from different departments and inputs it in the Campus Carbon Calculator (SIMAP since FY17):
--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 (leased and owned)
--Air Travel for Employees: calculated from reimbursement receipts staff/faculty
--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:
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 | 3,123.19 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 3,443.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 139.74 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 128.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from other sources | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 1,024.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 3,262.93 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 4,595.53 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, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
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):
SU started collecting data in 2005. The three next years SU developed processes and identified emissions we were missing. Fiscal year 2009 was the year we had data with confidence. In 2010, SU's Climate Action Plan was approved to implement the requirements of signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. FY09 has been adopted as our baseline for GHG emissions.
Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 122 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 | 38.20 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 | 38.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 122 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):
Carbon storage from on-site composting (performance year): Seattle University collects pre-consumer food and yard waste and converts it into compost on campus. Pre-consumer food waste is sorted and collected from kitchens and cafes on campus, then mixed with woodchips provided by the campus grounds staff. A facilities compost technician and a team of students then mix the materials and place them in a small aerated-static-pile composting facility on campus where they are converted into a safe compost-mulch that is used by the grounds staff on gardens and plant beds across campus.
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (baseline year): no FY09 offset data could be retrieved
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 | 0 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:
SU purchases Renewable Energy Certificates (REC's) directly from Seattle City Light (SCL). In FY17 SU purchased 1,224.00 MMBtu in RECs from SCL.
We use SIMAP for our GHG emissions calculation. In SIMAP the RECs have been accounted for already so we are not re-entering any REC numbers in the table above.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions | 3,224.73 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 4,473.53 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,177 | 1,845 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 23 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 6,681 | 6,520 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 1,331 | 1,224 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 2.50 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 6,557.13 | 6,269.25 |
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 | 0.49 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0.71 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 | 6,600 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 0 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 650 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 | 7,549.98 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Commuting | 5,978.75 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 | 18.54 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Other categories | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
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 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.