Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 59.69
Liaison Susan Dorward
Submission Date July 31, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Raritan Valley Community College
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 9.75 / 10.00 Susan Dorward
Sustainability and Energy Coordinator
Facilities and Grounds
"---" 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 None
Commuting Some
Purchased goods and services Some
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:
The college used UNH's Simap 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 report, data files, and access to the Simap web site were provided to Brian O'Rourke, Executive Director of Facilities & Grounds, who reviewed and verified the inventory.

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 1,846.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,482 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 28.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 33 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 3,649.03 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4,927 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 5,524.19 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10,442 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, 2004 June 30, 2005

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):
This baseline was adopted when we applied for STARS in 2011.

Figures needed to determine total carbon offsets:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased (exclude purchased RECs/GOs) 1,876 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 1,876 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):
1876 tons of offsets were purchased for the year 2017. They were Green-e certified India Wind and purchased from Renewable Choice.

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 3,650 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:
2017 Green-e certificed RECs for US wind were purchased from Greenlight Energy

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 10,442 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
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 5,510 3,972
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 637 363
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 323.50 0
Weighted campus users 4,367.63 3,251.25

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 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 3.21 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
100

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
580,500 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 20,300 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 11,500 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
632,600 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 8,101.65 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Purchased goods and services 262.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Capital goods ---
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 ---
Waste generated in operations 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories 4.16 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Other is wastewater. Waste goes to landfill with methane capture, so it counts as -6.63 tons but the interface won't let me put in a negative number. Regarding gross scope 1 ghg emissions reduction, most stationary combustion equipment was replaced after baseline. The college now runs a cogeneration plant which is much more efficient than the old systems. Amount reported for carbon offsets is really for offsets, not for RECs. We are carbon neutral for scopes 1 and 2 because we buy offsets and RECs.

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:
Summer student numbers were not included in the baseline year, as they were not available for the 2004-2005 academic year. Data for weighted campus users is from Sarah Donnelly in Institutional Research. Part-time staff was counted as 1/3 FTE. New baseline student FTE number was obtained from Min Su in Institutional Research. Copied staff/faculty FTE from IC-3 even though it's a year later. IR staff and methods changed. Baseline FTE used a different method and so has a lower number.

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.