Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 61.40
Liaison Jennifer Bodine
Submission Date April 25, 2022

STARS v2.2

Weber State University
OP-2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.14 / 8.00 Jennifer Bodine
Sustainability Specialist
Facilities Management
"---" 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 6,306.35 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 9,619.64 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 1 GHG emissions from other sources 585.12 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 725.91 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent
Gross Scope 2 GHG emissions from imported electricity 6,061.66 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 14,994.65 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 12,953.13 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 25,340.20 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 23.27 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 23.27 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):
The only offsets generated by WSU are via the on campus composting program. Estimated tons of CO2 equivalent are provided by SIMAP.

Adjusted net GHG emissions

Adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions:
Performance year Baseline year
Adjusted net GHG emissions 12,929.86 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 25,340.20 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, 2019 July 1, 2006
End date June 30, 2020 June 30, 2007

A brief description of when and why the GHG emissions baseline was adopted:
FY 2007 is the year that WSU became an ACUPCC signatory and made the commitment to become a carbon neutral campus. This is the year we have used as our baseline for all of our ACUPCC reports and all internal reporting.

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 834 475
Number of employees resident on-site 5 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 17,436 12,692
Full-time equivalent of employees 1,866 1,516
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 7,034 1,828
Weighted Campus Users 9,410.75 9,403.75

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 1.37 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent 2.69 Metric tons of CO2 equivalent

Percentage reduction in adjusted net Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user from baseline:
49.01

Part 2. GHG emissions per unit of floor area

Performance year floor area

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
3,035,830 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive building space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 40,774 Square feet
Healthcare space 4,035 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 21,823 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
3,147,271 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:
WSU has an aggressive energy efficiency and GHG emissions reduction program. In 2009, the University had an investment-grade audit completed by AMERESCO and all of the projects identified by the audit have been completed. Some of those initial projects included insulating the chilled water and steam lines throughout the district heating and cooling tunnels, upgrading to high efficiency florescent bulbs across all of campus, installing VFDs and upgrading motors, improving building insulation and glazing, and improving automation and controls.

WSU is now implementing its second wave of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. For example, WSU is 80% of the way finished with an entire university-wide LED upgrade (both interior and exterior lights). And for the past six years, WSU has been completing full mechanical system upgrades on existing buildings to transition the building over to all-electric, high coefficient of performance variable refrigerant flow systems with Energy Recovery Ventilation systems. Two large ground source well fields have also been constructed on the Ogden campus and are tied into the campus chilled water loop. Utilizing VRF systems allows heat to be shared within buildings and coupling that technology with ground source systems, tied into the central chilled water plant, allows for heat to be shared between buildings as well. Therefore the need for simultaneous heating and cooling is eliminated and significant energy is saved. About 25% of campus has been converted to this system to date.

This strategy allows WSU to electrify its buildings and and eliminate the need for natural gas. Then the university will look to source that electricity from renewable sources. WSU has several small solar projects on campus but the largest project, a 1.85 MW array, was completed two years ago on the Davis Campus. This array provides all of the electricity that the Davis Campus needs. WSU also completed its largest solar array on the Ogden campus this past year.

Further details about the technology being used by WSU and the implementation strategy can be found here - https://apps.weber.edu/wsuimages/sustainability/Plans%20and%20Reports/ESIP%20II%20Manual%20wAppendices%202-1-2015.pdf

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.