Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	65.04
Liaison	Richard Manton
Submission Date	July 30, 2021

STARS v2.2

Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
OP-21: Water Use

Status

Score

Responsible Party

1.28 / 4.00

Michael Curran
Head of Building Services, Energy and Utilities
Buildings Office

"---" 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 Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:

Low

Part 1. Reduction in potable water use per person

Total water withdrawal (potable and non-potable combined):

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal	72,733 Cubic meters	78,950 Cubic meters

Potable water use:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Potable water use	72,733 Cubic meters	78,950 Cubic meters

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):

	Start Date	End Date
Performance Period	Jan. 1, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020
Baseline Period	Jan. 1, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:

These years represent what water data was available to us through the Buildings and Estates office.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site	1,198	764
Number of employees resident on-site	11	9
Number of other individuals resident on-site	0	0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment	18,094	17,197
Full-time equivalent of employees	2,321	2,126
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education	216	156
Weighted campus users	15,451.50	14,568.50

Potable water use per weighted campus user:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user	4.71 Cubic meters	5.42 Cubic meters

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

13.14

Part 2. Reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area

Gross floor area of building space:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Gross floor area	213,236 Gross square meters	213,236 Gross square meters

Potable water use per unit of floor area:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area	0.34 Cubic meters per square meter	0.37 Cubic meters per square meter

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

7.87

Part 3. Reduction in total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds

Area of vegetated grounds:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds	85 Hectares	85 Hectares

Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds:

	Performance Year	Baseline Year
Total water withdrawal per unit of vegetated grounds	855.68 Cubic meters per hectare	928.83 Cubic meters per hectare

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

7.87

Optional Fields

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives:

Policies from the Water Charter act as guidance and set norms on campus, available here: https://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/files/Water-Charter.pdf

To raise awareness with staff, students and visitors of water as a critical and limited resource that must be used responsibly.

To eliminate all unnecessary water usage on campus, to maintain and further improve the water usage reductions achieved on campus in the last period.

Engage staff, students and visitors in responsible water usage and water consumption reduction at a building level and beyond by providing water consumption information and inviting inquiry and feedback. Visual displays like the one pictured in this link make students, visitors and staff aware of the significance of their water use, https://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/files/Water-Charter.pdf. The waternomics platform apps provide a very visual and easily understood display of water and energy use in the various buildings across campus.

Water awareness workshops and seminars held across campus and within disciplines and schools promote water conservation and build awareness of water use for students and staff.

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

NUI Galway is committed to the effective and efficient use of water throughout the campus and the appropriate treatment, management and disposal of wastewater. The University will strive to reduce its water usage and increase the use of harvested rainwater through a series of measures, including: water leakage detection and repair programme, education and outreach, process-related efficiency measures, greywater and rainwater harvesting. The Certified Water Stewardship badge shows that the NUI Galway have undertaken a course designed to show Leadership and set goals/targets in reducing water consumption.

Policies from the Water Charter available here: https://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/files/Water-Charter.pdf

NUI Galway to utilise new technologies and methods to reduce water consumption on our Laboratory's and Research labs.

To eliminate the reliance of staff, students and visitors on single use plastics for water consumption.

To reduce water usage on campus by 10% by 2025 based on 2018 baseline.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives:

Policies from the Water Charter available here: https://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/files/Water-Charter.pdf

Continue the programme of installing water metering and sub‐metering on our largest water consumers.

Continue programme of installing water‐saving devices in laboratories, kitchens, workshops and WC facilities across the campus e.g. low flow taps, dual flush WC’s, time control on urinal flushes and showers and low flow shower heads.

Website URL where information about the institution’s water conservation and efficiency efforts is available:

http://www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability/learn-live-lead-model/live/water/

Additional documentation to support the submission:

---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The 213, 236 m^2 is the building area within the scope of water consumption. The 155,090 m^2 reported in PRE 4 and OP5 refers to 58 buildings on campus within the ISO 50001 energy scope.

NUI Galway is committed to reducing bottled water consumption on campus by increasing drinking water facilities, improving signage and implementing a programme of education and awareness. A water-leakage detection and repair programme rolled out on South Campus incorporating mains replacement has reduced water usage by almost two thirds since 2007. The roll-out of a waterless urinal project that eliminates the need for regular timed flushing has resulted in the saving of 29,800 cubic meters of water per annum.

NUI Galway is a global leader for research on life below water and education and support for aquatic ecosystems both locally and globally. The Times Higher Societal Impact Rankings placed NUI Galway 10th in the world for addressing UN SDG 14 – life below water. SDG 14 aims to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution and address the impacts of ocean acidification.