Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.50
Liaison Derek Nichols
Submission Date May 17, 2022

STARS v2.2

University at Buffalo
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.76 / 8.00 Derek Nichols
Sustainability Engagement Coordinator
UB Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions

Gross GHG emissions

Gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion 32,826.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 28,978 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 2,074.73 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 5,086 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 622.85 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 79,113 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy 7,900.42 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 1,548 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total 43,424.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 114,725 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Carbon sinks

Figures needed to determine net carbon sinks:
Performance year Baseline year
Third-party verified carbon offsets purchased 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 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 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

A brief description of the carbon sinks, including vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes (as applicable):
N/A

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 43,424.24 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 114,725 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Performance and baseline periods

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Performance year Baseline year
Start date July 1, 2018 July 1, 2008
End date June 30, 2019 June 30, 2009

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
The 2008-2009 academic year was chosen because it was the baseline year for our Climate Action Plan (when it was created).

Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person

Weighted campus users

Figures needed to determine “Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance year Baseline year
Number of students resident on-site 7,636 7,450
Number of employees resident on-site 29 30
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 26,372 28,192
Full-time equivalent of employees 6,904 6,090
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 997 0
Weighted Campus Users 26,125.50 27,581.50

Metrics used in scoring for Part 1

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 1.66 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 4.16 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
60.04

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
11,893,423 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 752,267 Square feet
Healthcare space 89,035 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 0 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
13,576,027 Gross square feet

Metric used in scoring for Part 2

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

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
In 2019, the University updated its Climate Action Plan through a robust campus engagement process. Through this, ten strategies were identified to bring our campus to carbon neutrality by 2030.

Scope 1 emissions decreased from baseline year because we stopped purchasing heavy polluting refrigerants and fertilizers.

Scope 2 emissions dramatically decreased from baseline year because the University increased its purchase of RECs to negate the impact of UB's entire electricity purchase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QSRR-xHccA

www.buffalo.edu/climate-action

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:
---

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.