ACUPCC Reporting System

GHG Report for Bowdoin College

Submitted on December 22, 2011; last updated on December 22, 2011

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) 14,358 metric tons of CO2e 8.2 metric tons of CO2e 7.2 metric tons of CO2e 24%
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2 + 3) 16,086 metric tons of CO2e 9.1 metric tons of CO2e 8.1 metric tons of CO2e 21%
Net emissions 12,676 metric tons of CO2e 7.2 metric tons of CO2e 6.3 metric tons of CO2e N/A

Emissions Inventory Methodology and Boundaries

Start date of the 12-month period covered in this report July 1, 2010
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.

none omitted.

Emissions calculation tool used Custom tool
Please describe why this tool was selected.

This consultant was already very familiar with our energy usage. In addition to tracking carbon emissions, their model has tools to help Bowdoin evaluate reduction scenarios. Finally, they use more specific (state/local) emission factors for electricity.
Please describe the source(s) of the emissions coefficients used.

Emissions from purchased, electrical power were calculated using state emissions factors in EPA eGRID2010 v1.1. Fossil fuel emissions factors are from the California Climate Action Registry: General Reporting Protocol. Waste emissions were calculated using factors from EPA's WARM model.
Which version of IPCC's list of global warming potentials did you use? Third Assessment Report
Who primarily conducted this emissions inventory? External consultant
Please describe the process of conducting the inventory.

The data collected and reported comes from actual utility invoices and metered consumption data with the exception of airline travel and employee commute. Our Financial Analyst provided gallons of gasoline purchased, #2 oil purchased, MMbtu of NG purchased, and kwh purchased for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. For scope 3 emissions, company travel was calculated by dollars spent on airline travel gathered from the Controller's Office. Airline travel was calculated based on a dollar amount spent on travel, 16.16 cents per mile.
Emissions based on company owned vehicles were calculated by determining the total number of miles traveled in a particular geographic region of travel. In that region, EIA records indicate the percentage each vehicle type makes of total vehicles registered. The fuel economy of the bestselling models of each type was multiplied by its percent of the region's vehicles, and these values were totaled in each region to generate "regional fuel economy." Total driving distance was divided by regional fuel economy to generate the number of gallons of gasoline and diesel used.
This same procedure was used in employee commuting distances. Commuting distances were first found by comparing workplace location to paycheck zip code and dividing this distance by national carpooling averages. Also included in this calculation was employee job class (i.e., part time academic year, full time academic year, part time year round, full time year round, etc. )
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.

No information provided

Emissions Data

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

Scope 1 Emissions
Stationary Combustion 8,938.0 metric tons of CO2e
Mobile Combustion 444.0 metric tons of CO2e
Process Emissions 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Fugitive Emissions 8.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 1 emissions 9,390.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased Electricity 4,968.0 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 4,968.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions
Commuting 1,466.0 metric tons of CO2e
Air Travel 349.0 metric tons of CO2e
Solid Waste -385.0 metric tons of CO2e
Transmission Line Loss 298.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 3 emissions 1,728.0 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 13903000 kWh
Percent of total electricity consumption mitigated through the purchase of RECs 66.0 %
Emissions reductions due to the purchase of RECs 3,410.0 metric tons of CO2e
REC verification program(s) Green-e, Other
Description of RECs purchased (including vendor, project source, etc.)

570,000 kWh, UPC - First Wind, wind power, Mars Hill, Maine Green-e

12,000,000 kWh Miller Hydro Group - LIHI Certificate #10 - Worumbo Project, Androscoggin River, Maine, (FERC #3428) Lisbon Falls, Maine

1,333,000 kWh - Brookfield Energy Marketing LP LIHI Certificate # 38 --- Rumford Falls Project, Androscoggin River, Maine (FERC No. 2333) Rumford, Maine

Both projects were chosen based on the fact that they are located in-state (Maine).
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 1,997,916.0 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) 1761.0
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 No information provided
Part-time Faculty No information provided
Full-time Staff No information provided
Part-time Staff No information provided
Other Contextual Data
Endowment Size No information provided
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 Annual Emissions Report FY 2011
Download
Completed inventory calculator No information provided

Auditing and Verification

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

The report was conducted by the college's energy consultant and was verified by Bowdoin College.