Sustainability - Water
10105. Water Conservation & Quality
Summary:
With the BMPs related to water, UT Arlington seeks to recognize institutions that are conserving water and making efforts to protect water quality. Pumping, delivering, and treating water is a major energy user, so institutions can help reduce energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy generation by conserving water. Likewise, conservation and effective stormwater management are important in maintaining and protecting finite groundwater supplies. Water conservation and effective stormwater management also reduce the need for effluent discharge into local surface water supplies, which helps improve the health of local water ecosystems.
Steps Taken
- Institution has reduced its water consumption per weighted campus user compared to a 2005 baseline.
- Addition of green roofs on existing and new construction on campus.
- New buildings and green spaces utilize native plant species to minimize irrigation requirements.
Program Description
Storm Water Policies
Part 1
Institution has adopted a stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies that mitigate the stormwater runoff impacts of new construction, major renovation, and other projects that increase paved surface area on campus or otherwise significantly change the campus grounds. The policy, plan, and/or strategies address both the quantity and quality (or contamination level) of stormwater runoff.
The policy, plan, and/or strategies cover the entire campus. While the specific strategies or practices adopted may vary depending on project type and location, this credit is reserved for institutions that mitigate stormwater runoff impacts consistently during new construction. Implementing a strategy or strategies for only one new development project is not sufficient for this credit. Policies adopted by entities of which the institution is part (e.g. state government or the university system) may count for this credit as long as the policies apply to and are followed by the institution.
Part 2
Institution has adopted a stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the stormwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations.
The policy, plan, or strategies address both the quantity and quality (or contamination level) of stormwater runoff. Though specific practices adopted may vary across the campus, the policy, plan, and/or strategies cover the entire institution.
The goal of the UT Arlington Storm water Management Program (SWMP) is to eliminate pollution resulting from storm water discharges. UT Arlington uses a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure that runoff from UT Arlington property and construction sites as well as impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops does not adversely affect water quality.
UT Arlington policy specifically prohibits illicit discharges to its storm water management system. Illicit discharges include, but are not limited to, releasing chemicals, oils, gas, antifreeze, fertilizers, and trash, debris and construction sediments to the environment. Those responsible for illicit discharges may be cited under applicable laws and ordinances. UT Arlington encourages members of the University Community and the General Public to report pollution and to offer suggestions for improving The UT Arlington Storm water Management Plan. UTA has employed a full time storm water management coordinator.
Green Roof
The University of Texas at Arlington (UT-Arlington) installed the first extensive green roof in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in April of 2008. The roof was researched, designed, and is being managed by UT-Arlington associate professor and landscape architect David Hopman, ASLA. The approach to the roof is in keeping with the professional priorities of landscape architects and is not a narrowly focused scientific study such as the green roof research at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas or the ongoing studies at The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. The test roof at UT-Arlington is 1000 sf. with approximately 35 species of plants that are heavily biased towards native and near native species. The green roof is divided into two 500 sf. sections. Each section has an industry standard roofing system, irrigation system, and a proprietary soil mix. Detailed information on each of these elements is provided below, including the results of ongoing plant census data. At the time of this writing, the roof is well into a third growing season and is proving the viability of this technology in North Texas.
Irrigation
The campus irrigation control system is being transitioned to a Hunter weather-based, radio-transmit master controller, recognized by the EPA WaterSense program, to reduce campus irrigation requirements by an estimated 20-40%.