Water technologies on campuses

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3 replies [Last post]
seann.sweeney@aashe.org's picture
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StaffAASHE Member
Joined: Jul 6 2009

What are the newest technologies campuses are using to address water issues that relate to agriculture and industrial processes?  With water becoming an increasingly important issue in the nation, and the world, it would be great for campuses to share how they are addressing the issue.

rvanderveen@dlrgroup.com's picture
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AASHE Member
Joined: Dec 23 2008

Not sure if this answers your question.  As an architect working closely with landscape architects in our office, we have projects on several campuses.   Our goal on these projecsts is net zero water use.  We are looking at black water waste treatement on campuses in "living machines"  or other micro systems that allow water re-use. 

Some of our more innovative agriculuture projects are in the commercial sector.  We are beginning to design roof tops of stores to handle greenhouse agriculture supplying vegetables to the markets below.  We are also looking more and more at vertical farming.  The idea that agriculture can happen in the city going up vertically along side a building.  In both scenarios, the water for growing is from captured rainfall on the building.

Most of these new technologies are really just old technologies...  

 

From my experience, the two best things to do on campus are:

1.  Pressure the administration to reduce campus lawns.

2.  Meter and bill each department for their own water use.       

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AASHE Member
Joined: Dec 23 2008

I am currently working on a survey study of how colleges/universities manage their water resources, which should shed some light on this topic.

niles@aashe.org's picture
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Joined: Dec 16 2008

Hey Amani,
Your survey sounds interesting! Please feel free to share the results and analysis once they are complete. I think many other campuses could find it helpful.