ACUPCC Reporting System

GHG Report for Auburn University

Submitted on December 16, 2009; last updated on March 23, 2010

Summary Statistics

Making fair comparisons between higher education institutions is always challenging due to the rich diversity of higher education. The unverified nature of the information in this database and unavailability of unbiased normalization metrics means such comparisons are even more difficult. Users should therefore approach direct institution to institution comparisons with caution and recognize that all comparisons between institutions are inherently biased.
Total Per Full-Time Enrollment Per 1000 Square Feet % Offset
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2) 146,801 metric tons of CO2e 6.0 metric tons of CO2e 19.4 metric tons of CO2e 0%
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2 + 3) 212,259 metric tons of CO2e 8.7 metric tons of CO2e 28.0 metric tons of CO2e 0%
Net emissions 212,259 metric tons of CO2e 8.7 metric tons of CO2e 28.0 metric tons of CO2e N/A

Emissions Inventory Methodology and Boundaries

Start date of the 12-month period covered in this report October 1, 2007
Consolidation methodology used to determine organizational boundaries Operational control approach
If any institution-owned, leased, or operated buildings or other holdings that should fall within the organizational boundaries are omitted, briefly explain why.

Only the core campus was considered within the boundary for the present inventory. Auburn is the land grant institution in Alabama, and has extensive agricultural and forestry programs off-campus and around the state (approx. 15,000 acres). In addition, the campus supports the state Cooperative Extension System. The off-campus physical activities were not included in this inventory (however, travel is included).
Emissions calculation tool used Clean Air-Cool Planet
Please describe why this tool was selected.

Consistency with other campuses, ability to get support and clarification from CACP staff as well as a broad range of other users.
Please describe the source(s) of the emissions coefficients used.

CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator's default emissions coefficients.
Which version of IPCC's list of global warming potentials did you use? Third Assessment Report
Who primarily conducted this emissions inventory? Sustainability office staff
Please describe the process of conducting the inventory.

The inventory was completed by Auburn Office of Sustainability staff. The process was started in January 2008. Efforts were made to identify and use data sources that were already being gathered on campus. Sources included Central campus administrative offices as well as individual departments and units (e.g. Payment and Procurement Services, Budget Services, Campus Planning and Space Management, Campus Energy Manager, Facilities Division, College of Agriculture, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, Dept. of Poultry Science). Data from 2000 to the present was initially targeted. Inconsistencies in data collection and quality in some areas limited the overall data set to 2006 to the present. This report only includes the data from FY 2008 (Oct 07- Sep 08). Recommendations for collecting data important for carbon inventorying are being made for future use.
Please describe any emissions sources that were classified as de minimis and explain how a determination of the significance of these emissions was made.

No information provided
Please describe any data limitations related to this submission and any major assumptions made in response to these limitations.

Scope 3 Travel emissions are the maximum estimate and in reality are likely to be lower. Values for inventorying had to be extrapolated from dollar amounts.

- Data for directly financed travel had to be extrapolated from dollar amounts. Some of the data associated with ground travel included lodging and meals, but the proportion of actual emissions-related expenses to lodging and meals is unknown, so the amount reported is a maximum amount.

- Air travel was converted using dollars-per-passenger-seat-mile reported by the Air Transport Association of America.

- Commuter distances were not based on zipcode or address data, but an average based on the maximum travel distance for the Auburn "metropolitan area" based on faculty/staff and student trends.

- Commuter transportation mode was derived from two independent, campus-wide transportation surveys, one in 2004, and one in 2009. Years between were interpolated assuming a linear annual trend between the two surveys.

Emissions Data

Emissions from the following sources (in metric tons of CO2e)

Scope 1 Emissions
Stationary Combustion 22,298.0 metric tons of CO2e
Mobile Combustion 1,207.0 metric tons of CO2e
Process Emissions 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Fugitive Emissions 4,651.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 1 emissions 28,156.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased Electricity 118,645.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Heating 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Cooling 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Steam 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 2 emissions 118,645.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions
Commuting 19,053.0 metric tons of CO2e
Air Travel 523.0 metric tons of CO2e
Solid Waste 7,567.0 metric tons of CO2e
Directly Financed Ground Travel 26,581.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 T&D Losses 11,734.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 3 emissions 65,458.0 metric tons of CO2e
Biogenic Emissions
Biogenic Emissions from Stationary Combustion No information provided
Biogenic Emissions from Mobile Combustion No information provided

Mitigation Data

Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets purchased No information provided
Offset verification program(s) No information provided
Description of offsets purchased (including vendor, project source, etc.)

No information provided
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Total RECs purchased None kWh
Percent of total electricity consumption mitigated through the purchase of RECs None %
Emissions reductions due to the purchase of RECs No information provided
REC verification program(s) No information provided
Description of RECs purchased (including vendor, project source, etc.)

No information provided
Sequestration and Carbon Storage
Sequestration due to land owned by the institution No information provided
Description of how sequestration was calculated

No information provided

Carbon storage due to composting No information provided

Normalization and Contextual Data

Building Space
Gross square feet of building space 7,575,927.0 sq ft
Net assignable square feet of laboratory space No information provided
Net assignable square feet of health care space No information provided
Net assignable square feet of residential space No information provided
Population
Total Student Enrollment (FTE) 24530.0
Residential Students No information provided
Full-time Commuter Students No information provided
Part-time Commuter Students No information provided
Non-Credit Students No information provided
Full-time Faculty 1132
Part-time Faculty No information provided
Full-time Staff 3519
Part-time Staff 1225
Other Contextual Data
Endowment Size 351000000
Heating Degree Days No information provided
Cooling Degree Days No information provided
Please describe any circumstances specific to your institution that provide context for understanding your greenhouse gas emissions this year.

No information provided

Supporting Documentation

Completed inventory narrative No information provided
Completed inventory calculator No information provided

Auditing and Verification

These emissions data have not been audited, verified, or peer-reviewed.