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Project Updates for collection: Living Lab Facilities / Programs

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  1. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week was fairly busy. Not swamped but steady. Felt like business was picking up and the numbers bear that out. Last week Joel and Alana dropped off a new mat and new cleaning supplies. (Thanks, guys!)

    This week, I’ve got two interviews for new student worker help. I may end up closing shop for a couple days this week as the temps creep above 90° and become dangerously hot. Last week people were complaining about the heat and it was only in the mid-80s in here. I’ll fill up the water jug with ice water and have cups on hand.

     

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 69

    Sales: $1,840.75

    Bikes (refurb): 5 for $865
    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $242
    Memberships: 8 for $240

    Tire/tubes: 9 for $49

     

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  2. Rooftop Solar work to start this summer

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs

    The 235,000 GSF facility for the Electrical and Computer Engineering department will integrate instruction and research. This project is to reinforce structural steel members in the building for the future placement of a rooftop solar array. There are 970 modules to install with a total DC power rating of 272 kW.

  3. Solar Urbana-Champaign 3.0 launches

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Urbana-Champaign

    Solar Urbana-Champaign is back with version 3.0! 

    • New options for renters, homeowners, commercial property owners, businesses, and farm owners.
    • Now available in Piatt County in addition to Champaign County.
    • Solar Power Hour presentations all summer long.
    • September 30 sign-up deadline.
    • Solar Power Hour kick-off events: Wednesday, May 16 in Urbana and Thursday, May 17 in Monticello (see below).

    The successful Solar Urbana-Champaign group purchasing program is available again in 2018. Since 2016, the program has led to the installation of over 1 megawatt of solar on 138 properties across Champaign County. The program has educated hundreds of individuals about solar and helped people save on solar through volume purchasing.
    Now, the program expands eligibility to Piatt County residents as well as Champaign County residents. And, thanks to new state legislation, even more people can get access to solar.
    Start by attending a Solar Power Hour (full calendar below). This free information session teaches you the basics of solar, its financial implications for your household, and how the solar group buy program works. Then, get a free, no obligation site assessment from the competitively selected solar installer for Solar Urbana-Champaign 3.0.
    This program was brought to you by the City of Urbana, Prairie Rivers Network, and the Midwest Renewable Energy Assocation. We welcome everyone to help spread the word!
    If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know by responding directly to this email. Shine on!

    - Peter
     

  4. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week picked up a little. We had a couple days there of pretty steady busyness. Summer weather’ll do that!

    I’ve hired two new student workers for the summer, which is a start, but will need to hire a few more in time for the Fall semester once Evan, Dennis, and Lucas move on.

     

    I dropped off a stack of quarter sheet flyers at Champaign Cycle over the weekend, much to their delight, so we’ll have a little more exposure in the wider off-campus community.

     

    This week I’ll continue processing the bikes donated from Champaign Cycle’s Community Bike Sale. I’ll do final safety inspections on the half dozen or so bikes that are almost ready for sale. Additionally, I’ll begin training the new student staffers.

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 87
    Sales: $598.20
    Bike (refurb): 1 for $110
    Memberships: 3 for $90
    Tires/tubes: 9 for $49

     

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  6. Chancellor Jones sends congratulations letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education

    Chancellor Jones sent a congratulatory letter to the Tree Campus Advisory Committee, in recognition of their efforts to be recognized as a Tree Campus USA. That letter, as well as the letter from the Arbor Day Foundation, are attached here.

    "Congratulations to all of the Campus Tree Advisory Committee on your efforts that led to Illinois being recognized as a Tree Campus USA for a third consecutive year! This is a very visible example of what our campus commitment to environmental sustainability looks like in practice. I also know that this recognition is not simply a paper honor handed out to every university that applies, but only goes to universities that meet the exacting criteria set out by the Arbor Day Foundation. Thank you for all your hard work. The new tree on the Quad planted to celebrate this latest honor is going to be a great addition to the campus skyline."

    Robert J. Jones, chancellor
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Attached Files: 

  7. SWATeam Appreciation Letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Topical iCAP Teams
    Agriculture, Land Use, Food, and Sequestration (ALUFS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Water and Stormwater SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    See attached the Appreciation Letter sent to all SWATeams earlier this month.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Encourage Active Transportation

    All, last Tuesday was BIKE TO WORK DAY! It was great! Great weather, great turnout, great conversation, great blindingly bright Vision Zero t shirts. I even sold some tubes and lights here at the Bike Center during the event and helped with some minor tune-ups. Peak times—no surprise—was 8:30 – 9am. After that a few stragglers hung around until  l0.

     

    On Saturday we had the Bike Rodeo at the ARC parking lot. While we didn’t have the huge turnout we were hoping for, the event ran really smoothly and we were able to educate and teach a lot about bike safety and bike-handling skills. Nothing beats showing a kid who’s barely taller than a bike pump how to air up their tires. Needless to say, that was a team effort.


    This week will be a major shop clean and purge as we’ve received another 8 or so bikes from Champaign Cycle that are on-the-whole quality bikes that need somewhere to be stored. And last week with the doors open a lot of leaves and debris got blown into the shop, so that’ll all need cleaning up as well.

     

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 70
    Sales: $828.60
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $160
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tire/tube: 16 for $89

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  16. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, it’s almost BIKE MONTH! Tomorrow is BTWD! Student staff and I will be running the event, which promises—at this point—to be fantastic weath er.

     

    Last week was slightly abridged since I took Monday off. Hours ran smoothly without me. The remaining days were a healthy amount of busy but skewed towards slow overall. This week looks to be warmer.

    I taught a class at ARC on Tuesday night. 10 people showed up, one of whom came to the Bike Center the next day and declared, “Your class inspired me to try to repair my own bike”. Couldn’t have hoped for a better result!

     

    On Friday I interviewed two new student workers that I will be hiring. They’re both freshman, which provides me with ample time to mold them into expert bicycle helpers--and they were willing to stick it out through some tough, frustrating hub repairs I had them do. Elsewhere on the staffing front, Leah will be leaving us for the greener pastures of Cunningham Children’s Home in the next week or two. Shean will follow sometime after graduation, I believe. They’ve both been great employees; they’ll be missed around here.

     

    Numbers:

    Sales: $296.50
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Tire/tube: 6 for $50

    No B-a-B or refurbished sales

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  18. SSC Funding Agreement - Eco Olympics

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Eco-Olympics

    SSC approved a $200 micro grant to Eco-Olympics for digital signage in the residential halls. These signs will display progress and energy savings.

    "Eco-Olympics is an energy saving competition between the dorms. Residents sign up for teams which then participate in activities led by hall captains to earn points. Energy use also translates into points, and less energy used means more points. At the end of the three week competition, the team with the most points is declared the winner and members of that team receive a prize."

    Attached Files: 

  19. SSLC Seeks Vice President

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)

    We are looking for a UIUC student who is passionate, excited, and driven to work towards solutions to environmental issues here on campus and in the greater CU community to serve as the Vice President of SSLC for 2018-2019! This student should be willing to help organize and facilitate the networking and collaboration of the members and RSOs represented on this council, which may include tasks such as:

    1. Leading and contributing to open discussions on ideas and potential events to promote sustainable initiatives.
    2. Providing insightful thoughts about how to best encourage collaboration between sustainability RSOs on campus.
    3. Representing the student voice to university administration through committee meetings.

    Specific duties of the Vice President may include:

    1. Taking notes of prominent ideas discussed at meetings.
    2. Following up with Council members regarding their ideas and events.
    3. Leading Council meetings in the absence of the President.
    4. Managing the Council listserv.
    5. Co-planning and co-implementing programming, such as guest speakers, for Council development.

    Prior involvement with the sustainability community on campus is encouraged but not required. While this position is unpaid, course credit (ENVS 491) is available.

    Qualifications:

    • UIUC undergraduate or graduate student
    • A desire to make our community more sustainable
    • Communication & interpersonal skills
    • Self-motivated & organized
    • Problem-solver and service-oriented
    • Passion for supporting student leaders and student organizations
    Attached Files: 

  20. steam use at greenhouses

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal at the Energy Farm

    The Deep Direct Use geothermal project has completed a preliminary assessment of steam use for greenhouses on UIUC campus. Steam usage in the greenhouses at Turner Hall and Plant Sciences building were compared with Lincoln Hall (pre and post renovations) for the period 2013-2018.

     

    Generally, the steam use in greenhouses is 3-5 times higher (mmBTU per square foot) than in an academic building. Together, the greenhouses have produced ~25MT CO2/MWh) over the 5-year period.

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