Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.28
Liaison Katie Maynard
Submission Date Nov. 8, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of California, Santa Barbara
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.66 / 5.00 Matthew O'Carroll
Refuse, Recycling, & Water Conservation Manager
Physical Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Level of ”Physical Risk QUANTITY” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Medium to High

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use --- 337,287,590 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 204,192,032 Gallons 292,717,216 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 1996 June 30, 1999

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:

The baseline was chosen to match the baseline chosen in UCSB's Water Action Plan, which was produced in accordance with baseline requirements set by the University of California, Office of the President. The 1996-99 baseline was the earliest point in which UCSB had complete water consumption data. A three-year period was selected to provide a snapshot of water consumption, rather than one year's worth of data--a single year could have been a dry or wet year, thereby distorting policy regarding water consumption.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 8,934 4,002
Number of employees resident on-site 87 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 21,799 17,790
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 5,208 4,130
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 489 246
Weighted campus users 22,143.75 17,256

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 9,221.20 Gallons 16,963.21 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
45.64

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 7,937,666 Gross square feet 4,725,563 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 25.72 Gallons per square foot 61.94 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
58.47

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in total water use per acre/hectare of vegetated grounds):
Yes

Area of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds 793.70 Acres 729.70 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 0 Gallons per acre 462,227.75 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
---

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:
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A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:

UCSB partnered with Goleta Sanitary District to build a recycled water facility, which is located at the Sanitary District, close to the campus. The facility produces recycled water, which we then use to irrigate 90% of the landscape on the campus. We also use recycled water in the toilets located in all the restrooms of the lab wing in Bren Hall.The University expanded the recycled water line along UCen Road. This expansion allows landscapes that were previously irrigated with potable water to now use recycled water.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives (e.g. building retrofits):

UCSB has made it a campus priority to update inefficient plumbing fixtures with high-efficiency fixtures, such as high-efficiency urinals, low-flow toilets, and new aerators on faucets. UCSB Facilities Management has received over $1,000,000 in grants and matched funding for retrofitting restrooms with efficient high-efficiency fixtures.
Additionally the residence halls and dining commons have significantly improved their water conservation infrastructure in the past two years. Faucet aerators, high-efficiency shower heads (1.75 ga/minute) and dual-flush toilets (1.6/1.1 gallon per flush) have been installed in all of the residence halls. In the San Rafael residence hall, 100 new high efficiency toilets (1.28 gallons/flush) have been installed.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.