ACUPCC Reporting System

GHG Report for Furman University

Submitted on September 15, 2008; last updated on May 19, 2009

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) 24,482 metric tons of CO2e 8.1 metric tons of CO2e 12.1 metric tons of CO2e 0%
Gross emissions (Scopes 1 + 2 + 3) 33,736 metric tons of CO2e 11.2 metric tons of CO2e 16.7 metric tons of CO2e 0%
Net emissions 33,736 metric tons of CO2e 11.2 metric tons of CO2e 16.7 metric tons of CO2e N/A

Emissions Inventory Methodology and Boundaries

Start date of the 12-month period covered in this report July 1, 2006
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.

Furman included all university-owned, leased or operated buildings in this report with the exception of the following:
1)3200 square feet of off-campus staff housing and
2)6000 square feet of unconditioned warehouse space north of campus.
These holdings were omitted from this report due to the absence of reliable/valid data. The inventory of these buildings changes frequently which is challenging to track.

Emissions calculation tool used Clean Air-Cool Planet
Please describe why this tool was selected.

Furman followed the recommendation of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

Please describe the source(s) of the emissions coefficients used.

Clean Air-Cool Planet (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 Planning Group (SPG) (Provost Co-Chair)
Please describe the process of conducting the inventory.

The Sustainability Planning Group or SPG (administration, faculty, staff, and student members; 24 representatives) formed working groups focusing on data collection of emission sources. As these data were collected, SPG representatives entered the information into the Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP) calculation tool. Data collection took approximately eight months. The SPG worked collaboratively with Furman's Facilities Services, Business Affairs, Travel Services, Athletic Department, Public Safety, Student Life, and individual student researchers to gather these data. The SPG individual working group data collection and analysis was organized by: 1-transportation; 2-energy use and refrigerants, solid waste, and fertilizer; 3-embodied energy in food and transportation; and 4-sequestration and opportunities for renewable energy sources. The SPG are using these baseline data to make recommendations about future data collection and strategies for reducing Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).
Additional highlights about the inventory process include:
* Fleet emissions were determined from the total amount of gasoline and diesel fuel consumed by University vehicles.
* The commuter emissions were determined through a survey (randomized sample) of faculty, staff, and student. In survey, respondents were asked to provide their daily commute via vehicle miles traveled. The SPG also used data provided by a student project that computed distances for faculty and staff using Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008. When not provided through original data collection means, national miles per gallon averages were used to convert miles driven to gallons of gasoline consumed. Emissions data were compiled for campus-sponsored athletic team travel, vehicle travel, faculty/staff air travel, and student air travel (data were not available for study abroad land travel) to study abroad programs.
* Agricultural emissions sources for Furman consist only of fertilizer application. Furman does not have any projects raising cows, swine, horses, goats, sheep or poultry. Fertilizer data were provided by Facilities Services. The 2006-2007 data were the total weight of Nitrogen applied to the campus, including athletic fields, golf course, and flower beds between July 2006 and June 2007.
*While not a direct part of the inventory, it is important to note that Furman has approximately 50 electric vehicles (not including those on the university golf course) for use by Public Safety and Facilities Services personnel as well as Admissions, Housing and Residence Life, and other offices. At the time of this inventory, the Furman fleet includes two hybrid vehicles (used by Public Safety). The Furman University President also drives a hybrid vehicle for all university-related travel.

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.

Several extrapolations and assumptions undergird this GHG report:
*Campus Commuting: Commuting data were extrapolated from the results of a campus commuting survey (random sample; N=165; conducted January 2008; respondents asked to share academic year 2006-2007 experience) along with a student project that calculated commuting distances for all Furman faculty and staff using Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008. Furman used national miles per gallon averages when vehicular type data (in terms of efficiency) were not available.
* Business travel: These data were collected and calculated with the help of the University Travel Services office. Furman’s calculations assume that trips less than 300 miles were taken in an automobile and trips over 300 miles were by air. Furman has changed the travel forms (as of summer 2008) to require total air miles and total vehicular miles for travel.
* Solid Waste: Since Furman's waste hauler routing includes visits to multiple sites in addition to the university, we were unable to get exact tonnage of solid waste picked up on Furman’s campus. However, our waste hauler has provided estimates based on how many bins were tipped.
* Building-Space: There is no designated data collection distinction between total building space and other spaces on Furman's campus. For example, laboratory space is also seminar and classroom space.
* Energy Purchasing: Furman does not purchase any steamed or chilled water. Campus boiler emissions were included in the stationary sources section as natural gas and propane.
* Food-Related: With no reliable estimates for the types of food (beef, dairy, etc.) purchased by the university and with no input fields for emissions related to food on the CA-CP calculator, these emissions were excluded from this report.

Emissions Data

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

Scope 1 Emissions
Stationary Combustion 4,083.0 metric tons of CO2e
Mobile Combustion 379.0 metric tons of CO2e
Process Emissions 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Fugitive Emissions 855.0 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 1 emissions 5,317.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased Electricity 19,165.0 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 19,165.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions
Commuting 2,560.0 metric tons of CO2e
Air Travel 4,249.0 metric tons of CO2e
Solid Waste 219.0 metric tons of CO2e
Scope 2 T & D Losses 1,895.4 metric tons of CO2e
Other Directly Financed Travel 182.4 metric tons of CO2e
Paper 148.5 metric tons of CO2e
Total Scope 3 emissions 9,254.3 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 0.0 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 0.0 %
Emissions reductions due to the purchase of RECs 0.0 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 0.0 metric tons of CO2e
Description of how sequestration was calculated

To date, there have been no increases in forested lands owned by the institution or purchase/plantings of trees through nonprofit organizations. However, Campus Grounds (within the Division of Facilities Services) is emphasizing additional vegetative and canopy cover in all current and future plans.

Carbon storage due to composting No information provided

Normalization and Contextual Data

Building Space
Gross square feet of building space 2,025,999.0 sq ft
Net assignable square feet of laboratory space 0.0 sq ft
Net assignable square feet of health care space 0.0 sq ft
Net assignable square feet of residential space 0.0 sq ft
Population
Total Student Enrollment (FTE) 3010.0
Residential Students 2309
Full-time Commuter Students 318
Part-time Commuter Students 269
Non-Credit Students 81
Full-time Faculty 228
Part-time Faculty 46
Full-time Staff 638
Part-time Staff 60
Other Contextual Data
Endowment Size 544610000
Heating Degree Days 2578
Cooling Degree Days 1820
Please describe any circumstances specific to your institution that provide context for understanding your greenhouse gas emissions this year.

This 2007 greenhouse gas report represents an update of the 2007 report submitted in September 2008. In the process of conducting the 2008 greenhouse gas inventory we had the opportunity to refine the data in our 2007 inventory and provide a more accurate accounting of our greenhouse gas emissions

Furman has a long-standing commitment to sustainability (e.g., please see www.furman.edu/spg; www.furmancliffscottage.com; www.furman.edu/sustain). The 2006-2007 GHG inventory and report are particularly important to meeting our strategic goals since they provide baseline data for our ongoing monitoring of our GHGs and a better understanding of our current operational impact. Further, our baseline assessment is crucial to identifying and improving campus climate change initiatives that fit the culture and seasonal climate of our institution. The inventory data collection and analysis assists Furman's emphasis on engaged learning by integrating the curricular and educational experience with our climate commitment and sustainability efforts.

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.

Initial data collection reviewed by Sustainability Planning Group (SPG) emissions-based working groups. Reporting data reviewed and compiled by SPG Climate Commitment Reporting Team. Additional Review provided by SPG representatives and Director of Sustainability and Environmental Education not involved with the draft reporting.