Keene State College
OP-22: Rainwater Management

The Keene State College Grounds Crew and physical plant use green infrastructure policies that support rainwater management. Most importantly are:
1)Leaving a 75' Buffer Zone along the Ashuelot River where permissible
2) Maintaining a Buffer Zone around the Brickyard Pond (a pond that supports storm water management)
3) Setting mower heights at 3 inches or higher to reduce storm water runoff
4) Using organic landscaping methods and fertilizing near watercourses.
The College also maintains vegetated swales around many of the College's parking lots and athletic fields.
A demonstration rain garden was developed as part of the newest residence hall, the Living Learning Common, to provide educational opportunities, but also to manage the storm water from the roof and pavement of that 85,000 square foot building.
The TDS LEED Platinum building uses Downstream Defender advanced storm water management and pollutant control (https://www.hydro-int.com/en/products/downstream-defender).

Keene State College's approach to rainwater management is to meet local (City of Keene) requirements, and to do better as good stewards of our place. This is an ethic that is passed down within the Grounds Department and Physical Plant department as part of the guidelines to always achieve at least LEED Silver standards and to minimize harm. The ethic is to practice organic landscape practices, maintain vegetative buffers where practical, and other approaches identified in this section and in OP 9 and 10. It is also reflected in newer construction projects where green infrastructure, rain gardens, and porous pavement are used to minimize storm water runoff.

Additional information on KSC's rain garden at the Living Learning Common is available at:
KSC RAIN GARDEN
http://www.designundersky.com/keene-state-college
http://groundinc.com/keene-state-college
https://perkinswill.com/project/living-learning-commons/
Add Anything Else of Interest: The building is located near the campus admissions building and was conceptualized as a gateway into campus. The ground level is transparent and features common spaces for the students as well as three classrooms that will serve as the foundation for the living-learning community. The building is steel construction with highly insulated brick, curtain wall, and rainscreen facades. This is an energy-efficient building that meets Keene State’s climate action plan, and its energy consumption will beat the 2030 challenge levels. The high-performance mechanical systems include geothermal wells to heat and cool the building, and it is fossil-fuel free. In addition to low-flow plumbing fixtures, the stormwater management is resolved through a rain garden system that doubles as an outdoor classroom.
https://www1.appa.org/files/FMArticles/38-55.pdf