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Project Updates for collection: Living Lab Facilities / Programs

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  1. archived info - previous project description

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Greywater Pipe System

    The Business Instructional Facility (BIF) was designed for future use of greywater, which is raw (untreated) water. Although the building is fed from the potable water supply, there is separate piping for the urinals and water closets in the building. Utilities does not yet have a greywater system in place. When such a system becomes available, the connection in BIF that serves its fixtures can then be transferred to the greywater supply.

  2. Campus Tree Inventory Recommendation - unit approval

    Associated Project(s): 
    ALUFS Recommendations Summary
    Campus Tree Inventory
    Tree Campus Higher Education
    Utilize Carbon Credits

    The ALUFS SWATeam recommended that F&S complete an update to the campus tree inventory.  This recommendation was supported by the iCAP Working Group, and the Campus Tree Advisory Committee.  During spring 2017, Director of iSEE Evan DeLucia and Interim Executive Director of F&S Helen Coleman both approved using Carbon Credit Sales funding to complete the inventory.  Campus Landscape Architect Brent Lewis will be responsible for initiating the inventory and working with Superintendent of Grounds Ryan Welch to oversee the progress.

    See iWG ALUFS002 Assessment.

    See SWATeam ALUFS002 Recommendation.

  3. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week was abbreviated: first by the weather on Wednesday (95° was the afternoon high, so I did not have open hours for safety reasons); and then on Friday as I was out of town for my  grandmother’s funeral. We only totaled 62 visitors for the week. Sales were $368 net for the week. We didn’t sell any refurbished bikes. We sold one build-a-bike for $43; four memberships for $120; 10 tires/tubes (used/new) for $41.

    This week I plan to build more bikes, organize parts with Kameron (the high school student), and work on scheduling for the Fall semester. It projects to be very hot the tail end of the week so I will explore options and ways of trying to keep the Bike Center from being dangerously hot so we don’t have to shutter the doors again.

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  4. 2009 Gable House moved

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Solar Decathlon

    Student Sustainability Committee and the School of Architecture worked with F&S to move the 2009 Solar Decathlon House from I Hotel grounds, where it was located for seven years. The house moved to the Energy Bioscience Research Farm on Race Street south of Windsor Road. The 695-square foot building, weighing more than 50,000 pounds, was designed by University of Illinois students and took second place in the U.S Department of Energy’s 2009 Solar Decathlon. Since then it has been used by various campus units, who study the design and construction of the building.

  6. Water001 BIF Greywater Meter recommendation - Transmittal

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Greywater Pipe System
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Water and Stormwater Recommendations Summary

    Following the completion of iWG assessment of Water001 BIF Greywater Meter, the recommendation was transmitted to the Facilities & Services (F&S) department on July 12, 2017.

    See iWG assessment of Water001 BIF Greywater Meter here. 

    See SWATeam recommendation Water001 BIF Greywater Meter here.

  7. Red Oak Rain Garden Renovation Stakeholder Meetings

    Associated Project(s): 
    Red Oak Rain Garden

    Specific stakeholders were invited to join a workshop on July 11, 2017 for stakeholder input to the rennovation design of the Red Oak Rain Garden.

    --------------------------------------

    You’re invited to a series of two facilitated meetings seeking input from stakeholders about the Red Oak Rain Garden.

    Red Oak Rain Garden was installed 10 years ago as part of Tony Endress’ NRES classes. As of this year, the Extension Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists have an agreement in place with F&S Grounds to volunteer with the garden. Although the garden still performs well keeping water off of the pedestrian sidewalk, approximately 90% of the original plantings did not survive. We are working on a renovation plan that will enhance its aesthetics and multi-functionality. But, how exactly does the space function presently? What would be ideal?

    This is where you come in. As either a campus neighbor, student, volunteer, and/or stormwater-related professional, we seek your input that will inform the garden plan.

    Meeting 1: July 11 (Tue) 3 – 4:30 PM ACES Library, Monsanto Rm. Agenda: Provide background/history, ask questions, and present preliminary design direction options.

    Meeting 2: July 20 (Thu) 3 – 4:30 PM ACES Library, Heritage Rm. Agenda: Present refined design options based on feedback from Meeting 1 and seek preferences.

    IWRC intern/MLA Candidate Cameron Letterly will lead the sessions along with a facilitator to guide discussion.

    There will be an opportunity to provide input online for those that cannot be present.

    Please feel free to forward to invitation to others who have an interest in this garden.

    Thank you,

    C. Eliana Brown

    33 NSRC, MC-635, 1101 W. Peabody Dr., Urbana, IL 61801  217-265-0760

    Illinois Indiana Sea Grant  University of Illinois Extension  Illinois Water Resources Center

  8. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week felt on the slow side but I suspect that is a false memory, as our visitor numbers were at 102. That’s about on par for this time of year.

    Sales for the week were: $795.50 overall; one refurbed bike ($210); one B-a-B ($41); one family and three standard memberships ($155); and 21 tires/tubes ($136).  Also of note: $94 in lock sales.

    Last week I had Kameron, the high schooler, come in again. He has really taken to organizing and his efforts are paying off. The shop is overall still a mess, but the small parts are being meticulously organized which helps everyone find what they’re looking for—used parts-wise—that much faster. He will be joining me a couple days this week in the mornings as well.

    We had another Friday Community Ride organized by the student staffers. It went well; we rode to the Urbana First Friday event.

    This week I plan to process the donations we received over the weekend here, work with Kameron in the mornings on organizing and scrapping some of the junk that is cluttering up the space, and build more bikes.

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  9. Conservation Budget Recommendation (ECONS003) - Chacellor's approval

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECBS Recommendations Summary
    Sustainability Council
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Retrocommissioning (RCx)

    Attached is the Chancellor's reply to the ECONS003 Conservation Budget recommendation.

    See Transmittal of ECONS003 Conservation Budget to the Provost Office

    See iWG Assessment of ECONS003 Conservation Budget

    See SWATeam Recommendation of ECONS003 Conservation Budget

    Attached Files: 

  12. Brewing the Best Bankable Biodiesel Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI) converts waste vegetable oil from campus dining halls into biodiesel (intended for campus vehicles) and biosoap (intended for pre-washing in the dining halls), and aims to do so in a financially and environmentally sustainable manner. Currently, Garage and Car Pool, IBI’s largest customer, requires that biodiesel meets the ASTM D6751 standard. This requires frequent quality control testing that would be cost prohibitive for a project of this scale to send to on off-site firm. The equipment funded by SSC through this award will allow students, under faculty guidance, to conduct their own quality control testing at a more economical cost. In addition to the hands-on experience students will gain, this also gives IBI all the tools to be fully financially self-supporting. This proposal directly funds: 1) Equipment for conducting tests 2) Initial reagents and other supplies for the first round of testing.

    Attached Files: 

  13. EV Car Charging Pilot Study Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Public Use Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Campus currently has a scarcity of EV Charging Stations on campus, with only eight public and nine permit-required charging stations on campus utilizing level 1 chargers, and only two level 2 chargers on the far east side of campus. Level 1 chargers take significantly longer to charge than Level 2, and there is distinct room for campus to grow in this regard. This project will expand the number of level 2 chargers on campus to promote the utilization of more electric vehicles. Initially, 1-2 stations will be installed, with metering equipment included in order to track utilization and demand. This proposal directly funds: 1) Up to two Electric Vehicle chargers 2) Installation costs from Facilities and Services.

    Attached Files: 

  14. Funding Letter - Raw Water Metering

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Greywater Pipe System
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Business Instructional Facility (BIF) was constructed with a separate raw water system that conveys non-potable water for the purpose of flushing toilets. While the system is in place, it was never connected to an outside source of non potable water largely due to current non-progressive plumbing codes. Metering the raw water system at BIF would provide data about the temporal total and non-potable water demand in a typical class/office building. F&S installed a temporary meter to measure flow to the raw water system and operated this meter for approximately one month between April and May 2016, which yielded promising results. In particular, for the month that the meter was in place, results indicated about 2/3 of the water used in BIF was for the non-potable lines. Because building usage can vary dramatically during the year, it is recommended to install a meter permanently. Once the meter is installed, the data is intended to be used to support changes to plumbing codes, allowing raw water to be used more easily, as well as changes to the campus construction codes, requiring that separate raw water systems be installed in new buildings and during major renovations of existing ones. This proposal directly funds: 1) An additional meter for the BIF Raw Water line 2) Installation costs.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Residential Native Plants

    Associated Project(s): 
    LAR Native Plants
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall Living and Learning Community (LLC) is aware of the interest in increasing the number of campus locations with native plants. They would like to join the effort to plant Native Plant Species in selected areas around Campus. The goal of this project is to locate plants in places like the unused space between Allen Hall and Lincoln Ave. Residence. There are several other locations around these residences that are suitable for planting near the buildings and in areas where mowing is difficult because of corners and the placing of equipment like large compressors. By selecting a variety of plants that bloom over the growing season, this project provides habitat and food resources for a wide range of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators as well as birds. This proposal directly funds: 1) One Student Internship 2) Site Preparation Costs 3) Soil Supplies and Plants.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Funding Letter - Geothermal TRT

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal Test Well at Energy Farm
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The applied for funding will be used in the construction of a Thermal Response Test unit for use in the Geothermal Pilot project that is currently being implemented on the UIUC Campus. The overall goal of the project is to assess the viability of geothermal heat exchange on this campus as well as the best implementation of this technology. The Thermal response test unit will measure the ability of the local geology to support geothermal heat exchange in the future. The unit will be designed to be used in all future geothermal projects. This project is student-led, and development and construction of the Thermal Response Test Unit will be conducted entirely by University of Illinois students. This proposal directly funds: 1) Construction Supplies 2) Transportation Costs.

    Attached Files: 

  17. Funding Letter - Bike Maintenance Instructor

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    Since 2010, The Bike Project has been collaborating with the University of Illinois to provide an educational space on campus. Bicycle education taught through that space encourages the campus community to ride bicycles for transportation because the bicycles sold and worked on at the Campus Bike Center are reliable and safe. While some people are willing to volunteer to teach advanced level bicycle repair classes at the Bike Center, few are willing to teach very basic entry-level classes addressing such issues as adjusting brakes, lubricating chains, and fixing flat tires. This project funds two semesters of stipend for an instructor to teach classes at the Bike Center covering these topics. Combined class capacity over the two semesters would exceed 200 new cyclists. This proposal directly funds: 1) Two semesters of labor for a beginner-level bicycle class.

    Attached Files: 

  18. Biomass Boiler Open House

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass Boiler at the Energy Farm

    REMINDER: The Energy Farm at Illinois and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) invite you to attend:

    Illinois Energy Farm Open House 
    & Biomass Boiler Ribbon Cutting

    1-3 p.m.

    Wednesday, June 21, 2017

    Illinois Energy Farm 
    (4110 S. Race St., Urbana)

     

    DSC_0224.jpeg
    In celebration of the completed installation of the Farm's state-of-the-art Heizomat biomass boiler, we invite you to tour the newly-built boiler facilities and meet Heizomat representatives.

    Refreshments will be served. Please let us know you are coming so we can plan accordingly!

    Click here to RSVP today!!

  19. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week was uneventful—in a good way. People came, worked on their bikes and/or purchased one, and then left. We had 123 visitors. We netted $1,226.60. We sold: 5 bikes for $640; 1 Build-a-Bike for $84; 6 memberships for $180; 16 tires/tubes/wheels for $111.

    Last week we had what felt like a surplus of volunteers—and inexperienced ones at that. I think at one point there were 8 people in the shop, all staff/volunteers. I will have to do a better job of creating manageable tasks for unskilled labor.

    One longtime member of the Bike Project came by last week to bid farewell, as he got a job in Washington state. He was very thankful for what we do at CBC/TBP and expressed concern over finding a place in Washington as nice and helpful as we are. In parting, he donated some nice studded winter tires since, as he said, it doesn’t snow in the pacific northwest.

    This week I will tackle establishing a manageable system for organizing the pile of bikes in the back. I think sorting by “Starting Price” would be useful, since that is always the first question asked. It would speed up the process and save me some of the anxiety of people pawing around in a potentially dangerous pile of bikes. This week, I will also create more zero-bike-knowledge tasks that volunteers can accomplish without me having to explain the esoterica of bike “standards”. And, of course, bikes will be built.

    Sincerely,

    Jake Benjamin

    Campus Bike Center Manage

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