| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.60 |
| Liaison | Megan Curtis-Murphy |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2023 |
Northeastern University
OP-22: Rainwater Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Megan
Curtis-Murphy Director of Campus Sustainability & Engagement Climate Justice & Sustainability Hub |
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:
Low impact development (LID) is Northeastern University’s preferred approach for the management of stormwater. LID is included in the planning and construction of new, redeveloped, or existing areas of University lands and facilities, and to guide site development by mimicking the natural hydrological system functions of discharge, frequency, recharge and volume.
The University has achieved this through many efforts from groundwater recharge systems, rainwater reclamation, rain gardens, bio-swales, and permeable pavers. 16 buildings, cover over 190,000 SF of roof space, have ground water recharge systems. Carter Field, a City of Boston recreation field reconstructed by Northeastern, collects rainwater from the tennis courts in a 14,000 gallon tank for irrigation purposes on athletics fields. It is expected to save about 150,000 gallons of water per year.
The Rainwater Reclamation System at the Boston Campus Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC), collects and recycles rainwater as an integral part of the building infrastructure for flush fixtures within the building. Based on the tank size installed, the system is designed to collect 99% of the rainwater that falls on the roof and offset approximately 57% of the flushing demand of the building.
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:
The Sustainable Practices and Operations Guidelines and the Capital Project Design Guidelines prioritize sustainability and include a goal to protect and conserve water. LEED Gold certification (at a minimum) is mandated for all projects and requires significant strategies for rainwater management which help contribute to this goal.
The NU Arboretum Plan includes guidelines for new construction which requires identification and use of best management practices as dictated by the project conditions:
"All landscape projects shall identify best management practices applicable to improving stormwater management for volume and quality. Practices such as proper planting soil design and depths, rain gardens, bio-swales, and other applicable techniques including permeable pavements shall be explored and applied as dictated by the project conditions."
Website URL where information about the institution’s green infrastructure and LID practices is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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