ACUPCC Reporting System

GHG Report for Seattle University

Submitted on September 14, 2009; last updated on January 10, 2012

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) 5,129 metric tons of CO2e 0.9 metric tons of CO2e 2.4 metric tons of CO2e 3%
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2 + 3) 24,458 metric tons of CO2e 4.5 metric tons of CO2e 11.4 metric tons of CO2e 1%
Net emissions 24,287 metric tons of CO2e 4.4 metric tons of CO2e 11.3 metric tons of CO2e N/A

Emissions Inventory Methodology and Boundaries

Start date of the 12-month period covered in this report July 1, 2008
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.

No
Emissions calculation tool used Clean Air-Cool Planet
Please describe why this tool was selected.

Clean Air Cool Planet was used as it was developed for higher education institutions.
Please describe the source(s) of the emissions coefficients used.

Seattle U used two sources: the CA-CP Campus Carbon Calculator's default emissions coefficients and actual fuel mix from the Seattle City Lights website. (In 2009, the coefficient for electricity was modified to reflect actual fuel mix, as stated on the Seattle City Lights website http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/light/FuelMix/.)
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.

Raw data was compiled and gathered by the Campus Sustainability Manager and the Assistant Director of Facilities. Data was compiled into tracking sheets which were verified by the Assistant Director of Facilities, Director of Facilities Operations, and Campus Sustainability Manager. The raw data was audited by a third party consultant. Once approved, data was entered into the CACP and reviewed by the Assistant Director and AVP of Facilities.
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.

Certain Scope III transportation emissions (rentals) had not previously been tracked, but were assessed for the relative magnitude of their emissions. Actual data was not obtained and not included. However, emissions were estimated based on expenditure and determined as not likely to be significant. This data is planned to be directly tracked in the future.

Certain faculty and staff commuting data was not available at time of submission. This data was assumed to change little from FY08 and was therefore estimated based on 2008 fiscal year data. If FY08 data was not available, the values were not recorded in the calculator. As such, actual FY09 commuter emissions are currently not available.

Emissions Data

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

Scope 1 Emissions
Stationary Combustion 3,402.0 metric tons of CO2e
Mobile Combustion 125.0 metric tons of CO2e
Process Emissions 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Fugitive Emissions 4.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 1 emissions 3,531.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased Electricity 206.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Heating 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Cooling 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Steam 1,392.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 2 emissions 1,598.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions
Commuting 8,129.0 metric tons of CO2e
Air Travel 10,985.0 metric tons of CO2e
Solid Waste 215.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 3 emissions 19,329.0 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 122.0 metric tons of CO2e
Offset verification program(s) Green-e
Description of offsets purchased (including vendor, project source, etc.)

Community Energy
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Total RECs purchased 2841400 kWh
Percent of total electricity consumption mitigated through the purchase of RECs 15.0 %
Emissions reductions due to the purchase of RECs 31.0 metric tons of CO2e
REC verification program(s) Green-e
Description of RECs purchased (including vendor, project source, etc.)

RECs are purchased from Seattle City Light Green Up Program for wind power and other renewable energy projects in the Northwest.
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 18.0 metric tons of CO2e

Normalization and Contextual Data

Building Space
Gross square feet of building space 2,142,930.0 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) 5480.0
Residential Students No information provided
Full-time Commuter Students No information provided
Part-time Commuter Students 2080
Non-Credit Students No information provided
Full-time Faculty 582
Part-time Faculty No information provided
Full-time Staff 642
Part-time Staff No information provided
Other Contextual Data
Endowment Size 157948000
Heating Degree Days 4801
Cooling Degree Days 189
Please describe any circumstances specific to your institution that provide context for understanding your greenhouse gas emissions this year.

The switch from the CA-CP default to the Seattle City Lights for actual fuel mix decreased emissions attributed to electricity.

Supporting Documentation

Completed inventory narrative No information provided
Completed inventory calculator Download

Auditing and Verification

These emissions data have been audited, verified, or peer-reviewed.
Please briefly describe this verification, if any.

Raw data was audited by a 3rd party consultant,the Campus Sustainability Manager, the Assistant Director of Facilities Operations and the Director of Facilities Operations.