| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.87 |
| Liaison | Cindy Shea |
| Submission Date | Dec. 23, 2020 |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
OP-21: Water Use
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 6.00 |
Margaret
Holton Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Manager ES Water/Sewer |
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 | 784,044,000 Gallons | 760,911,000 Gallons |
Potable water use:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use | 463,125,000 Gallons | 760,911,000 Gallons |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2018 | June 30, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 1999 | June 30, 2000 |
A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:
The campus suffered a severe drought in 2001/2002 and instituted aggressive and ongoing water conservation measures as a result.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 8,554 | 6,754 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 17 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 198 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 29,272 | 21,921.67 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 13,329 | 9,591 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,007 | 271.50 |
| Weighted campus users | 33,536.25 | 25,119.38 |
Potable water use per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per weighted campus user | 13,809.68 Gallons | 30,291.79 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 | 19,483,802 Gross square feet | 11,685,234 Gross square feet |
Potable water use per unit of floor area:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Potable water use per unit of floor area | 23.77 Gallons per square foot | 65.12 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 | 565 Acres | 559.50 Acres |
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds | 1,387,688.50 Gallons per acre | 1,359,983.91 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:
UNC uses non-potable water from multiple sources including: reclaimed water from the local water and sewer authority (treatment plant is adjacent to campus), harvested rainwater stored in cisterns, and collected condensate.
The Energy Services Chilled Water utility is the largest user of non-potable water at UNC. Non-potable water (primarily reclaimed water) is used for cooling tower make-up water at the four, central chilled water plants on campus.
The FedEx Global Education Center, the Genome Sciences Building, Marsico Hall, and the NC Botanical Garden Visitor Center have non-potable water flushing systems.
Both above and below ground cisterns store clean rainwater that is harvested to flush toilets and irrigate landscapes. These include the football practice fields, Fetzer Field, Boshamer Stadium (baseball). When rainwater is insufficient, reclaimed wastewater from OWASA provides a non-potable backup.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:
Water saving laboratory equipment, toilets, sinks, showers, and urinals are specified in new building projects and renovations. During the 2001/2002 and 2007/2008 droughts significant investments were made in a variety of water consuming technologies.
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 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.