Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 80.45
Liaison Tori Grant
Submission Date Dec. 13, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Calgary
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.81 / 5.00 Annie-Claude Lachapelle
Energy Manager
Office of Sustainability
"---" 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

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use 1,152,161 Cubic meters 1,570,260.60 Cubic meters

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 831,679 Cubic meters 1,260,894.60 Cubic meters

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year April 1, 2017 March 31, 2018
Baseline Year April 1, 2008 March 31, 2009

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

The University's 2008/2009 Fiscal Year was chosen as the water use baseline to match the other utility based operations credits' baseline year. 2008/2009 was the first year that the University published a greenhouse gas inventory.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,460 2,871
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 28,860 24,650
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 5,240.40 4,831
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 964 312
Weighted campus users 25,467.30 22,594.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 831,679 Cubic meters 1,260,894.60 Cubic meters

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
41.48

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 1,011,563.30 Gross square meters 865,935.40 Gross square meters

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 20.18 Cubic meters per square meter 35.74 Cubic meters per square meter

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
43.54

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 173.74 Hectares 173.74 Hectares

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 708,955.03 Cubic meters per hectare 966,222.74 Cubic meters per hectare

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
26.63

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:

Bottle refill devices are standard on all new water fountains, 40 existing water fountains have been retrofitted with water bottle filling devices. ELKAY bottle refill fountains have been installed at various high-density locations across campuses. Remaining fountains cannot accommodate the devices. On all fountains we have signage installed to raise awareness of our high water quality and encourage usage. Domestic water usage is monitored daily and through our central energy reporting software.


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

Through the university’s design standards, building projects are encouraged to consider opportunities for non-potable water use including the capture and reuse of rainwater. Spyhill Campus’s Clinical Skills Building recycles storm water on-site. In the Child Development Centre non-potable process water from the central heating and cooling plant is used for toilet flushing. Non-potable water is used across main campus for irrigation. The Energy Environment and Experiential Learning Building uses captured rainwater for toilet flushing. The Clinical Skills Building contains an engineered wetland system designed to recover grey water used in the cleaning of animal pens. Recovered water is then used for cleaning pens or toilet flushing.


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):

All new buildings are required to use low flow and low flush devices that meet or exceed water efficiency standards of the LEED Canada for New Construction. In 2017, we completed the installation of water meters across our main campuses so that all main buildings water usage can be monitored. Ongoing backflow devices and valves maintenance combined with daily monitoring have had an important impact on our water consumption over the last years, making our systems more water-efficient.


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:
---

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.