| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.08 |
| Liaison | Andrew D'Amico |
| Submission Date | March 13, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Princeton University
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.40 / 4.00 |
Thomas
Nyquist Executive Director Engineering and Campus Energy |
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 | 211,701,300 Gallons | 244,343,500 Gallons |
Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 211,701,300 Gallons | 244,343,500 Gallons |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 6,836 | 6,111 |
| Number of residential employees | 241 | 474 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 7,910 | 6,935 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 6,323 | 5,400 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 0 | 0 |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 8,912,800 Square feet | 8,158,600 Square feet |
Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 248 Acres | 260 Acres |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2013 | June 30, 2014 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2005 | June 30, 2006 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The baseline was adopted because this timeframe was prior to the inception of the University’s Sustainability Plan in 2007-2008.
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Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year: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:
The University has installed a combined 18,000 gallons of capacity for rainwater storage and reuse at Butler College and the Frick Chemistry building. Butler College's system consists of a 6,000 gallon cistern, which is used for irrigation. Frick has a 12,000 gallon system in place that collects rainwater from the roof and condensate from mechanical systems in the “penthouse.” The water is used for flushing toilets.
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
Two types of water meters are employed to monitor building water usage on campus: compound and turbo style meters.
A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
The University has installed low-flow sink aerators and showerheads and dual-flush toilets across campus. There are also low-flow urinals installed in the Frick Chemistry building (1/8th of a gallon per flush) and several Sloan/Falcon waterless urinals installed on campus, including in Dillon gym and Butler College.
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
As a matter of practice, the University has installed low-flow aerators, sinks and showerheads wherever possible throughout campus.
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
Princeton has made it a policy to only use native species or species’ that are already adapted to New Jersey’s region, which require less watering and are easier to maintain.
A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
Grounds and Building Maintenance has installed moisture sensors in the ground to analyze the moisture in the soil. The sensors then automatically notify staff when it is necessary to water the plants.
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
The Athletics department has replaced the turf on select fields with new turf that is designed to better hold water. For example, Princeton replaced the turf on Bedford Field with this new turf in 2012, which has resulted in a savings of 10,000 gallons per watering per year.
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.