Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.42
Liaison Mary-Lee Townsend
Submission Date Feb. 1, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Western University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 7.01 / 10.00 Connor Donald
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution conducted a GHG emissions inventory that includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions? :
Yes

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 All
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:

For GHG Scope 1 emissions, we used the O.Reg. 452/09 methodology provided by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) in Ontario. For Scopes 2 and 3, we used the Clean Air Cool Planet Carbon Calculator, created by the University of New Hampshire.


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?:
Yes

A brief description of the internal and/or external verification process:

The full GHG inventory was validated internally by our Manager, Sustainability, who is not related to the process of GHG accounting at Western University. For Scope 1 emissions, we have the inventory audited by a third party as per the requirements of the O.Reg. 452/09.

***The document uploaded here is a draft report, the final copy was not completed at the time of submission***


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):
Yes

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 49,484 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 54,737.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 172.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 6,040 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 29,507.70 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 55,524 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 84,417.50 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 Jan. 1, 2016 Dec. 31, 2016
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2009 Dec. 31, 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):

The 2009 calendar year was used for Western's 2011 & 2014 STARS submission as the performance year for GHG reporting. Therefore, it was selected as an appropriate baseline year for this report, Western's 2017 STARS report.


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 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 0 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 0 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):

n/a


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:

N/A


Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 55,524 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 84,417.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 5,335 5,575
Number of employees resident on-site 8 19
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 32,529 27,410
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 6,220 6,000
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 875 822
Weighted campus users 29,741.25 25,839.50

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 1.87 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.27 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
42.86

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
830,066.83 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 545,353.85 Square meters
Healthcare space 0 Square meters
Other energy intensive space 0 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
20,675,044.97 Gross square meters

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
0.00 MtCO2e per square meter

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 0 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 0 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:

Regarding reductions on Scope 2 emissions from Purchased Electricity

Due to the retirement of coal-fired generation and the reduced demand for electricity, the GHG emissions from Ontario's electricity sector fell by 80% since 2005.

http://www.ieso.ca/-/media/files/ieso/document-library/planning-forecasts/ontario-planning-outlook/ontario-planning-outlook-september2016.pdf?la=en&hash=09412BAC0D5E63B69409D8ECFB0CCA74EFF0D57E

In 2016, energy production relied heavily on Nuclear (60%) and Hydro (24%), both of which are considered low-carbon. Only 10% of our electricity mix was fossil fuel based (Oil/Gas). Ontario phased out all coal energy in 2014.
https://www.opg.com/darlington-refurbishment/Documents/IntrinsikReport_GHG_OntarioPower.pdf


Regarding reductions on Scope 2 emissions from Purchased Electricity

Due to the retirement of coal-fired generation and the reduced demand for electricity, the GHG emissions from Ontario's electricity sector fell by 80% since 2005.

http://www.ieso.ca/-/media/files/ieso/document-library/planning-forecasts/ontario-planning-outlook/ontario-planning-outlook-september2016.pdf?la=en&hash=09412BAC0D5E63B69409D8ECFB0CCA74EFF0D57E

In 2016, energy production relied heavily on Nuclear (60%) and Hydro (24%), both of which are considered low-carbon. Only 10% of our electricity mix was fossil fuel based (Oil/Gas). Ontario phased out all coal energy in 2014.
https://www.opg.com/darlington-refurbishment/Documents/IntrinsikReport_GHG_OntarioPower.pdf

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.