ACUPCC Reporting System

2008 GHG Report for Cornell University

Submitted on September 15, 2008; last updated on November 26, 2008

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) 263,000 metric tons of CO2e 13.3 metric tons of CO2e 17.7 metric tons of CO2e 4.2%
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2 + 3) 319,000 metric tons of CO2e 16.1 metric tons of CO2e 21.4 metric tons of CO2e 3.4%
Net emissions 308,000 metric tons of CO2e 15.6 metric tons of CO2e 20.7 metric tons of CO2e N/A

Emissions Inventory Methodology and Boundaries

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

Not Applicable
Emissions calculation tool used Custom tool
Please describe why this tool was selected.

Cornell central utilities has been publicly reporting CO2 emissions since 2000 and existing tools have been developed which allow calculating emissions at the facility level. An emissions tool for commuting emissions was developed as part of Cornell's transportation Generic Environmental Impact Statement (t-GEIS) tool for commuting. Complexities within the air travel data set necessitated the development of customized tools.
Please describe the source(s) of the emissions coefficients used.

Cornell recently joined the Climate Registry as a Founding Reporter.
Emissions factors from the General Reporting Protocol, Version 1.1, dated May 2008 were used.

Air travel emission factors are based on guidance from World Resources Institute for calculating GHG emissions associated with business travel (version 2.0 June 2006)
Which version of IPCC's list of global warming potentials did you use? Second Assessment Report
Who primarily conducted this emissions inventory? Sustainability office staff
Please describe the process of conducting the inventory.

The general steps for conducting the inventory are the following:
1) Define boundary / facilities
2) Obtain fuel / electric consumption data
3) Determine mileage data associated w/ commuting & air travel
4) Apply applicable emission factors
Please describe any emissions sources that were classified as de minimis and explain how a determination of the significance of these emissions was made.

Sources were not classified as de minmis,
For a limited number of small facilities, a GHG footprint was estimated based on space type & square footage.
Please describe any data limitations related to this submission and any major assumptions made in response to these limitations.

Air travel data is not centrally procured. The existing air travel reimbursement system does not record detailed flight data, accordingly assumptions were made regarding origin/destination pairs and return trips. Factors were applied to capture inter-connecting trips and potential multi-passenger flights grouped under a single trip ID.

Emissions Data

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

Scope 1 Emissions
Stationary Combustion 172,500 metric tons of CO2e
Mobile Combustion 3,500 metric tons of CO2e
Process Emissions 0 metric tons of CO2e
Fugitive Emissions 0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 1 emissions 176,000 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased Electricity 87,000 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Heating 0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Cooling 0 metric tons of CO2e
Purchased Steam 0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 2 emissions 87,000 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions
Commuting 29,000 metric tons of CO2e
Air Travel 27,000 metric tons of CO2e
Solid Waste No information provided.
Total Scope 3 emissions 56,000 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 0 metric tons of CO2e
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 0 kWh
Percent of total electricity consumption mitigated through the purchase of RECs 0%
Emissions reductions due to the purchase of RECs 0 metric tons of CO2e
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 11,000 metric tons of CO2e
Description of how sequestration was calculated

1) Determine area of Cornell owned land within 20 miles of campus
2) Delineate forest types and ages within these lands
3) Determine characteristic rate of carbon accumulation for each forest type and age using the US Forest Service Northeast Decision Model
4) Apply accumulation rate to determine sequestration

Carbon storage due to composting No information provided.

Normalization and Contextual Data

Building Space
Gross square feet of building space 14,900,000 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) 19,800
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 1,600
Part-time Faculty No information provided.
Full-time Staff 8,541
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.

Inventory is for the main Ithaca campus as established by the Campus Planning Office. Inventory is for On-site combustion, purchased electricity, commuting and air travel.

Well over 90% of Scope 1 & 2 emissions are associated with FY 2008 Cornell central utilities
Air travel emissions are based on FY 2007 data.
Commuting Inventory based on commuting survey/geocode analysis conducted in 2006.
On-Site vehicle emissions based on CY 2007 data per Title V.

Process / fugitive emissions not inventoried

Supporting Documentation

Completed inventory narrative Cornell University-Ithaca GHG Emissions Inventory Fiscal Year 2008
Download (RPT_9_15_2008_Final GHG Report.pdf)
Completed inventory calculator No information provided.

Auditing and Verification

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