Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.33
Liaison Kristin Larson
Submission Date July 31, 2020
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

San Diego State University
OP-1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.42 / 10.00 Madeline Falco
Energy and Sustainability Analyst
Office of Energy and Sustainability
"---" 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 All
Purchased goods and services None
Capital goods None
Waste generated in operations All
Fuel- and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 None
Other categories Some

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:
SDSU utilized our new Energy Information System (EIS), SkySpark, that has centralized all campus meters into one interface allowing us to streamline regulatory reporting. We have imported the emissions factors from the Clean Air Cool Planet carbon calculator for all scopes. Scope 3 commuting data was generated and received via the University's annual transportation survey. Other Scope 3 business travel mileage was received from Accounts Payable. Other categories include water and wastewater, in which we analyzed the actual carbon content of San Diego water to come up with this value.

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?:
No

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

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 41,543.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 55,421 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 442.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 517 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity 5,090 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 11,538.20 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 47,076 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 67,476.20 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, 2018 June 30, 2019
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

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):
N/A

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 58.11 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 58.11 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):
Carbon storage from on-site composting has been calculated and tracked using our Energy Information System, SKySpark, where we weigh each load of compost and calculate the Mton of CO2e based on appropriate emissions factors.

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:
N/A

Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 47,017.89 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 67,476.20 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 6,952 2,848
Number of employees resident on-site 43 73
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 32,304 31,136
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 3,743 2,024
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 28,784 25,600.25

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 1.63 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2.64 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
38.03

Part 3

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
5,693,749 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 293,363 Square feet
Healthcare space 82,584 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 130,893 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
6,576,536 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

Scope 3 GHG emissions, performance year:
Emissions
Business travel 358 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Commuting 42,491 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 1,050 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Other categories ---

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives, including efforts made during the previous three years:
The Office of Sustainability recently hired a Zero Waste student intern who has been reviewing SDSU's waste huller reports (landfill, recycle, and compost) and inputting waste weight and cost into our new Energy Information Systems (EIS), SkySpark. This has enabled us to provide more accurate waste data and to maximize our diversion rates at the building level.

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:
2019 Second Nature GHG Progress Evaluation has been uploaded.

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.