Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.08
Liaison Andrew D'Amico
Submission Date March 13, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Princeton University
OP-27: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Natalie Shivers
Associate University Architect for Planning
Office of the University Architect
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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Does the institution use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects?:
Yes

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A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:
As part of Princeton’s Low Impact Development practices, the University employs rain gardens, bioswales, porous pavement in parking lots, and rainwater harvesting to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff and improve outgoing water quality.

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Has the institution adopted a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations through the use of green infrastructure? :
Yes

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A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:
As part of the Campus Plan, completed in 2008, the University prepared a sustainable campus stormwater management plan, which focused on low-impact development and landscape-based stormwater management strategies.

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A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
Princeton incorporates rainwater collection tanks and condensate collection systems in many new building projects for reuse in toilets, landscape irrigation.

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Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
24,000 Gallons

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A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:
Princeton uses a variety of rainwater filtering systems throughout its campus to treat water prior to release. These systems include rain gardens, porous paving, manufactured treatment devices (ex. jellyfish, and other inlet filtration devices), recharging areas, and a greywater system implemented in the Frick Chemistry Laboratory.

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A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:
Green roofs currently grow on Butler College and Sherrerd Hall, and are planned for future buildings. There are also a number of underground buildings that have greenspace lawns over their structures: among these are Whitman College, Firestone Library, McCormick Hall, Fine Hall, and Lewis Thomas Laboratory.

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A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:
The University is reducing the amount of paved surfaces around campus with surfaces that are permeable. For example, the new Neuroscience Institute and Peretsman-Scully Hall building site reduced impervious surfaces by more than ten percent. Even with growth in building square footage, the current Campus plan (complete in 2017) will result in a net increase in pervious surface area on campus. Permeable paving has been installed in the Neuroscience/Peretsman-Scully and Lot 17 parking lots and a pedestrian pathway. Lastly, porous paving will eventually also be employed at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, due to be completed in 2017.

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A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:
The rain garden at the Frick Chemistry Laboratory was the first rain garden installation on campus, with others following at the new Neuroscience Institute and Peretsman-Scully Hall, and other sites.

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A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:
The campus currently has six detention basins, with locations that range from outside of the Frick Chemistry Laboratory to near the Lot 7 Garage.

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A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):
Princeton University uses vegetated bioswales at the Lakeside Graduate Housing complex and at the West Windsor Service Barns.

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A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:
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None
The website URL where information about the institution’s rainwater management initiatives, plan or policy is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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