Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.35
Liaison Jessica Bast
Submission Date Aug. 9, 2022

STARS v2.2

North Carolina State University
OP-21: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 6.00 / 6.00 Jessica Bast
Sustainability Program Coordinator
University Sustainability Office
"---" 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 Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
High

Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal 387,288,000 Gallons 483,673,932.47 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 333,756,000 Gallons 483,673,932.47 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Period July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020
Baseline Period July 1, 2001 June 30, 2002

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The State of North Carolina mandated this baseline through Senate Bill 668.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 8,273 6,746
Number of employees resident on-site 101 214
Number of other individuals resident on-site 138 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 31,969 24,339
Full-time equivalent of employees 9,297 6,786.80
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,528 300
Weighted campus users 32,035 24,859.35

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 10,418.48 Gallons 19,456.42 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
46.45

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 16,142,883 Gross square feet 9,796,638 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 20.68 Gallons per square foot 49.37 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
58.12

Area of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds 1,200 Acres 718 Acres

Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds 322,740 Gallons per acre 673,640.57 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
52.09

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
Every year, there is a Tri towers energy and water challenge that engages students to reduce both their energy and water use by competing with other NC State students in their residence halls.

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
When possible, NC State uses water harvesting to meet non-potable water demands. Cisterns at Jordan and Biltmore Halls, Talley Student Union, Wolf Ridge Apartments and Yarbrough Utility Plant collect rainwater, which is used for campus irrigation, power washing and cooling utility plants. Condensate from HVAC systems is also collected and reused. A special water recovery system at Cates Utility Plant saves millions of gallons a year, and a new pipeline on Centennial Campus will supply reuse water (high quality water that has not been treated to safety levels for drinking) for cooling towers at Centennial Campus Utility Plant and for toilet flushing at James B. Hunt Jr. Library.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Over the years, NC State has installed aerators and other water volume-reducing devices to plumbing fixtures and began using smart irrigation systems that reduce water use by 40 percent.

Website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.wri.org/applications/aqueduct/water-risk-atlas/#/?advanced=false&basemap=hydro&geoStore=e819aae9c907f59b0091883aa0e33de0&indicator=w_awr_def_qan_cat&lat=35.27141057410734&lng=-78.45611572265626&mapMode=analysis&month=1&opacity=0.5&ponderation=DEF&predefined=false&projection=absolute&scenario=optimistic&scope=baseline&threshold&timeScale=annual&year=baseline&zoom=9

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