Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 43.94
Liaison Tsuneo Yabusaki
Submission Date June 5, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Soka University of America
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.48 / 5.00 Tom Harkenrider
Chief of Operations
Operations
"---" 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 --- 70,004,323 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 28,448,684 Gallons 24,694,472 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year June 1, 2014 July 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2010

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:
The baseline period (July 2007 to June 2010) is a three year period in order to average out year-over-year variation. The same three year baseline period is used for all calculations requiring a baseline except when data is unavailable.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 448 377
Number of employees resident on-site 8 6
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 6 3
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 455 383
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 223 158
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 628.50 504.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 45,264.41 Gallons 48,948.41 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
7.53

Part 2 

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 1,046,473 Gross square feet 734,680 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 27.19 Gallons per square foot 33.61 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
19.12

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 46.30 Acres 52.50 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 0 Gallons per acre 1,333,415.68 Gallons per acre

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

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:
---

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

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):
SUA's irrigation system was recently upgraded with brass-valve "smart" sprinklers that review evapotranspiration and only deploy when moisture has evaporated from the soil. Plastic drip irrigation valves were also replaced with brass valves to prevent leakage. The Olympic-sized pool has a cover that reduces water evaporation rates. Finally, aerators have are being installed on all sinks across campus.

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:
Vegetated area data were calculated using ESRI's ArcGIS. Between the baseline and performance years, vegetated area decreased due to the construction of Maathai Hall and the Soka Performing Arts Center, the expansion of Parking Lot A, and the construction of the parking structure adjacent to the Recreation Center.

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.