| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.95 |
| Liaison | Daryl Pierson |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Portland State University
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Noel
Mingo Utility Manager FAP |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Level of water risk for the institution’s main campus:
Low to Medium
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined)::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | 346,622.10 Cubic meters | 595,083.91 Cubic meters |
Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 346,622.10 Cubic meters | 595,083.91 Cubic meters |
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | ||
| Number of residential employees | ||
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | ||
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | ||
| Full-time equivalent of employees | ||
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 495,054.35 Square meters | 442,402.14 Square meters |
Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 312,362.55 Hectares | 312,362.55 Hectares |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2014 | June 30, 2015 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2006 | June 30, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
Earliest year with data.
Water recycled/reused on campus, performance year:
1,535.69
Cubic meters
Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year:
Cubic meters
A brief description of any water recovery and reuse systems employed by the institution:
*Associated Students Recreation Center (LEED Gold)*
Rain is harvested on the 5th floor and is collected in a holding tank on the first floor for use flushing toilets.
*Engineering Building Hydrology Lab*
Portland State University's Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology, is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system that uses Oregon's average 38" of annual rainfall to supplement the building's overall water demand. The system captures rain from the rooftop and diverts a portion through the rainwater harvesting system located in the hydrology lab on the 2nd floor. The water is stored in a 1000 gallon storage tank, filtered through carbon, and undergoes UV sterilization before being pumped to toilets and urinals on the 1st floor. In addition to conserving flush water and reducing rainwater runoff, this system also contributes to the university's engineering curriculum. Students use the rainwater harvesting system to study water usage rates, savings, filtration methods, and other aspects in an effort to advance this technology.
http://www.pdx.edu/planning-sustainability/water
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
All Housing buildings have individual meters. Most other buildings also have meters, but a number of buildings are on a "water loop" without individual meters, this will hopefully be rectified in the near future.
Exemption meters for Irrigation, Cooling Towers, and other water uses that do not go to sewage are present to calculate accurate sewer charges.
New Buildings and recent remodel's have water meters that report to the BAS.
Utility water meter usage is recorded in the Utility Manager Server to accurately track usage.
A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
Retrofit lavatories in East Hall, Millar, and Cramer with low flow fixtures, and installed aerators on sinks to reduce water usage. FY 14 funded project completed Summer 2014.
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
---
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
One example is on 10th Ave next to XSB Parking. We call it the dry garden. It was a special project with the Hardy Plant Society. The technique involved tilling in a rock crush with the soil. We have used drought tolerant plants on the "hell strips" on 13th Ave, next to Parking Three. Drought tolerant, low maintenance plants are generally encouraged, including drought tolerant natives. We will be planting a small xeriscape garden between Montgomery Hall and Science Building II in the very near future.
A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
There is a weather sensor on the Walk of the Heorines fountain for it to shut off when the wind speed gets too high. Besides the wind sensor at Walk of the Heroines the irrigation box there has a rain sensor to delay irrigation after rain.
Funds were recently secured for central irrigation and the system will be installed in 2014.
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
---
The website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Baseline year - FY2007:
Source: PSU does not have access to 2005 data, either from the Portland Water Bureau or Utility Manager System. However, we have FY2007 data from the Portland Water Bureau. Data from Utility Manager System (acquired sometime in 2006) is incomplete for FY2007.
Performance year - FY2015
Source: PSU Utility Manager, Noel Mingo
FY 15 data
Actual metered water consumption for buildings in the reporting square footage.
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.