| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.37 |
| Liaison | Ruairi O'Mahony |
| Submission Date | Feb. 11, 2022 |
University of Massachusetts Lowell
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.38 / 4.00 |
Karyn
Puleo Executive Director of Facilities Business Operations Facilities |
Level of ”Physical Risk Quantity” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal | 74,312,304 Gallons | 86,452,344 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 74,312,304 Gallons | 86,452,344 Gallons |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2019 | June 30, 2020 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2018 | June 30, 2019 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
NA
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 4,497 | 4,425 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 10 | 11 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 4 | 3 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 15,113 | 14,825 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,960 | 1,926 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 2,374 | 3,876 |
| Weighted campus users | 12,155 | 10,768.25 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 6,113.72 Gallons | 8,028.45 Gallons |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
Gross floor area of building space:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 4,773,194 Gross square feet | 4,687,048 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 15.57 Gallons per square foot | 18.44 Gallons per square foot |
Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
Area of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Vegetated grounds | 48.50 Acres | 48.50 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 1,532,212.45 Gallons per acre | 1,782,522.56 Gallons per acre |
Percentage reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:
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:
At UMass Lowell, the consideration for green building is a priority. In UMass Lowell's Sustainability Initiative and Green Design Standards, as well as Plumbing Standards it is suggested that water use reduction specifications should be employed, specifically to "incorporate plumbing fixtures that are high efficiency or dual flush. Toilets, urinals and faucets should target 20‐40% less water usage than the listed baselines: Toilets 1.6 gpf, Urinals 1.0 gpf, Faucets 0.5 gpm or 0.25 gallons per cycle for metering faucets"
These standards can be found here: http://www.biddocsonline.com/elibrary/divisions/index/90
Website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The baseline year 2019 is the oldest available data with sufficient quality for use in this credit. The performance year 2020 is the most recent data available with a complete accounting of all water use available due to pandemic disruptions. The weighted campus user for each year is typical of UMass Lowell pre-COVID-19 pandemic operating environment, which differs from the information reported in PRE-5 (2021) that is the data used for the vast majority of this STARS report.
Employee and student information is based upon IPEDS reports. Resident individuals was provided by Residence Life and distance education numbers were provided by Institutional Research group.
The baseline year 2019 is the oldest available data with sufficient quality for use in this credit. The performance year 2020 is the most recent data available with a complete accounting of all water use available due to pandemic disruptions. The weighted campus user for each year is typical of UMass Lowell pre-COVID-19 pandemic operating environment, which differs from the information reported in PRE-5 (2021) that is the data used for the vast majority of this STARS report.
Employee and student information is based upon IPEDS reports. Resident individuals was provided by Residence Life and distance education numbers were provided by Institutional Research group.
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.