| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.34 |
| Liaison | Ciannat Howett |
| Submission Date | July 25, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Emory University
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.73 / 4.00 |
Brent
Zern Environmental Engineer Campus Services |
Level of water risk for the institution’s main campus:
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined)::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | 213,681,000 Gallons | 284,426,000 Gallons |
Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 203,978,000 Gallons | 274,574,000 Gallons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 4,425 | 3,750 |
| Number of residential employees | 23 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 579 | 579 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 15,995 | 11,781 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 26,518 | 20,456 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 9,798,702 Square feet | 8,639,562 Square feet |
Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 470.90 Acres | 481.90 Acres |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Sept. 1, 2012 | Aug. 31, 2013 |
| Baseline Year | Sept. 1, 2004 | Aug. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
Emory's fiscal year 2005 was the selected baseline for many sustainability metrics. It coincided with the development of Emory's Sustainability Vision, and was the first year that was considered to have all required data for the measured utility/initiative.
Water recycled/reused on campus, performance year:
Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year:
A brief description of any water recovery and reuse systems employed by the institution:
Emory uses non-potable water where possible for things like irrigation, toilet flushing and plant makeup water. Currently we have cisterns from which we draw irrigation water and another underground storage system that collects rainwater for use in flushing toilets in two of our residence halls. A unique graywater system collects shower and sink water and repurposes it for use in flushing toilets in two other residence halls. At our plants we are collecting condensate water for recycling.
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
Emory has building entrance water meters on all buildings.
A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
Often during major renovations, plumbing fixtures are replaced with low-flow fittings. Specific hardware is defined in Emory's design and construction standards and have been incorporated due to their conservation benefit as well as performance and ease of maintenance.
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Emory's procurement procedures state that any such replacements should be made with Energy Star-rated systems.
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
Xeriscape is the utilization of excellent plant site selection and plant species selection coupled with high efficient irrigation. We review all plant material selections for drought tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and site compatibility.If good planting design is accomplished, then the need for supplemental irrigation is generally eliminated three years after initial installation.
Two bio-retention areas were installed during renovations of shuttle and passenger drop-off circles, and a bioswale was installed adjacent to the Emory University Hospital valet drop-off. All three systems are planted and landscaped with low-water use materials, and designed to reduce stormwater runoff volumes and provide water quality treatment and filtration of stormwater before it enters the watershed. Additionally, a rain garden is being installed at the new Raoul Hall.
A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
We listen to the weather forecast, and based upon predicted rainfall, humidity, and temperature, make operational decisions that may affect our use of natural resources or avert certain pest or disease scenarios.
The irrigation system on one athletic field is equipped with in-ground moisture sensors which control the irrigation frequency based on actual soil moisture levels rather than standard time intervals.
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
Please see Innovation Credit 1 for a description of our water reclamation facility that is under construction.
The website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.