University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Campus Wide Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency Project

Audit Analysis

A VCS-registered campus energy-efficiency project (VM0025) with VVB-confirmed additionality and no reversal events, but undermined by a significant under-delivery of verified credits relative to the ex-ante lifetime estimate, a 0% leakage deduction with contradictory justifications across documents, and multiple material findings including a >5% calculation error. The project-specific baseline and absence of stated grid emission factors, FNRB methodology, and usage monitoring details limit confidence in the credit claims.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Verified ERR of 3,518 tCO2e for the 2017–2020 monitoring period represents only ~37% of the pro-rata expectation (~9,468 tCO2e) derived from the 31,561 tCO2e lifetime ex-ante estimate over the 10-year crediting period, indicating substantial under-delivery
• ⚠NCR 10 in the 2020 verification report identifies a discrepancy in March 2016 gas consumption data resulting in a >5% error in the ER calculation, with a required corrective action to amend FY2016 Scope 1 data and recalculate reductions
• ⚠Leakage justification is contradictory: the 2020 verification report characterises it as 'quantified' while the 2020 monitoring report states it was 'deemed negligible,' yet the deduction is 0% in both cases
• ⚠Seven material findings and six corrective actions were raised in the 2020 verification report, including use of outdated VCS templates and a project-description deviation regarding the emission-adjustment test (Test C vs Test D)

Credit Vintages Exhausted