Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 59.69
Liaison Susan Dorward
Submission Date July 31, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Raritan Valley Community College
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Susan Dorward
Sustainability and Energy Coordinator
Facilities and Grounds
"---" 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:
Low

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use 8,729,149 Gallons 20,902,112 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 8,574,324 Gallons 20,902,112 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

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

The water use baseline was adopted for our original STARS application in 2011.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 5,463 3,972
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 637 363
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 334 597
Weighted campus users 4,324.50 2,803.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 1,982.73 Gallons 7,455.72 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
73.41

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 580,500 Gross square feet 441,000 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 14.77 Gallons per square foot 47.40 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
68.84

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 0.50 Acres 0.45 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 17,458,298 Gallons per acre 46,449,137.78 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
62.41

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:
---

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

We have rainwater cisterns in the Bateman and Workforce buildings. These feed toilets, a green wall, and a green roof.


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):

The college installs only waterless urinals and metered or sensor-driven faucets. Low-flow aerators have been installed. Low-flow toilets/valves were installed in the Arts building, replacing old high water usage toilets. The college installs WaterSense products where feasible. We also bought self-watering planters that store water and feed it up through the base, reducing water usage. The College has a sprinkler system on the athletic fields that runs on a schedule and has a moisture sensor.


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:

Non-potable rainwater is used in toilets in Bateman and Workforce, irrigating a green wall and a green roof, the enabling garden, and for watering plants. Assume 300 flushes/day in Bateman and 200/day in Workforce. Assume 1.2gpf and 240 days per year. For green wall, assume 5g every day. For green roof, assume 25 g/day for 3 months. For enabling garden, assume 25g/day for 3 months. For watering, assume 250g/week for 3 months. So total non-potable water usage is 144,000 + 1,825 + 3,000 + 3,000 + 3,000 = 154,825.


Non-potable rainwater is used in toilets in Bateman and Workforce, irrigating a green wall and a green roof, the enabling garden, and for watering plants. Assume 300 flushes/day in Bateman and 200/day in Workforce. Assume 1.2gpf and 240 days per year. For green wall, assume 5g every day. For green roof, assume 25 g/day for 3 months. For enabling garden, assume 25g/day for 3 months. For watering, assume 250g/week for 3 months. So total non-potable water usage is 144,000 + 1,825 + 3,000 + 3,000 + 3,000 = 154,825.

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.