| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.71 |
| Liaison | Keisha Payson |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Bowdoin College
OP-22: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.98 / 4.00 |
Keisha
Payson Sustainability Director Sustainable Bowdoin |
Level of ”Physical Risk QUANTITY” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | --- | 49,669,725 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 49,494,109 Gallons | 49,669,725 Gallons |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Sept. 28, 2017 | June 28, 2018 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2004 | June 30, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
To be consistent with Bowdoin's previous STARS submissions, which used 7/1/2004-6/30/2005.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,634 | 1,581 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 25 | 22 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 22 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,814 | 1,677 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 928 | 704 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,493.25 | 2,186.50 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 19,851.24 Gallons | 22,716.54 Gallons |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 2,094,839 Gross square feet | 1,968,654 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 23.63 Gallons per square foot | 25.23 Gallons per square foot |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in total water use per acre/hectare of vegetated grounds):
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 280 Acres | 272.62 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 | 182,193.99 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:
Bowdoin's Eco Reps have installed educational signs in residence hall bathrooms with statistics about water usage and tips for reducing it.
A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
Bowdoin utilizes a rainwater capture system on the roof of two dorms and an academic building for toilet flushing in those buildings. The college landscapes with indigenous plants that do not require irrigation. Additionally, surfaces are designed to direct rainwater runoff toward plants and maintain plant health. Bowdoin has several storm water retention ponds, vegetative swales, infiltration galleries, under drained soil filters, and under drained bio-retention cells. The Building Design Standards for Renovation Projects has a section devoted to reduction of storm water runoff. The last 4 major construction projects have had some LEED certification in which storm water credits were met.
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):
The College experimented with waterless urinals for several years but they were not well-received due to blow back pressure issues that Housekeeping staff experienced during filter changes - ultimately the units were removed. In recent years the College has specified minimal flush urinals (0.125 gallons per flush) for all new building projects. Since 2009, the college has adopted design strategies and systems to reduce building water use to exceed the requirements of the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) of 1992. The college has since then adopted use of infrared faucet sensors and delayed action shut-off or automatic shut-off valves, use of low flow toilets, use of metering faucets at 0.25 gallons per cycle, use of low-flow kitchen faucets, use of low-flow shower heads, use of domestic dishwashers that use 10 gallons per cycle or less, use of front loading clothes washers that meet EPA ENERGY STAR ® requirements. As mentioned above, Bowdoin utilizes a rainwater capture system on the roof of two LEED silver certified residence halls and a LEED platinum certified academic building for toilet flushing in those buildings.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Bowdoin specifies low flow fixtures in all building projects.
Bowdoin specifies low flow fixtures in all building projects.
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.