Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.00
Liaison Cora Kenfield
Submission Date March 15, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Vassar College
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.00 / 5.00 Alistair Hall
Sustainability Assistant
Dean of Strategic Planning
"---" 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 --- 850,378.03 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 504,112.24 Gallons 850,378.03 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, 2004 June 30, 2005

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

The water baseline was selected to conform with the carbon neutrality baseline and on the availability of campus level data.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,409 2,411
Number of employees resident on-site 200 200
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,409 2,434
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 999.10 1,047
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 3,208.33 3,263.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 157.13 Gallons 260.57 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
39.70

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 2,480,000 Gross square feet 2,400,000 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 0.20 Gallons per square foot 0.35 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
42.63

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 400 Acres 400 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 2,125.95 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:

Sprinkler systems that supply water to grounds on campus are monitored and controlled on a need-based system. The campus also employs closed loop cooling and heating systems and has a vaccum recovery system to reuse water condensed from our campus steam heating system.


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):

A number of buildings have been retrofitted recently with toilets with high efficiency flushing options.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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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.