| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 70.92 |
| Liaison | Katie Maynard |
| Submission Date | Aug. 19, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of California, Santa Barbara
OP-26: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.67 / 4.00 |
Matthew
O'Carroll Refuse, Recycling, & Water Conservation Manager Physical Facilities |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
None
Level of water risk for the institution’s main campus:
Medium to High
Total water use (potable and non-potable combined)::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water use | 275,387,374 Gallons | 337,287,590 Gallons |
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Potable water use::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 217,943,205 Gallons | 292,717,216 Gallons |
None
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users"::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of residential students | 7,497 | 4,002 |
| Number of residential employees | 0 | 0 |
| Number of in-patient hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Full-time equivalent enrollment | 20,801 | 17,790 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 4,841 | 4,130 |
| Full-time equivalent of distance education students | 518 | 246 |
None
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 7,605,700 Square feet | 4,725,563 Square feet |
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Area of vegetated grounds::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 225 Acres | 234 Acres |
None
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2009 | June 30, 2012 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 1996 | June 30, 1999 |
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A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The baseline was chosen to match the baseline chosen in UCSB's Water Action Plan, which was produced in accordance with baseline requirements set by the University of California, Office of the President. The 1996-99 baseline was the earliest point in which UCSB had complete water consumption data. A three-year period was selected to provide a snapshot of water consumption, rather than one year's worth of data--a single year could have been a dry or wet year, thereby distorting policy regarding water consumption.
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Water recycled/reused on campus, performance year:
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None
Recycled/reused water withdrawn from off-campus sources, performance year:
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None
A brief description of any water recovery and reuse systems employed by the institution:
UCSB partnered with Goleta Sanitary District to build a facility located close to the campus. This facility treats our effluent which we then use to irrigate the campus. We also use reclaimed water in the toilets located in all the restrooms on the first floor of Bren Hall.
None
A brief description of any water metering and management systems employed by the institution:
Water metering is conducted by UCSB's Physical Facilities. Physical Facilities uses ITRON, an automated metering system, to record the majority of potable water usage data every 15 minutes. The remaining meters that are not part of the ITRON system are manually recorded by Physical Facilities staff. UCSB's potable water meters are strategically located throughout all of the University's property; the link below provides a detailed map of the UCSB Potable Water System. The ITRON system and the map exemplify how UCSB has been actively collecting data regarding building-level water consumption.
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A brief description of any building retrofit practices employed by the institution, e.g. to install high efficiency plumbing fixtures and fittings:
UCSB has made it a campus priority to update inefficient plumbing fixtures with high-efficiency fixtures, such as high-efficiency urinals, low-flow toilets, and new aerators on faucets. UCSB Facilities Management has received over $80,000 in grants and matched funding for retrofitting restrooms with efficient high-efficiency fixtures. Facilities Management is also exploring the possibility of hiring an additional plumber to solely focus on water conservation efforts and preventative maintenance.
None
A brief description of any policies or programs employed by the institution to replace appliances, equipment and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
UCSB conducted a campus-wide inventory of restroom fixtures to determine the restrooms with the least water efficient fixtures. UCSB is making it a priority to retrofit the least efficient water fixtures first.
None
A brief description of any water-efficient landscape design practices employed by the institution (e.g. xeriscaping):
Architects are encouraged to utilize drought tolerant plants and native plants where appropriate. The stone swale adjacent to Girvetz Hall is lined with native and drought tolerant plants. In addition, more than 233 acres are protected and being restored to native plant communities, many which are drought tolerant.
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A brief description of any weather-informed irrigation technologies employed by the institution:
UCSB's irrigation control system contains weather sensors that automatically adjust irrigation practices, based on weather conditions. We have two control stations, one for the main campus and a second for Housing & Residental Services. The campus-wide irrigation system is evapotranspiration-based and is controlled by the central control station. The central control station is operated through an on-campus weather station that measures local temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and dew point. The combination of the central control station and the weather station ensures that the University's irrigation schedule conserves water through proper irrigation techniques by avoiding watering after heavy rains and during inappropriate times of the day and by allotting specific amounts of water that meet the exact requirements of the vegetation. The irrigation system can also be manually adjusted by Physical Facilities via a computer.
None
A brief description of other water conservation and efficiency strategies employed by the institution:
To further water conservation efforts, UCSB has developed a Water Action Plan (WAP) and utilizes it as its primary guidance document for water conservation and efficiency programs and practices. The UCSB WAP highlights historical water conservation efforts, as well as providing recommendations for future efforts, which include over 20 management and infrastructure recommendations that are each complete with a full financial analyses. If all the recommendations were to be completed, UCSB would be able to cut their potable water use 15% by 2020. The UCSB WAP has been recognized as one of the most comprehensive water guidance documents for an institution of higher education and has received several awards.
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The website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.