Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.52
Liaison Andrew D'Amico
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Princeton University
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.38 / 5.00 Thomas Nyquist
Executive Director
Engineering and Campus Energy
"---" 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:
Medium to High

Part 1 

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use 216,762,000 Gallons
+ Date Revised: Feb. 19, 2019
244,343,500 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 216,762,000 Gallons
+ Date Revised: Feb. 19, 2019
244,343,500 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2014
+ Date Revised: Feb. 19, 2019
June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 7,093 6,111
Number of employees resident on-site 557 474
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 504 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 8,032 6,935
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 6,468 5,400
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 13,291.50 10,897.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 16,308.32 Gallons 22,421.98 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
27.27

Part 2 

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 9,232,747 Gross square feet 8,158,600 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 23.48 Gallons per square foot 29.95 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
21.61

Part 3 

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 380 Acres 260 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 570,426.32 Gallons per acre 939,782.69 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
39.30

Optional Fields 

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:
The dual-flush toilets that were installed across campus to conserve water from toilet flushing have also been accompanied by informational signage in the bathroom stalls to encourage proper use and raise awareness about water conservation efforts. The new Andlinger Center also posted signage in its bathrooms to alert occupants that water used for toilet flushing is harvested and reused from a rainwater collection system. Furthermore, Princeton’s Drink Local program has raised awareness about water-related issues. Since 2009, the initiative has provided incoming students with complimentary reusable water bottles while installing more than 250 filtered water bottle-refilling stations on campus. Inserts placed inside the bottle before distribution educate students about the impact of water conservation efforts at the University and the importance of drinking local tap water over bottled water.

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:
The University has installed a combined 24,000 gallons of capacity for rainwater harvesting systems at the Andlinger Center and the Frick Chemistry building. Both systems collect rainwater for reuse in toilet flushing, while Frick’s system also collects and reuses condensate from mechanical systems.

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):
Princeton University has taken significant steps to reduce water usage on campus by installing low-flow plumbing and athletic irrigation fixtures, high-efficiency washing machines and dishwashers, and tray-free dining in all dining halls. Water-efficient plumbing includes low-flow sink aerators, showerheads and dual-flush toilets. There are also low-flow urinals installed in the Frick Chemistry building (1/8th of a gallon per flush) and several Sloan/Falcon waterless urinals installed on campus, including in Dillon gym and Butler College. Water used for irrigation has been reduced by installing turf fields on athletic fields, and Princeton’s innovative “PowerPure” treatment system in Baker Rink saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of fresh water per year.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://sustain.princeton.edu/progress/water

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Total water usage represents water usage in additional University-owned buildings on top of those accounted for in the reported figure for gross floor area of building space (which only represent buildings in the CO2 footprint/main campus). Potable water usage is assumed to equal total water usage, however not all water usage is used for potable purposes. The University is currently unable to differentiate water used in buildings versus water used for landscape irrigation. The 504 “other individuals resident on site” represents family members of University employees (faculty and staff) who live in University rental housing including Merwick Stanworth (Merwick Stanworth is owned and operated by American Campus Communities on Princeton University-owned land. All market rate units are currently occupied by Princeton affiliates (faculty and staff) and are included in the count). Some of the 557 resident employees are also family members within the same household.

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.