Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.66
Liaison Marian Brown
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Wells College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.48 / 10.00 Marian Brown
Director
Center for Sustainability and the Environment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions?:
Yes

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include all Scope 3 GHG emissions from any of the following categories?:
Yes or No
Business travel No
Commuting No
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 No

Does the institution's GHG emissions inventory include Scope 3 emissions from other categories?:
Yes

A brief description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory:

We utilize the Clean Air Cool Planet inventory tool.


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 GHGE inventory through 2014 has been conducted by an environmental science faculty member and those findings reviewed by the director of the Center for Sustainability and the Environment. For 2015 on, that process will be reversed; the director of the Center for Sustainability will oversee the data collection and inventory analysis process, and the finalized inventory will be reviewed by that experienced faculty member.


Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 2,104.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3,778 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 142.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 224.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 1,105.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,374 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 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
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 56.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 59.54 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution-catalyzed carbon offsets program:
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A brief description of the carbon sequestration program and reporting protocol used:
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A brief description of the composting and carbon storage program:
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A brief description of the purchased carbon offsets, including third party verifier(s) and contract timeframes:

Wells purchases Green-e certified Renewable Energy Credits through Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA) to offset a portion of its purchased electricity, approximately 4-5% annually.


Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 475 485
Number of residential employees 1 1
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 528 583
Full-time equivalent of employees 165.50 186.50
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, 2013 June 30, 2014
Baseline Year July 1, 2008 June 30, 2009

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:

Former President Lisa Marsh Ryerson signed the American College and University President's Climate Commitment in spring 2008. The college's first greenhouse gas emissions inventory was completed in 2010 with the help of O'Brien & Gere, an external consulting group - Fiscal year 2009 (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009) is used as the college's baseline year.


Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
639,000 Square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 14,126 Square feet
Healthcare space 2,800 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 4,804 Square feet

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 (please specify below) 311.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the sources included in Scope 3 GHG emissions from "other categories":

Business travel and commuting emissions have not [yet] been captured. Study abroad air travel is tracked in that "other" category above.
The college landfill waste is processed in a facility that produces electricity from captured methane, but the fields above do not allow for negative entries. Waste Generated in Operations should be -2.6 MteCO2.


A copy of the most recent GHG emissions inventory:
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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:

The College has undertaken significant energy efficiency upgrades, including upgrading of all screw-in incandescent lighting to LEDs. The college experienced the most significant impact in Scope 1 emissions by a transition from #6 fuel oil to propane for heating. Information Technology has specified Energy-Star (and/or EPEAT) certified equipment. Ongoing outreach and education programs encourage energy and water conservation.


Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.