| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.18 |
| Liaison | Weston Dripps |
| Submission Date | Aug. 19, 2024 |
Amherst College
OP-3: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.99 / 6.00 |
Weston
Dripps Director of Sustainability Sustainability |
Level of water quantity risk for the institution’s main campus:
Performance year for water use:
Peer group:
Potable water from off-site sources:
Reclaimed water from off-site sources:
Other off-site water sources:
Potable water from on-site sources:
Other on-site water sources:
Full-time equivalent student enrollment:
Full-time equivalent of employees:
Annual potable water use:
Full-time equivalent students and employees:
Annual potable water use per person:
Points earned for indicator OP 3.1:
Gross floor area of building space:
Annual potable water use per unit of floor area:
Points earned for indicator OP 3.2:
Does the institution harvest rainwater on-site for storage and use?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s on-site rainwater harvesting systems:
Our Science Center does capture and use rainwater as part of its RO/DI system in the building. We had originally intended for the collection system to also fill the cooling towers at the central plant, but that has not happened.
Simiarly, our Greenway residence halls were designed to capture rainwater and reuse it for flushing toilets. However, we have struggled with this from the beginning. There were many maintenance issues, leaks, pumps failing, etc. Although we have the ability to capture rainwater, the system is currently offline and not being used.
Does the institution recover water on-site for reuse?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s on-site water recovery and reuse systems:
Does the institution collect and return water to surface water or groundwater through on-site green infrastructure?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s on-site green infrastructure:
Our three most recent buildings (Science Center, Greenway Residence Halls, Lyceum) all have built in rain gardens, designed to collect runoff from surrounding hardscape and allow this runoff to soak into the ground instead of washing away. Each rain garden is located adjacent to the buidings and are planted with plants, trees, and bushes that can survive in waterlogged environments.
The Science Center includes a Green Roof which provides habitat for a variety of plant, animal, and insect species, retains precipitation thereby reducing runoff, and helps regulate the building's indoor temperature.
Points earned for indicator OP 3.3:
Does the institution have methodologies in place to estimate or model the annual volume of water recovered and/or returned on-site?:
Narrative outlining the methodologies used to estimate or model the annual volume of water recovered and/or returned on-site:
Estimated volume of rainwater harvested on-site for storage and use:
Estimated volume of water recovered on-site for reuse:
Estimated volume of water collected and returned through on-site green infrastructure:
Annual volume of water recovered and/or returned:
Total water withdrawal:
Ratio of water recovered/returned to total water withdrawal:
Points earned for indicator OP 3.4:
Notes about the information provided for this credit:
Green roof on the top of the Science Center.
Rain garden located next to the new Science Center.
Additional documentation for this credit:
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.