| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 63.61 |
| Liaison | Greg Kozak |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Northwestern University
OP-27: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Travis
Hawks Temp sustainNU |
Does the institution use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects?:
A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:
Northwestern follows codes set forth by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, as well as municipal standards and LEED guidelines for new construction. Our strategies to reduce rainwater and stormwater runoff include utilizing collection fields, cisterns, daisy basins, bioswales and green roofs.
Has the institution adopted a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations through the use of green infrastructure? :
A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:
Water is recycled in creative ways through bioswales, green roofs, and daisy basins. Northwestern has bioswales near the athletic fields and parking lots to move water to plants that need it. Green Roofs, which minimize stormwater runoff, are found at the Wild Roots Garden on the Norris University Center South Lawn. Daisy basins are fixtures unique to Northwestern that also divert stormwater runoff. Though most of them are underground, some older daisy basins are visible above ground near Norris University Center.
A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
We have several mechanisms for the collection and use of rainwater on campus. We have two cisterns on campus as well as a water collection field on North campus. Rainwater is aggregated into the collection field by first entering a storm trap in a lawn, then perking into the ground to be collected in a storage tank. The tank, located near the Ford Engineering Design Center, holds 12,000 gallons of water and features an irrigation pump and line for terrace and lawn sprinkling. We also collect rainwater at our Music and Communications building in a 120-gallon cistern, which is then used as gray water for irrigation.
Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:
A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:
The Norris University Center has a green roof, where we have Wild Roots, our student-run organic garden.We also have two smaller green roofs on Ford Hall and the new Kellog building. Students in the Associated Student Government are also assessing the possibility of green roofs on the roof of the Technological Institute and the newly constructed Norris University Center, which will be finished in 2018-2019.
A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
Northwestern uses porous paving in some walkways and plazas.
A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:
A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:
A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):
We have four vegetated bioswales across campus-- by our Athletics facilities and on north campus.
A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:
The website URL where information about the institution’s rainwater management initiatives, plan or policy 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.