Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.75
Liaison Josh Lasky
Submission Date Feb. 23, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

George Washington University
IN-11: Grounds Certification

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 0.50 Zach Pittinger
Contractor - long term
Facilities/Grounds
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution own and/or manage land that is currently certified under the following programs? (at least one positive response required):
Yes or No
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) or ACSP for Golf No
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management standard No
National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat Program No
An IFOAM-endorsed organic standard or Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) No
Salmon-Safe No
Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) Yes
Tree Campus USA (Arbor Day Foundation) No
Bee Campus USA No
An equivalent program approved by AASHE No

A brief description of institution owned and/or managed land that is currently third party certified under one or more of the programs listed above, including the year each certification was achieved and/or renewed:

In 2010 GW transformed a parking lot into a water reclamation park (“Square 80”) that offers a respite from the busy urban activity that surrounds it.

This unique water reclamation park captures and retains all water that falls on the site. It is the first rain garden on campus and it is planted with blue flag iris and sweet bay magnolia. The plaza includes a vegetated bioswale consisting of native grasses and groundcover. During heavy rain events, the bioswale acts as the adjacent rain garden's overflow, conveying water to an area drain and ultimately to underground cisterns for storage and reuse on site. Through a network of cisterns, tunnels, permeable surface, and rain barrels; this three-quarter acre site highlights the technological possibilities for managing stormwater.

The park includes educational signs to explain the various features and their significance.

The Square 80 Park was a participant in the SITES pilot program, and is certified under SITES.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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.