Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.27
Liaison Konrad Schlarbaum
Submission Date Feb. 15, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Colorado Colorado Springs
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.55 / 5.00 Rob Dougherty
Director Physical Plant
Facilities Services
"---" 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 47,365,101.08 Gallons 33,154,696 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 47,365,101.08 Gallons 33,154,696 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,627 755
Number of employees resident on-site 4 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 10,475 6,774
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,230 990
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 462 198
Weighted campus users 8,840 5,863.25

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 5,358.04 Gallons 5,654.66 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
5.25

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 3,026,463 Gross square feet 1,392,472 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 15.65 Gallons per square foot 23.81 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
34.27

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 120 Acres 60 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 394,709.18 Gallons per acre 552,578.27 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
28.57

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:

The Energy and Water team from the Office of Sustainability provide conservation education to the campus. Numerous retrofit projects on toilets, showers, and faucets have been completed. Signage has accompanied many of the retrofit projects.


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

Water recovery and reuse is illegal in the state of Colorado. UCCS uses rain gardens to slow water down and direct water through landscapes.


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 built with low-flow faucets, dual-flush/low-use toilets, and low-flow shower heads where applicable.
The university has completed numerous water retrofit projects including dual flush 1.6/1.1gpf toilets (from 3.5), .125gallon urinals, .5gpm aerators, and 1.5 showerheads in housing.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Performance year is for a 3 year average from 2015-2017.


Performance year is for a 3 year average from 2015-2017.

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.