Greenhouse Gas Emissions (3.0)

167 0 0 September 6, 2024

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OP 6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions – version 3.0 

Indicators

  • 6.1 Greenhouse gas emissions inventory and disclosure 
  • 6.2 Greenhouse gas emissions per square meter
  • 6.3 Greenhouse gas emissions per person
  • 6.4 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions per square meter
  • 6.5 Adjusted net greenhouse gas emissions per person

Questions & Answers

How has this credit changed between STARS Version 2 and Version 3?

  • Biogenic emissions and all scope 3 sources must be measured and disclosed in full to earn all of the available points.
  • GHG emissions are now normalized by floor area and FTE of students and employees.
  • Gross floor area must be provided in square meters.
  • GHG emissions performance is now assessed in two ways: adjusted to account for carbon offsets and sinks (6.4) and unadjusted for carbon offsets and sinks (6.2 and 6.3).
  • GHG emissions performance is now assessed against both a baseline (6.4) and benchmarks for an institution’s peer group (6.2 and 6.3). Learn more about how benchmarks were calculated.
  • A comprehensive list of differences can be found in the STARS 3.0 Summary of changes.

How do we determine which peer group our institution falls under (Indicators 6.2 and 6.3)? 

Institutions must select from among the following peer groups, which typically aligns with Institution Type categories reported under PRE 3: Institutional Characteristics. Peer group selections should be consistent with PRE 3 and across all applicable credits. 

  • Associate’s colleges, short-cycle institutions and pre-tertiary schools – This category includes higher education institutions where all degrees are at the associate’s level, or where baccalaureate degrees account for less than 10% of all degrees.
  • Baccalaureate colleges and boarding schools – This category includes Colleges and universities where baccalaureate degrees represent at least 10% of all undergraduate degrees and where fewer than 50 master’s degrees or 20 doctoral degrees are awarded annually. 
  • Master’s colleges and universities – This category includes colleges and universities that award at least 50 master’s degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral degrees annually.

Doctoral universities and research institutions –  This category includes institutions that award at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees annually, including doctoral degrees that qualify recipients for entry into professional practice. 

Is GHG emissions performance normalized to account for each institution’s context?

Yes, GHG emissions are normalized by population, building space, and institution type, each of which are strongly correlated with GHG performance. The methodology used to establish the thresholds and benchmarks used in scoring is publicly available.

Previous versions of STARS included normalization by a weighted campus user figure and the extent of energy-intensive space on campus. In developing STARS 3.0, the STARS Steering Committee also considered normalizing for additional factors such as residential intensity, the extent of remote learning, climate zone, and space utilization. Based on technical committee feedback, public comment received on the credit, and analysis of STARS v2 data, the committee ultimately opted for a simpler approach to minimize the data quality issues associated with self-reported data, leverage the statistical significance of institution type, and maximize the accessibility of STARS.

What information is required in the GHG inventory?

The uploaded or linked GHG inventory should provide clear indication of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. If indicating that certain Scope 3 emissions are included, then the inventory must reflect this. Otherwise, responses about scope 3 accounting be updated to “Not at all” as appropriate.

Can renewable energy credits (RECs) be counted as carbon sinks or offsets?

Purchased RECs or Guarantees of Origin (GOs) may NOT be counted as carbon sinks or offsets. Only the following carbon sinks qualify:

  • Third-party certified, purchased carbon offsets
  • Carbon storage from on-site composting
  • Carbon sold or transferred
  • Carbon storage from non-additional sequestration on institution-owned land

GHG emissions data should not be adjusted manually to account for carbon sinks, since this is done automatically in the Reporting Tool.

Why aren’t RECs counted as carbon offsets?

While both offsets and RECs can help an institution lower its emissions footprint, they are different instruments used for different purposes:

  • Offsets are used to address direct and indirect GHG emissions by verifying global emissions reductions at additional, external projects. Offsets (verified emissions reductions) are subtracted from an institution’s gross emissions to determine net emissions.
  • RECs are used to address indirect GHG emissions associated with purchased electricity (scope 2 emissions) by verifying use of zero- or low-emissions renewable source of electricity. RECs (MWh of renewable energy) are used in the calculation of gross, market-based scope 2 emissions. Unlike offsets, they are not subtracted from gross emissions.

Learn more from the Green Power Partnership.

Please also note that GHG emissions data should not be adjusted manually based on benefits of carbon offsets, since this is included in the credit calculation.

Does material that is transported off-campus for composting count as a carbon sink (Indicator 6.4)?

To qualify, composted materials must originate and be applied on-site, thereby sequestering the carbon within the institutional boundary and avoiding the potential for double-counting by other entities. The compost may be produced off-site, but must originate from on-site materials and be returned to the campus for use as a soil amendment.

Does carbon sequestration qualify as a sink or offset?

Consistent with SIMAP and relevant protocols from The Offset Network, a sequestration project may qualify as an institution-catalyzed carbon offset if it has been certified/verified or quantified using a method that addresses all of the accounting issues listed in the Technical Manual (including demonstration of additionality).

Non-additional sequestration may be reported for transparency purposes in the optional reporting field provided.

What information is required when reporting carbon sinks?

If reporting carbon sinks and offsets, your descriptive response should include the vendor, project source, verification program, and contract timeframes and should support all areas where a number above 0 is entered.

Are there other credits that ask for the same information?

Gross floor area of building space is required under the following credits:

  • PRE 3: Institutional Characteristics
  • OP 3: Water Use
  • OP 5: Energy Use
  • OP 6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • OP 12: Waste Generation & Recovery

Full-time equivalent student enrollment and Full-time equivalent of employees are reported under the following credits: 

  • PRE 3: Institutional Characteristics
  • OP 3: Water Use
  • OP 5: Energy Use 
  • OP 6: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • OP 12: Waste Generation & Recovery
  • OP 14: Commute Modal Split

Generally speaking, these figures should be consistent across credits if the same performance year is being used. To simplify reporting, the Reporting Tool will allow you to copy the figures reported under the Institutional Characteristics into other credits. If it is necessary to deviate from one or more PRE figures when completing a credit, the rationale for doing so should be recorded in the Notes field for the affected credits (e.g., difference in reporting timeframe).  

See related article on Can information be shared between credits?.

Resources, Templates & Tools

GHG Emissions

Carbon Sinks

Suggestions for Institutions

  • Floor area figures must be reported in square meters. To convert gross square feet to gross square meters, multiply by 0.09290304. Parking structures are excluded.
  • Review the Institution Type classification reported under PRE 3 and ensure that the selection under this credit aligns with what is reported in PRE. 

Example Responses

Potential Data Quality Issues

  • Indicator 6.1. The uploaded or linked GHG inventory should provide clear indication of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. If indicating that certain Scope 3 emissions are included, then the inventory must reflect this. Otherwise, responses about scope 3 accounting be updated to “Not at all” as appropriate.
  • Data consistency: Gross floor area (Indicator 6.2) and Full time equivalent students and employees (Indicator 6.3) should be consistent between PRE 3, and this credit if the same Performance Year is used. Valid discrepancies should be clarified in the Notes field.
  • Score outliers – It is uncommon for institutions to earn full points or close to full points for Indicators 6.2 through 6.5. If a high score is reported for any of these indicators, check closely for comprehensive reporting and alignment with uploaded inventories. Exemplary performance can be clarified in the descriptive fields (e.g., news articles about achieving carbon neutrality)
  • Indicator 6.4. Carbon Sinks – Responses under descriptive fields should include the necessary detail (e.g., “vendor, project source, verification program and contract timeframes) for any area where a positive amount is entered.

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