Overall Rating	Gold - expired
Overall Score	67.44
Liaison	Andrea Trimble
Submission Date	March 4, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Virginia
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	4.05 / 8.00	Samantha Kelly Special Projects Coordinator OFS

"---" 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	80,157.40 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	109,886.10 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources	4,245.70 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	4,593.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity	106,729.50 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	176,643.80 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported thermal energy	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	0 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Total	191,132.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	291,123.40 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	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	191,132.60 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	291,123.40 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	Jan. 1, 2019	Jan. 1, 2010
End date	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2010

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

In 2019, the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors committed to including several new sustainability goals in the University's 2020-2030 Sustainability Plan, including being carbon neutral by 2030 and achieving several "30 by 30" goals by 2030 relative to 2010 levels. While achieving carbon neutrality does not necessitate a baseline, 2010 is being used for this GHG baseline for the purposes of aligning with the "30 by 30" goals' baselines.

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	7,076	6,623
Number of employees resident on-site	69	69
Number of other individuals resident on-site	612	566
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment	22,935	20,449
Full-time equivalent of employees	16,607	13,295
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education	0	0
Weighted Campus Users	32,054.75	27,547

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	5.96 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent	10.57 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

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

43.58

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:

18,045,645 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:

	Floor area
Laboratory space	1,081,497 Square feet
Healthcare space	1,003,511.99 Square feet
Other energy intensive space	306,990 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:

22,522,652.98 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:

0.01 MtCO2e per square foot

A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:

UVA continues to implement initiatives to curb the use of electricity on Grounds. In 2019, UVA saw continued success in implementing LED lighting technology in exterior lighting, building retrofits through Delta Force projects, and in new construction and renovation projects. Additionally, both of UVA’s utility scale solar fields, Hollyfield and Puller, were completely operational for the entirety of 2019, contributing to a significant increase of green power. These activities, coupled with Green Building Standards, have helped UVA reduce the consumption and emissions from new facilities added by the University since 2010.

Since 2010, UVA has replaced coal as the University’s primary heating energy source with natural gas. Although it has decreased considerably since 2010, UVA’s coal use fluctuates when Charlottesville experiences more extreme winter events, resulting in a shortage of the natural gas supply during this time. In response, the Main Heating Plant combusts coal to meet peak demand. While fuel switching has significantly reduced emissions from on-Grounds stationary combustion, additional actions also contributed to this success including the replacement of boilers at the North Grounds Mechanical Plant with low temperature hot water generators and heat recovery chillers, the burner replacements at Massie Road Plant, and the continued building improvements spearheaded by the Delta Force program.

Since 2010, UVA has established campaigns and incentives to promote more sustainable commuting practices while continuing to offer the University Transit Service and a partnership with Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT). These programs help faculty, staff, and students get to destinations both on and off-Grounds. The Cavpool program, is the most common sustainable, non-single occupant vehicle, commuting program at UVA for faculty and staff while other programs, such as UVA’s bicycle sharing program, are more recent additions to commuting options. UVA will continue to explore other options to reduce the impact commuting has on GHG emissions.

Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:

https://sustainability.virginia.edu/sites/sustainability/files/2020-09/UVA%20CY2019%20Greenhouse%20Gas%20Inventory%20Report_April%202020.pdf

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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