| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.18 |
| Liaison | Chris Adam |
| Submission Date | Dec. 30, 2024 |
Dawson College
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Chris
Adam Coordinator Sustainability Office |
Which of the following best describes the institution’s approach to rainwater management?:
A brief description of the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices:
Update 2024: Landscape guidelines review rainwater runoff from rooftops, snow storage on site and snow melt on site as well as contamination of water from copper rooftops.
In 2023, a Master Landscape Plan was developed that mapped water runoff from all rooftops and reviewed retention ponds, bioswales and parking lot runoff on the campus grounds. Bioswales, raised wetlands, trapping runoff in retention tanks, and naturalized driplines are all being used. Presently the College has approximately 140 cubic metres of underground stormwater holding tank capacity. Rooftop water is slowed by gravelled areas and several metres of soil and sand for absorption with excess going to drain sewers.
A copy of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines:
A brief description of the institution’s rainwater management policy, plan, and/or guidelines that supports the responses above:
Rainwater Management and Storage
A large portion of the College’s grounds is covered with soil and vegetation. This helps to slow down the runoff of storm water, mitigate flooding and release clean water back to the atmosphere. All existing vegetated areas are protected by heritage status.
To avoid flooding the city’s rainwater infrastructure, the College built a reservoir along Atwater Street to help slow the water from our drainage system. Following a flood, work was also carried out on a small second retention basin that is beneath the De Maisonneuve Boulevard entrance.
Copper on rooftops reacts with the elements creating concentrations of various copper compounds, which are toxic in high levels. Therefore, gardens that produce edible material should not receive water runoff from copper rooftops and are raised from any contaminated soil. A wetland micro-habitat was created in 2022 to capture and clean the rooftop water. Within its approximately 18 metre length, 50% of the copper is removed from entry poit to exit by natural processes. This living machine was a national demonstration project for CICan's Living Lab national funding initiative..
100% of the snow removed from our campus roads and parking lots is stored on our property. A natural melting and evaporation process takes pace on site. The location of snow storage is planned and must minimize salt damage to vegetation and to prevent any potential contamination from vehicle-related pullutants (oils, other fluids, windshield wiper fluids with antifreeze chemicals). Rooftop drip areas were created along outside gazebos in 2023 to prevent erosion and allow for ground absorption. Drip areas are also present around entire wings of the building to reduce runnoff into parking lots and encourage absorption into the landscape.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Master Landscape Plan 2023
Landscape Maintenance Guide - Facilities Management
Office of Sustainability 5 year Sustainability Plan
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.