University of Alabama at Birmingham
OP-23: Rainwater Management

As UAB strives to be a more sustainable campus, there is a heavy focus on water conservation and LID. As described in OP4, the Sustainable Project Manager in UAB Planning, Design, and Construction votes on selection of design teams for projects, oversees compliance with our internal sustainable design standard, and now works on LEED design and certification. Water conservation and LID are key components of these efforts. UAB's sustainable project manager coordinates LEED applications for all new buildings and major renovation projects. The newly constructed College of Arts and Sciences building, University Hall, is a recent example. The landscaping of the building consists of high-efficiency drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plant varieties that allow University Hall to cut its irrigation demand in half. In addition, the landscaping is designed both to slow and infiltrate rainwater using vegetated green space, which is particularly important given this project’s location on the corner of the Campus Green. Low-flow water fixtures, flow-restrictors, and aerators conserve water but do not diminish the user experience inside the building. This reduces potable, indoor water use by 35 percent. Additionally, our Strategic Plan 2019-2025 includes initiatives such as: -Develop design standards for rainwater and utility water capture systems in new buildings, to include a cost-benefit analysis -Use new water resource connections, including wells and industrial water (non-potable), to reduce the use of drinking quality water for utilities and industrial purposes -Expand the current groundwater and condensate recovery program to meet the level of 25% of utility consumption -Install smart water metering systems in larger buildings -Increase deployment of smart irrigation systems -Draft a sustainable stormwater management plan