| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.49 |
| Liaison | Richard Johnson |
| Submission Date | Nov. 11, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Rice University
OP-27: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
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:
Rice University has adopted a policy for stormwater management from the City of Houston and Harris County Flood Control District which essentially mandates Low Impact Development practices. These entities have significant regulations regarding detention and compensatory storage due to the frequency and severity of flooding in Houston.
For compensatory storage, regulations require that there be no net loss of volume in the 100-year flood plain. Thus, because a portion of Rice’s campus lies in this flood plain, if the University fills a cubic foot of dirt from the land, then it must excavate a cubic foot of storage volume elsewhere in that flood plain (and this volume must be open to the sky).
For stormwater detention, regulations require that for every acre of impervious land cover, 0.55 acre-feet of storage must be provided. See page 6-21 of http://www.hcfcd.org/downloads/manuals/HCFCD_PCPM_Dec2010.pdf
Currently, the Harris Gully Natural Area on Rice’s campus meets both the compensatory and detention storage requirements for most of the campus. This feature is planted with native grasses and wildflowers, and functions much like a bioretention pond.
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:
The Harris Gully Natural Area is the key component of Rice's stormwater management system.
Rice University also has seven green roofs, which are important upstream LID features distributed across campus. Locations include the OEDK, South Plant, Baker Servery, Duncan College, McMurtry College, West Servery, and the Biosciences Research Collaborative.
A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
At the Rice Children’s Campus, a rainwater collection system captures rooftop and courtyard run-off and utilizes an 8,000-gallon underground storage tank. Yearly rainfall harvest is estimated at 233,642 gallons. This is of course non-potable water. The estimate was developed by our landscape architecture consultant as part of the submittal to the USGBC for the LEED-Silver certification for the Rice Children’s Campus.
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:
Rice University boasts seven green-roofed buildings, including the South Plant, the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK), the West Servery, Duncan College, McMurtry College, the Biosciences Research Collaborative, and the Baker Servery.
A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
Out of the 19 miles of sidewalks and paths on Rice's campus, there are 0.8 miles of pervious concrete sidewalks, and 4 miles of granite sidewalks and paths. Thus, about 1/4 of Rice's campus employs porous paving.
A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:
The Harris Gully Natural Area acts as a rain garden on Rice’s campus, reducing the rapid flow of stormwater and increasing its infiltration into the soil. The Gully is comprised of plantings of native grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs, thereby creating a replica of the natural system once widespread in the Houston area.
A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:
Rice follows the City of Houston's and the Harris County Flood Control District's stormwater regulations which include providing no net loss of volume in the 100-year flood plain and providing 0.55 acre feet of detention for every acre of impervious space.
Currently, the Harris Gully Natural Area on Rice’s campus meets both the compensatory and detention storage requirements for most of the campus; however, as Rice continues to develop, the University has started to use other methods to meet the storage and detention requirements mandated by the City of Houston. For example, the lawn in front of Rice's recently constructed continuing studies building, the Anderson-Clarke Center, has a slight depression so as to provide its own compensatory storage on-site.
Furthermore, Rice actively seeks out areas where sidewalks and other impervious materials can be removed.
A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):
Rice's North Annex Parking Lot has three planting beds in between the parking spaces which serve as bioswales.
Furthermore, the path leading to the Harris Gully Natural Area serves as a bioswale, channeling water and directing it to the Gully's detention storage.
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.