Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.92
Liaison Casey Romero
Submission Date May 15, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Oklahoma State University
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.02 / 6.00 Ilda Hershey
Sustainability Coordinator
OSU Physical Plant
"---" 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:
High

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use 310,250,000 Gallons 419,010,000 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 310,250,000 Gallons 419,010,000 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2017 Dec. 31, 2017
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2005 Dec. 31, 2005

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
---

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 6,453 7,066
Number of employees resident on-site 26 411
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 331 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 21,239.50 21,235
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 4,187 4,677
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 5,727.02 247
Weighted campus users 16,725.36 21,118

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 18,549.68 Gallons 19,841.37 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
6.51

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 12,646,815 Gross square feet 10,357,207 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 24.53 Gallons per square foot 40.46 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
39.36

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 680 Acres 700 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 456,250 Gallons per acre 598,585.71 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
23.78

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:

Calls for shorter showers, turning of faucets while brushing teeth, stressing the importance of reporting water leaks, and fact sheets about water conservation.


A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:

Two large barrels are stationed in the Mother's Garden in front of the Rancher's Club at the Student Union to collect rain water for use in that garden. OSU has irrigation controllers on a central controlled system with a weather station that reads rainfall, wind speed and evapotranspiration. Irrigation frequency and timing correlates with these calibrations to irrigate at the most efficient settings. Rain sensors are also used on about 85% of the controllers to shut off irrigation if rainfall reaches a 1/8 of an inch


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):

When appliances, equipment and systems are replaced, Energy Star units are used where applicable. Building retrofits include the installation of high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings such as low-flow flush valves, sink and shower aerators.


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:

Freddy Pitts, Water Treatment Plant; Jon Hunt, H&RL; James Hollan, Geospactial; IRIM


Freddy Pitts, Water Treatment Plant; Jon Hunt, H&RL; James Hollan, Geospactial; IRIM

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.