Vanderbilt University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability |
Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 62,080 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 154,007 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 940 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7,464 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 30,017 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 223,343 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Total | 93,037 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased | 107,985 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 storage from on-site composting | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | --- |
| Carbon sold or transferred | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Net carbon sinks | 107,985 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
In 2021, Vanderbilt University reached carbon neutrality, decades ahead of its initial goal. A collaboration with the nonprofit organization Climate Vault allowed the university to address the full extent of its carbon footprint through offsets for FY19–20 and FY20–21.
In FY21–22, Vanderbilt University continued to offset its carbon footprint by investing in the development of solar energy projects that will expand access to clean energy in the Southeast with Clearloop, a Silicon Ranch company. Vanderbilt’s investment initially supports a solar farm in Panola County, Mississippi, in the town of Batesville—a community at the intersection of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian foothills. This solar farm will provide access to clean energy to approximately 1,000 Panola County homes. Two more solar farms are planned as part of Vanderbilt’s collaboration with Clearloop.
Vanderbilt also opened its first solar farm through the Green Invest Program, the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, in April of 2023.
Beginning in FY22–23, a portfolio approach will enable Vanderbilt to continue its carbon neutrality. In addition to offsets from Clearloop solar farms, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm in Bedford County will offset approximately 70 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity purchased through Nashville Electric Service, or the equivalent of enough power to help serve more than 6,000 homes for one year.
Vanderbilt’s total carbon footprint for FY22–23 is 113,823 MTCO2E. RECs from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm offset 5,838 MTCO2E and carbon offsets from the Clearloop/Vanderbilt Panola County MS project apply to the remaining 107,985 MTCO2E, making Vanderbilt carbon neutral for FY22–23.
Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Start date | July 1, 2022 | Jan. 1, 2005 |
| End date | June 30, 2023 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 5,649 | 6,210 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 25 | 7 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 34 | 832 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 13,710 | 11,037 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 6,629 | 19,437 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 16,706.75 | 25,241.75 |
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 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 15.25 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 | 706,175 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 43,218 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 901,055 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:
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
In 2021, Vanderbilt University reached carbon neutrality, decades ahead of its initial goal. A collaboration with the nonprofit organization Climate Vault allowed the university to address the full extent of its carbon footprint through offsets for FY19–20 and FY20–21.
In FY21–22, Vanderbilt University continued to offset its carbon footprint by investing in the development of solar energy projects that will expand access to clean energy in the Southeast with Clearloop, a Silicon Ranch company. Vanderbilt’s investment initially supports a solar farm in Panola County, Mississippi, in the town of Batesville—a community at the intersection of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian foothills. This solar farm will provide access to clean energy to approximately 1,000 Panola County homes. Vanderbilt will receive the carbon offset credits for the life of this solar project. Two more solar farms are planned as part of Vanderbilt’s collaboration with Clearloop.
Vanderbilt also opened its first solar farm through the Green Invest Program, the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, in April of 2023.
Beginning in FY22–23, a portfolio approach will enable Vanderbilt to continue its carbon neutrality. In addition to offsets from Clearloop solar farms, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm in Bedford County will offset approximately 70 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity purchased through Nashville Electric Service, or the equivalent of enough power to help serve more than 6,000 homes for one year.
Vanderbilt’s total carbon footprint for FY22–23 is 113,823 MTCO2E. RECs from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm offset 5,838 MTCO2E and carbon offsets from the Clearloop/Vanderbilt Panola County MS project apply to the remaining 107,985 MTCO2E, making Vanderbilt carbon neutral for FY22–23.
While the university continues to push action and innovations on several fronts to reduce emissions, the near-term opportunity to work with organizations like Clearloop allows Vanderbilt to accelerate its impact now.
The university plans to continue its carbon reduction efforts by:
• Investing in on-site clean energy;
• Investing in off-site large-scale renewable energy;
• Increasing green spaces across campus such as more pedestrian-friendly walkways;
• Reducing energy consumption and waste;
• Decreasing the university’s carbon footprint from transportation and commuting;
• Investing in sustainable infrastructure.
To support Vanderbilt’s carbon neutral and net positive + resilience goal, additional goals have been set:
Zero Waste
Vanderbilt announced in January 2020 its commitment to achieving zero waste by the year 2030. Zero waste is defined as a 90% diversion rate from the landfill, acknowledging that no institution is completely waste-free. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and off-campus stakeholders participated in a nine-month, collaborative, research-driven process to address the scopes of the university’s carbon footprint and provide recommendations to reduce the university’s environmental impact as part of FutureVU, the university’s holistic campus planning process.
Once the Zero Waste Study was completed, the Zero Waste Advisory Committee outlined two specific goals for the university and two supporting actions:
• Goal 1: Achieve zero waste, a 90% diversion rate, by 2030
• Goal 2: Reduce the amount of waste generated on campus by 30% by 2030
Supporting actions include ending institutional single-use plastic bottle purchases by 2025 (except in laboratories*) and expanding food waste collection to include all dining areas and residential halls by 2025.
*Laboratories are exempt due to lack of available alternatives and safety concerns.
Large-Scale Renewable Energy
Vanderbilt University entered into an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Nashville Electric Service through TVA’s new Green Invest program to procure off-site large-scale renewable energy to help mitigate the campus’ greenhouse gas emissions. Through this partnership, Vanderbilt is tackling climate change head-on by working towards its goal of powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and committing to carbon neutrality.
Vanderbilt is the first customer to partner with a local power company on this type of agreement in the seven-state TVA region. The 20-year agreement will support Vanderbilt’s goal to power its campus entirely through renewable energy.
Vanderbilt’s initial partnership, announced in January 2020, will mitigate approximately 70 percent of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions beginning in spring 2023. Groundbreaking for the Vanderbilt One solar farm in Bedford County occurred in January 2022 and the installation will open in Spring 2023. The second Green Invest project will supply enough renewable energy to offset the remaining 30 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity when complete.
The agreement is the result of two years of intensive effort through the Large-Scale Renewable Energy Study by Vanderbilt to identify the best renewable energy strategy for the university on the basis of key criteria that include financial, social and environmental benefits and risk mitigation.
Transportation
MoveVU is Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan that falls under the FutureVU comprehensive campus planning efforts. MoveVU goals align with FutureVU guiding principles to beautify the campus, preserve and enhance the park-like character people enjoy, create a walkable and sustainable campus, and better connect areas of campus that feel disconnected. MoveVU calls for diversification of transportation options, reduction of the drive alone rate to campus that aligns with university goals to become carbon neutral, prioritization of pedestrian and micromobility, and improvement of accessibility.
MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making their daily decision on how they will travel to campus and to provide greater flexibility beyond driving alone to campus and using a traditional annual parking permit to better match their dynamic lifestyles. Vanderbilt is a leader in transportation initiatives and regional commuting needs and has successfully implemented programs and benefits for its community, including:
• Commute Concierge – personalized consultations are available to the Vanderbilt community on using public transit, identifying bicycle amenities on campus, Lyft Ridehail Partnership, sustainable commute routes, and more.
• Sustainable commute incentives – eligible commuters can earn a daily incentive each time they choose a sustainable commute over driving alone to campus.
• Free bus rides – Vanderbilt’s program provides all full-time and part-time Vanderbilt University students, faculty, staff and postdocs with free access to WeGo local buses, regional buses and the WeGo Star with their physical Commodore Card. This service is available for any place and time, not only when commuting to and from campus.
• Guaranteed Ride Home – eligible commuters who take a sustainable commute to campus receive a free Lyft ride home in the event of an emergency or unforeseen circumstance.
• Daily Parking program – participants pay only for days that they park on campus, which allows a daily choice in commute method and incentivizes the use of sustainable commutes.
• Commute Calculator – a personalized assessment of the best parking program to enroll in based on number of days on campus, salary band, and sustainable commute choices.
• Commute survey – an annual assessment of faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate and professional students’ commute habits, which tracks current mode share rates, and informs future goals.
MoveVU has also received federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) grant, which the university will match. The $13 million total will launch a variety of new initiatives, including expanding shuttle operations using vehicles that rely on alternative fuels (either electricity or biofuels), instructing new shelter stops, and establishing bike and scooter share stations, shelters and repair sheds.
Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Vanderbilt University embarked on a new journey as an independent legal entity from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) on May 1, 2016. The University is now smaller in both number of people and square feet, and, therefore, so is our 2016 Greenhouse Gas inventory in comparison to our previous inventories (2005-2015). 2005 baseline data reflects the state of the University at that time, which included VUMC.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/futurevu/sustainability.php
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.