| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 79.01 |
| Liaison | Lindsay Walker |
| Submission Date | Feb. 14, 2023 |
Humber College
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Lindsay
Walker Sustainability Manager Facilities Management |
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 | 79,790 Cubic meters | 181,676.97 Cubic meters |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 79,790 Cubic meters | 181,676.97 Cubic meters |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | April 1, 2021 | March 31, 2022 |
| Baseline Period | April 1, 2005 | March 31, 2006 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The baseline period April 1, 2005 – March 31st, 2006 was adopted as a baseline because that’s when all conservation initiatives began. This time period was before Humber’s Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP).
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,371 | 1,445 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 29,398.20 | 18,312 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 3,044 | 1,755 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 229.50 | 173 |
| Weighted campus users | 24,502.28 | 15,281.75 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 3.26 Cubic meters | 181,676.97 Cubic meters |
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 | 281,113.39 Gross square meters | 185,924.82 Gross square meters |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 0.28 Cubic meters per square meter | 0.98 Cubic meters per square meter |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 16 Hectares | 16 Hectares |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 4,986.88 Cubic meters per hectare | 11,354.81 Cubic meters per hectare |
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:
Humber has invested in retrofitting existing water fountains with sensor activated water bottle refilling stations. The stations are also included in new construction. The new fountains allow students and staff to have easy access to safe, clean drinking water and reduce the amount of waste from plastic water bottles. The Humber community has eliminated well over 6 million single use plastic water bottles from landfills since 2014 through the use of our water refill stations.
A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
Humber's greenhouse has two large rainwater collection tanks and the Centre for Urban Ecology building has a 10,000 litre cistern. Rainwater collected is used for greenhouse operations and surrounding gardens.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Humber's Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP) represents Humber's long-term strategy of achieving significant reductions in energy, water, greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. In relation to water, one of the IEMP’s objectives is to increase water efficiency by 54% and is currently in the process of achieving this goal.
Examples of water efficiency projects at Humber College:
- Replaced 17, 6LPF toilets with 3LPF water-efficient models in one student Residence building
- Upgraded existing 2.5 gpm flowrate showerheads to 1.5 gpm in one student Residence building
- Replaced water-cooled equipment with DX units
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:
In STARS 2019, the area of vegetated grounds was calculated by taking the total campus area minus the footprint of buildings and non-vegetated surfaces (e.g., permeable or impermeable pavement). This generated 3.35 hectares. However, this was not an exact measurement. In 2022, the STARS reporting team worked with Strategic Information & Data Systems Manager and ARCHIBUS to generate a more accurate measurement of Humber's vegetated spaces. 16 Hectares includes Humber's lawn area, vegetative area and green roofs for both our Lakeshore and North Campuses and therefore the vegetated area for the baseline year and performance year was changed. Area of vegetated grounds is the same as the area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides reported in OP-9.
Humber was not operating for the entire reporting year (March 31st, 2021 – April 1st,2022) due to the COVID-19 pandemic which explains the significant changes in the percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline and the percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
In STARS 2019, the area of vegetated grounds was calculated by taking the total campus area minus the footprint of buildings and non-vegetated surfaces (e.g., permeable or impermeable pavement). This generated 3.35 hectares. However, this was not an exact measurement. In 2022, the STARS reporting team worked with Strategic Information & Data Systems Manager and ARCHIBUS to generate a more accurate measurement of Humber's vegetated spaces. 16 Hectares includes Humber's lawn area, vegetative area and green roofs for both our Lakeshore and North Campuses and therefore the vegetated area for the baseline year and performance year was changed. Area of vegetated grounds is the same as the area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides reported in OP-9.
Humber was not operating for the entire reporting year (March 31st, 2021 – April 1st,2022) due to the COVID-19 pandemic which explains the significant changes in the percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline and the percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
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.