Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.86
Liaison Isabel Savransky
Submission Date June 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Ontario Tech University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 7.07 / 10.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1 

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 Some
Commuting Some
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations None
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:
Building consumption is entered into the Ministry of Energy webform and calculated as per a GHG formula. Scope 1 and Scope 2 are reported directly from utility bills and consumption reports. Scope 3: Data for commuting and business travel was collected from our 2018 survey to staff, faculty and students as well as specific data collected from departments (outlining business and research related travel)

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:
Our GHG Inventory was reviewed by an Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Professor, Dan Hoornweg. Statement from Dan, 'I confirm that I reviewed the GHG inventory and believe it represents an accurate representation of Ontario Tech U’s GHG emissions'.

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

Part 2 

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 2,657.88 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,374 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 11.11 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 997.36 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2,798 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 3,666.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,172 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, 2012 Dec. 31, 2012

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):
Coincides with Ministry of Energy mandated- reporting schedule; 2011/2012 data was used when creating the University Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan and is used as the baseline. GHG Scope 1 from other sources (2018/2019) emissions from 2 OCIS truck fleet vehicles and the shared Registrar/Athletics van. Two OCIS cars are full electric (electricity accounted for in scope 2).

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 374 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 374 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

If total performance year carbon offsets are greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the offsets in each category reported above, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
9000 trees planted up to 2018 (average 0.0385 tonnes of carbon offset per tree- Enlighten Reference).

The reporting fields in the table below are reserved for institutions that have NOT already accounted for renewable energy purchases (including RECs and GOs) in their Scope 2 GHG emissions calculations. Other institutions - including all SIMAP users - should report zero ('0') to avoid double-counting. 

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:
---

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 3,292.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,172 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 720 1,576
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 9,419 8,347
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 699 604
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 128 121.50
Weighted campus users 7,672.50 7,016.13

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 0.43 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0.74 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
41.79

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
124,312.20 Gross square meters

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 51,395.74 Square meters
Healthcare space 0 Square meters
Other energy intensive space 3,238.32 Square meters

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
2,479,380.65 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

Optional Fields 

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 29.82 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 3,583.07 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services ---
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations ---
Other categories ---

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Continuously upgrading old equipment and lighting to more efficient alternatives. Plans to install more renewable energy sources.

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:
Business Travel: data collection from the university's online expense tracking system, Concur. CO2 emissions from business travel (meetings, conferences and research related trips) accounted for 29.82 tonnes of C02 (April 1 2018 - March 31 2019). Assuming similar business travel took place in 2016. Commuting: Calculation based on postal codes of staff/students with parking passes (this value is an over estimation, as postal codes were of home residence not commuting residence)

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.