Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.17
Liaison Chris Frantsvog
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Luther College
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.49 / 4.00 Jay Uthoff
Director of Facilities
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Level of ”Physical Risk QUANTITY” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Low to Medium

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use --- 53,999,974.48 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 36,099,003.95 Gallons 53,999,974.48 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year June 1, 2017 May 31, 2018
Baseline Year June 1, 2003 May 31, 2004

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
Our water use baseline uses the same time frame as our other energy data. We use FY 2003-2004 as a baseline for all comparisons.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,857 2,064
Number of employees resident on-site 7 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 2 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,005 2,534
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 457 538
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,314.50 2,820

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 15,596.89 Gallons 19,148.93 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
18.55

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 1,495,052.36 Gross square feet 1,384,289.40 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 24.15 Gallons per square foot 39.01 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
38.10

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in total water use per acre/hectare of vegetated grounds):
Yes

Area of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds 199 Acres 199 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 0 Gallons per acre 271,356.66 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
---

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:
We include information about taking shorter showers and turning off the water when brushing teeth as part of our monthly energy challenges.

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
Luther uses non-potable water captured from a rain barrel system to water potted plants across campus.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives (e.g. building retrofits):
As Luther renovates buildings, low flow faucets, urinals, and toilets are utilized. All new construction uses the most efficient devices possible.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Diverse members of the Luther College community collaborated in 2016 and 2017 to create Body of Water, an inter-disciplinary research project and performance about the sacredness of water. More information can be found here: https://www.luther.edu/body-of-water/

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.