| Overall Rating | Reporter - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | |
| Liaison | Chelsea Hamilton |
| Submission Date | March 5, 2021 |
Vanderbilt University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions
Gross GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from stationary combustion | 69,297 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 154,007 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources | 1,562 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 7,464 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
| Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity | 39,661 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 223,343 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 | 110,520 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
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:
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Adjusted net GHG emissions
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net GHG emissions | 110,520 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 384,814 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Performance and baseline periods
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Start date | July 1, 2019 | Jan. 1, 2005 |
| End date | June 30, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
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Part 1. Reduction in GHG emissions per person
Weighted campus users
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 5,867 | 6,210 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 26 | 7 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 41 | 832 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 12,592 | 11,037 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 8,828 | 19,437 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted Campus Users | 17,579.25 | 25,241.75 |
Metrics used in scoring for Part 1
| Performance year | Baseline year | |
| Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user | 6.29 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 15.25 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent |
Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
58.76
Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area
Performance year floor area
11,956,910
Gross square feet
Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
| Floor area | |
| Laboratory space | 689,229 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 42,758 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space | 825,036 Square feet |
EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
14,245,920
Gross square feet
Metric used in scoring for Part 2
0.01
MtCO2e per square foot
A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives:
The topic of sustainability is weaved throughout the FutureVU vision and the FutureVU Guiding Principles. As part of the FutureVU planning process, Vanderbilt, alongside Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and Atelier Ten studied Vanderbilt’s current practices, internal stakeholder goals and objectives, peer university programs, and the local and national sustainability context. In 2019, Vanderbilt unveiled a comprehensive long-term strategy to significantly reduce its environmental footprint in part by powering its campus entirely through renewable energy, putting the university on track to be carbon neutral by 2050. While achieving the balance of carbon neutrality has become a sustainability standard at many American universities, Vanderbilt leaders today said they plan to go a step further and produce more renewable energy than consumed. Considerations for the renewable energy surplus include feeding energy back to the power grid or storing for use during high-demand seasons or emergencies.
The university plans to meet its 2050 commitment by:
• Investing in on-site clean energy
• Investing in off-site large-scale renewable energy
• Increasing green spaces across campus such as more pedestrian-friendly walkways and parks
• Reducing energy consumption and waste
• Decreasing the university’s carbon footprint from transportation and commuting
• Investing in sustainable infrastructure
To support Vanderbilt’s carbon neutral and net positive + resilience goal by 2050, additional goals and commitments have been made:
Zero Waste
Vanderbilt announced in January 2020 its commitment to achieving zero waste by the year. Zero waste is defined as a 90% diversion rate from the landfill, acknowledging that no institution is completely waste-free. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and off-campus stakeholders participated in a nine-month, collaborative, research-driven process to address the scopes of the university’s carbon footprint and provide recommendations to reduce the university’s environmental impact as part of FutureVU, the university’s holistic campus planning process.
Once the Zero Waste Study was completed, the Zero Waste Advisory Committee outlined two specific goals for the university and two supporting actions:
• Goal 1: Achieve zero waste, a 90% diversion rate, by 2030
• Goal 2: Reduce the amount of waste generated on campus by 30% by 2030
Supporting Actions:
• End institutional single-use plastic bottle purchases by 2025, except in laboratories *
• Expand food waste collection to include all dining areas and residential halls by 2025
*Laboratories are exempt due to lack of available alternatives and safety concerns.
Large-Scale Renewable Energy
Additionally, Vanderbilt University and the city of Nashville, Tennessee, have announced a Green Invest partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nashville Electric Service—a collaboration that will allow the region to take a bold step forward in expanding availability and access to renewable energy at a critical time in global efforts to address the threat of climate change.
Through this new partnership, Vanderbilt is tackling climate change head-on by working towards its goal of powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and committing to carbon neutrality.
The renewable power will come from two solar farms to be built in Bedford County and Tullahoma, Tennessee, by Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corporation, the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent solar power producers in the country.
Vanderbilt will reach its renewable energy goal just over four years after the university made its initial commitment in 2019. Vanderbilt’s initial partnership, announced in January 2020, will mitigate approximately 70 percent by fall 2022 of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions related to indirect emissions from purchased electricity. The second Green Invest project will supply enough renewable energy to offset the remaining 30 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity by fall 2023. The agreement is also anticipated to provide hundreds of new jobs during the construction of the solar project as well as unique educational and research opportunities for the Vanderbilt community with both solar farm locations within close proximity to the Nashville area.
Transportation
MoveVU is Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan that falls under the FutureVU comprehensive campus planning efforts. MoveVU goals align with FutureVU guiding principles to beautify the campus, preserve and enhance the park-like character people enjoy, create a walkable and sustainable campus and better connect areas of campus that feel disconnected. MoveVU calls for diversification of transportation options, reduction of the drive alone rate to campus that aligns with university goals to become carbon neutral, prioritization of pedestrian and micromobility, and improvement of accessibility.
MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making their daily decision on how they will travel to campus and to provide greater flexibility beyond driving alone to campus and using a traditional annual parking permit to better match their dynamic lifestyles.
Campus Energy Use/Production
Vanderbilt’s central power plant is operated with economy in mind, utilizing the co-generation plant’s gas turbines and duct burners to the maximum extent practicable. The package boilers at the central plant – installed as a replacement to VU’s old coal-fired boilers – are used only as needed to meet additional steam demand. During the closure of campus in spring 2020 due to COVID-19, buildings that were not being used at their typical capacity were setback to match new, reduced operations. During the spring shutdown, rightsizing our energy use to match campus operations allowed campus to be as efficient as possible and conserve energy across campus. This operation decreases the amount of electricity purchased from the local utility and provided an overall reduction in VU’s carbon footprint.
The university plans to meet its 2050 commitment by:
• Investing in on-site clean energy
• Investing in off-site large-scale renewable energy
• Increasing green spaces across campus such as more pedestrian-friendly walkways and parks
• Reducing energy consumption and waste
• Decreasing the university’s carbon footprint from transportation and commuting
• Investing in sustainable infrastructure
To support Vanderbilt’s carbon neutral and net positive + resilience goal by 2050, additional goals and commitments have been made:
Zero Waste
Vanderbilt announced in January 2020 its commitment to achieving zero waste by the year. Zero waste is defined as a 90% diversion rate from the landfill, acknowledging that no institution is completely waste-free. Administrators, faculty, staff, students and off-campus stakeholders participated in a nine-month, collaborative, research-driven process to address the scopes of the university’s carbon footprint and provide recommendations to reduce the university’s environmental impact as part of FutureVU, the university’s holistic campus planning process.
Once the Zero Waste Study was completed, the Zero Waste Advisory Committee outlined two specific goals for the university and two supporting actions:
• Goal 1: Achieve zero waste, a 90% diversion rate, by 2030
• Goal 2: Reduce the amount of waste generated on campus by 30% by 2030
Supporting Actions:
• End institutional single-use plastic bottle purchases by 2025, except in laboratories *
• Expand food waste collection to include all dining areas and residential halls by 2025
*Laboratories are exempt due to lack of available alternatives and safety concerns.
Large-Scale Renewable Energy
Additionally, Vanderbilt University and the city of Nashville, Tennessee, have announced a Green Invest partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nashville Electric Service—a collaboration that will allow the region to take a bold step forward in expanding availability and access to renewable energy at a critical time in global efforts to address the threat of climate change.
Through this new partnership, Vanderbilt is tackling climate change head-on by working towards its goal of powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and committing to carbon neutrality.
The renewable power will come from two solar farms to be built in Bedford County and Tullahoma, Tennessee, by Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corporation, the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent solar power producers in the country.
Vanderbilt will reach its renewable energy goal just over four years after the university made its initial commitment in 2019. Vanderbilt’s initial partnership, announced in January 2020, will mitigate approximately 70 percent by fall 2022 of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions related to indirect emissions from purchased electricity. The second Green Invest project will supply enough renewable energy to offset the remaining 30 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity by fall 2023. The agreement is also anticipated to provide hundreds of new jobs during the construction of the solar project as well as unique educational and research opportunities for the Vanderbilt community with both solar farm locations within close proximity to the Nashville area.
Transportation
MoveVU is Vanderbilt’s strategic transportation and mobility plan that falls under the FutureVU comprehensive campus planning efforts. MoveVU goals align with FutureVU guiding principles to beautify the campus, preserve and enhance the park-like character people enjoy, create a walkable and sustainable campus and better connect areas of campus that feel disconnected. MoveVU calls for diversification of transportation options, reduction of the drive alone rate to campus that aligns with university goals to become carbon neutral, prioritization of pedestrian and micromobility, and improvement of accessibility.
MoveVU aims to give commuters more options to choose from when making their daily decision on how they will travel to campus and to provide greater flexibility beyond driving alone to campus and using a traditional annual parking permit to better match their dynamic lifestyles.
Campus Energy Use/Production
Vanderbilt’s central power plant is operated with economy in mind, utilizing the co-generation plant’s gas turbines and duct burners to the maximum extent practicable. The package boilers at the central plant – installed as a replacement to VU’s old coal-fired boilers – are used only as needed to meet additional steam demand. During the closure of campus in spring 2020 due to COVID-19, buildings that were not being used at their typical capacity were setback to match new, reduced operations. During the spring shutdown, rightsizing our energy use to match campus operations allowed campus to be as efficient as possible and conserve energy across campus. This operation decreases the amount of electricity purchased from the local utility and provided an overall reduction in VU’s carbon footprint.
Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Vanderbilt University embarked on a new journey as an independent legal entity from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) on May 1, 2016. The University is now smaller in both number of people and square feet, and, therefore, so is our 2016 Greenhouse Gas inventory in comparison to our previous inventories (2005-2015). 2005 baseline data reflects the state of the University at that time, which included VUMC.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/futurevu/sustainability.php
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/futurevu/sustainability.php
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.