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- Associated Project(s):
TRT User Manual available now
Associated Project(s):The TRT User Manual based on Energy Farm is now available via two campus links:
Attached Files:October 2020 construction progress
Associated Project(s):For this month's progress, the fence has been installed and the statistics are as follows:
191 rows with motors and partial torque tubes.
103 with all torque tubes and ready for panels.
79 rows of panels.
These numbers are included in each other, i.e., the 103 is included in the 191 and the 79 is included in the 103.
Thank you,
Sushanth Girini
Management Engineer,
Facilities & Services,
UES-Utility Distribution, UIUCStudent collaboration: Promotion of bicycle registration system
Associated Project(s):Sarthak Prasad met with Shayna Talpallikar to discuss her proposal to promote bicycle registration on campus. Bicycle Registraiton has been mandatory for years, as explained in the University Bicycle Ordinance, and the university should promote it more like that. There is a new national registration system, with a one-time $10 registration fee, and it is available to all - students, faculty, staff, alumni (in C-U area), departmental bicycles, as well as the residents of Urbana, Champaign, Savoy, or any other Champaign County residents.
Shayna expressed interest in helping us out with this project and how we can achieve it. We discussed two main ideas, and thought adding signage to major bicycle parking areas to be the best option right now. Another option was to have Bicycle Registration days or events across campus where we give out free donuts and raffle option to those who register. However, this idea was discouraged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please see attached some notes from the meeting. A recording of the meeting is also available.
Attached Files:Weekly Update: Abandoned bicycles, Sustainability Celebration
Associated Project(s):All,
Mike, a semi-regular at the old shop, walked in on Friday for his appointment, looked around and said, “What’d you have to do to get upgraded to such a nice spot?”
Just another positive review of our new space.
I coordinated with Parking to do more frequent pick ups—but smaller loads—of abandoned bikes, which should allow for a better flow of bikes in and out of the bike center. This should be more manageable for myself and my staff going forward, as well.This week is a Campus Sustainability Celebration on Tuesday, a CBC staff meeting Wednesday evening, and warm weather to close out the week, which usually equals some more traffic, but we’ll see if that holds during a pandemic.
The numbers:
Visitors: 14
Sales: $178.20
Memberships: 4 for $120
Misc parts: 4 for $40Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center ManagerPresentation on Building Envelopes to F&S from Bill Rose
Associated Project(s):Bill Rose, from the Indoor Climate Research and Training group (ICRT), provided an overview of the need for evaluating and improving building envelopes on campus to a group of Facilities & Services staff.
Campus Sustainability Celebration
Associated Project(s):iSEE and F&S are excited to invite you to the Campus Sustainability Celebration 2020! This is an annual event that is especially exciting this year with the signing ceremony of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) 2020, (once every five years) and the presentation of energy conservation and Freezer Challenge awards. Everyone is invited and encouraged to stay afterward for a social-hour!
Campus Sustainability Celebration
October 20, 3 pm • Map
Meredith Moore • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
This opportunity is available online.
Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules
Associated Project(s):According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. and this growth will continue to rise. At the moment, only a few states have adopted solar PV end-of-life handling policies. Thus, a lot of modules may end up in landfills. The panel discussion will be on barriers, policies, and sustainable opportunities for end-of-life PV modules.
Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules
October 22, 9:30–11 am
Jennifer Martin • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
This opportunity is available online.
eweek announcement
Associated Project(s):Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. and this growth will continue to rise. At the moment, only a few states have adopted solar PV end-of-life handling policies. Thus, a lot of modules may end up in landfills. The panel discussion will be on barriers, policies, and sustainable opportunities for end-of-life PV modules.
October 22, 9:30–11 am
Jennifer Martin • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
10/16 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting
Associated Project(s):Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 10/16.
Discussed were the following topics:
Reducing Food Waste
- Post-consumer food waste prevention
- Post-consumer food waste recovery
Vending Machine Alternatives to Single-use plastics
Plastic Recovery
Single Use Plastics
Illini Union Shadowbox attachment
Food Literacy Project
Attached Files:10/16 Transportation SWATeam Meeting
Associated Project(s):Attached are the meeting minutes from the 10/16 meeting.
Discussed were the following:
AmpUp Demo
Attached Files:Solar Farm 2.0 in F&S Quarterly Report
Associated Project(s):SOLAR FARM 2.0 CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
Construction started on the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign’s Solar Farm 2.0 in August, with a commercial operation date expected for early 2021. The new 54-acre, 12.1 megawatt (MWdc) solar array is located north of Curtis Road, between First Street and U.S. Route 45, next to the Village of Savoy. Once completed, the solar farm will produce 20,000 MWh annually, almost tripling the university’s existing on-site renewable energy generation. Through a combination of utility-scale installations, integrated facility rooftop arrays, and wind power purchase agreements, clean power usage at the U of I will increase to more than 52,000 MWh per year, which is over 10 percent of the campus electrical demand. Faculty have already identified research projects that will use the Solar Farm 2.0 installation, primarily related to the pollinator-supportive plants under and around the panels.iCAP 2020 Assesments
Associated Project(s):Attached are the compiled iCAP 2020 assessments from each of the iCAP teams.
Attached Files:Weekly Update: Open hours sign, bikes pick up
Associated Project(s):All,
Last week I had an epiphany that we should probably have a sign on the door that lists our hours, even if they are appointment only. That’s in the works, should be ready tomorrow.
With the decrease in testing for grad/staff we’ve had to turn a few people away for not being up-to-date. They have, by and large, been totally understanding. A few people have emailed and canceled ahead of time, which is welcomed.Set up a secondary pegboard in the shop to better organize freewheel/cassette tools—it’s a vast improvement over the drawer and/or coffee can we’d been using before. Last week I grabbed the scrap metal bin, some miscellaneous parts, and Aquaham Lincoln. He’ll live atop the fridge.
This week I’ll coordinate with Parking to pick up a few bikes—only space for 3 or so—for instructional/teaching purposes with the new hires, schedule a staff meeting for my team, finalize placement for wheel hooks around the shop to increase storage.The numbers:
Visitors: 12
Sales: $747
Memberships: 4 for $120
Refurb bike: 2 for $430
Tire/tubes: 10 for $57Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Campus Bike Center ManagerRed Oak Rain Garden Nears Completion with Award of Grants
Associated Project(s):Please see the attached file for a recent press release regarding the Red Oak Rain Garden and their awarded grants from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
Inovateus Solar included Solar Farm 2.0 in their newsletter!
Associated Project(s):Please see the attached newletter, published by Inovateus Solar, that includes a piece on the University of Illinois' Solar Farm 2.0.
Attached Files:Resilience iCAP Team Follow-Up Meeting
Associated Project(s):The Resilience SWATeam met again on October 9th, 2020 at 12pm. The team completed the iCAP 2020 Assessment and in doing so determined the team's priorities for the year. The Assessment has been sent it to the iCAP Working Group, and the team is looking forward to advancing our objectives!
Attached are a PDF of the completed Resilience iCAP Assessment, meeting minutes, and chat log.
The agenda was as follows:
1. Review iCAP 2020 Assessment (Due October 9th)
2. Update on Hazard Mitigation Plan recommendation
3. Plans for future meetings
4. Announcements
10/5 Resilience iCAP Team First Meeting
Associated Project(s):The Resilience SWATeam met for the first time on October 5th, 2020 to get to know one another other and assigned team members to specific iCAP 2020 Objectives. We did icebreakers and new student members were introduced to different faculty, staff, and community members that are leading projects throughout campus. The team will have a follow-up meeting on October 9th to discuss work done over the past week and complete the iCAP 2020 Assessment. Attached are the meeting minutes.
The agenda was as follows:
1. Introductions
2. Evaluation of current progress on completing iCAP 2020 Objectives
Attached Files:Additional solar installed with fourth floor offices
Associated Project(s):Additional rooftop solar was installed on the Business Instructional Facility (BIF) in summer 2019. The construction drawings called for 19 solar PV panels rated 200-360W, with microinverters, with a fixed tilt for each panel ranging from 21 to 40 degrees off the roofing surface.
Campus Tree Advisory Committee: General Meeting notes from October 2020
Associated Project(s):Attached are the notes from the October general meeting of the Campus Tree Advisory Committee.
Attached Files: