| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.45 |
| Liaison | Keisha Payson |
| Submission Date | May 8, 2024 |
Bowdoin College
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.70 / 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 Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal | 48,663,187 Gallons | 49,669,725 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 48,663,187 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 Period | June 13, 2022 | June 13, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | 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 | 1,915 | 1,581 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 31 | 22 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 27 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,911 | 1,677 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 953 | 704 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,661.50 | 2,186.50 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 18,284.12 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 | 2,248,369 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 | 21.64 Gallons per square foot | 25.23 Gallons per square foot |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 280 Acres | 272.62 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 173,797.10 Gallons per acre | 182,193.99 Gallons per acre |
Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
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 to help maintain plant health. Bowdoin has several stormwater 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 stormwater runoff.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
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, low flow toilets, metering faucets at 0.25 gallons per cycle, low-flow kitchen faucets, low-flow shower heads, domestic dishwashers that use 10 gallons per cycle or less, and 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.
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:
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.