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Project Updates for collection: Living Lab Facilities / Programs

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  1. Chicago Radio News

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    A mention about the Solar Farm project (see submission below) will be read on Chicago radio (popular morning show) in September as a part of the university’s branding/marketing efforts.

    UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA - CHAMPAIGN

    Did you know the U of I is building a 20 acre Solar Farm on campus this year that will be one of the largest university solar arrays in the nation?   It will produce enough electricity yearly to power 700 typical U.S. homes.  Just another cool fact brought to you by the U of I.

  5. news mention

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    Nice Solar Farm reference in this article about Ohio University….

    “We can learn from and be inspired by these models. Meanwhile, other schools also developing significant solar energy projects, such as University of Maryland (2 MW), Rochester Institute of Technology (2 MW), Elon University (3 MW), University of Illinois (5.87 MW), and Pennsylvania State University (the class of 2015 is holding a solar-array design contest to determine its gift to PSU).”

    http://www.athensnews.com/opinion/readers_forum/ou-can-start-transition-to-green-energy-by-working-with/article_a18cc578-3086-11e5-9dfe-7f529356389c.html

  6. YMCA leaders meet with sustainability staff

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Emily Cross and Mike Doyle from the University YMCA met with Ben McCall from iSEE, Nancy Holm from ISTC, and Morgan Johnston from F&S to describe the history and process of the YMCA Dump and Run.  The program has been around for approximately 15 years, and a couple years ago they expanded collections to include the campus residence halls.  There are many opportunities to grow the program, and thereby reduce the waste going to landfills, but the YMCA staff are currently at capacity for managing the program.

  7. vertical solar idea

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus
    Vertical Solar Panels on MEB

    The Architecture Review Committee (ARC) got an inquiry about the possiblity of mounting solar vertically on south-facing walls (without windows).  This could be a sheer flush-mounted solar PV array immediately against the wall.  The PVs would not produce as much energy as a roof-top array, but there could be fewer issues with rooftop penetrations, etc.  The ARC noted that there is not a specific policy about this idea yet, and they would willing to work with the idea on installation on a case by case, building by building basis, at least until there is a comprehensive policy in place.

    For a given capacity of PV modules, a vertical wall will harvest 78% of the energy that a flat roof would, and 67% of the energy that could be harvested at a 40 degree tilt. While this is not ideal, the costs may be lower and the maintenance and roof loading concerns would not pertain.  Two possible candidates are the south wall of NSRC (which has no windows in the "central" part) and the south facade of the Tryon Festival Theater in Krannert, which is actually somewhat tilted.

    <post edited on 7/15/2024, added "Vertical Solar Panels on MEB" project, mbwhite>

  8. IBI student leaders meet with iSEE representatives

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI)

    Adam Dornford, Rahul Gogia, and Tarsis Sousa met with Professor Ben McCall, Professor Madhu Khanna, and Morgan Johnston at iSEE.  The discussion revolved around the faculty advisor needs for the group.  Madhu Khanna will be the faculty advisor of record, and Ben McCall will continue to participate with the program.  There may be a graduate student in analytical chemistry who could assist with the chemical aspects of the program.

    Issues reviewed at this meeting included:

    • numbers of students anticipated to participate once IBI is running again - at the height of the IBI program in the past, there were nearly 100 students involved - need to recruit some new students - partnering with I-energy - would be good to have hands-on work for getting students interested
    • equipment selection for the new program - they will start with using the existing 50 gallon plug-n-play items BioPro 190 have two of them in the basement of ABL
    • soap program - for Dining Services pre-wash of dishes
    • consider tracking utility costs for the overall program - with a Life-cycle Cost Accounting (LCA), and associated GHG emission reductions
    • potential bench space options AESB, RAL?
    • what information does IBRL need in order to fully support IBI being included in their facility? feasibility analysis.  

    Emails from each group - Dining, Car Pool, Energy Farm, SSC - to document what you will do...  prepare a mini proposal (with short term and long term plans) and send to this group - include:

    • organizational structure - who is doing what, including faculty advisors and all students, management plan - how many students are going to be in and out of the facility
    • phases for process - over a 3 year plan, to show continuity
    • business plan for operations - how will you do it
    • financial program - costs to operate and anticipated revenue

  9. IBI key student leaders gearing up for the fall

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI)

    IBI representatives, Adam Dornford and Rahul Gogia, are meeting with campus stakeholders to get ready for the fall semester.  Discussion topics include:

    • temporary storage space (move from ISTC)
    • long term lab space
    • funding for new equipment (some funding is allocated already by the SSC)
    • faculty advisor options
    • end users on campus for the biodiesel that will be produced
    • supply of waste food oil from Housing
    • benefits to students, and ways to reach out to get new student members across disciplinary lines
    • business case to IBRL for a continuous operation at their new facility

  10. Arboretum Native Plantings Award Letter

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

    The University of Illinois Arboretum has historically showcased formal displays of annual ornamental plants and selected trees. There is increased interest in developing plots and displays of native plants, especially those that are beneficial to pollinators. This project will introduce a variety of such native plants into several settings at the Arboretum. The Arboretum intends to use the plantings as an outdoor laboratory that will be used for formal and informal education about the role of native plants in provision of ecosystem services such as pollination adn improving soil quality. The experience gained will lay the ground work for future expansion of the concept including large plantings within selected locations and patches of clearly labeled plants that will allow visitors to learn their names and characteristics.
    The plantings will also provide physical examples of how small plantings can be used in personal and commercial landscapes. The use of perennial native plants will help the Arboretum assess the potential to save money and other resources by using more plants that do not have to be repurchased and replanted annually. The native plants along with improved habitat conditions will support a large number of local pollinators and other insect and bird species that are increasingly threatened by loss of habitat, and provide an instructional resource for university classes and local schools.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Award Letter - Biomass for Vermicomposting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Vermicompost
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC awarded the Sustainable Student Farm a grant in 2013 to build a transplant greenhouse that also housed a vermicomposting pilot porject with Dining Services. This was meant to test the feasability of collecting pre-consumer food waste from the Dining hall facilities and converting it into worm compost for use on the student farm. In its first year of operation the greenhouse has been heated soley from propane, which is the most common and simplest heating system for these types of greenhouses. The nature of the worms used in this type of composting require an ideal temperature range of 40-80F. In order to attain this, the greenhouse needs to be heated during the winter months.

    In 2014 the greenhouse consumed approximately 1600 gallons of propane for heating. At an average price of $2 this equals $3200/year in heating costs. By comparison if the biomass furnace is used and can replace 80% of the heating requirements that would only cost $1664/year in heating costs. The main reaplacement fuel would be #2 Shell Corn @ 15% moisture. This is readily available in the midwest and costs on average about $3.5/bushel. It would take about 366 bushels of corn to replace the BTU’s provided by the propane. The nature of managing the biomass furnace would allow us to replace only 80% of the heating requirements for the greenhouse. Future development of these furnaces could one day replace the requirement completely. However, the propane system will be kept as a back up.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Award Letter - Demo Cargo Bike

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    The idea for the project came after noticing most trucks on campus are only hauling small loads compared to the capacity they were made for. We believe we could switch many transportation tasks over to human powered vehicles. We are hoping we can use a demonstration cargo bike to show different departments how they can use sustainable transportation rather than large fossil fuel powered trucks. We want the departments to see how useful cargo bikes can be and then buy their own. This would not only save money, reduce pollution and congestion, but open up opportunities for student workers who do not have driver’s licenses to do these tasks. This would open up more jobs for students on campus as well as let them participate in sustainable transportation which they could then take and implement after they graduate.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Award Letter - IFSI Filtration

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Fire Service Institute: LEED Silver
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This project is aimed at ensuring that water runoff from firefighter training at the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute is not introducing carbonaceous material into a nearby stream. This project will improve sustainability in that the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute will ensure that water leaving the training ground is clean and non-turbid. Doing so will avoid violating the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, and will allow IFSI to continue to serve the over 60,000 students it reaches annual on the campus in Champaign and throughout Illinois. It will exceed campus standards because this project is a proactive solution, focusing on solving a problem that has not yet resulted in an EPA citation, local complaint, or significant environmental issue. This project addresses improvements necessary to ensure that only clean water is discharged. Other solutions have been investigated, and this solution has the broadest support and is the most complete solution.

    Attached Files: 

  14. Award Letter - Makers Bike Seat

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Makers UIUC Bike Seat Project is a student-centered venture to design, produce, and distribute an environmentally-friendly and economical bike seat cover in order to promote biking on campus. By providing a way of protecting bicycle seats, we are addressing the problems of biking in adverse weather conditions. Our intention is not only to design a product made with environmentally friendly materials, but to encourage the use of eco-friendly transportation as a whole.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Award Letter - Solar Car

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Electric Vehicles (EV)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This project is to build and test a scaled-down prototype of the electrical system of a solar car. The major parts of this prototype are the solar array, maximum power point trackers (MPPT), rechargeable batteries, and a load. The solar array will be made of flexible silicon crystalline solar cells encapsulated (to protect from debris and enhance performance) and mounted on a contoured composite panel that mimics the surface of our car body. The applicant will design and build our own MPPT which is a variable DC/DC boost converter that raises the voltage of their array. The MPPT has a feedback loop control to ensure maximum output from the array under different insolation and temperatures. The rechargeable batteries will be Li-ion batteries that will act as a buffer energy source when sunlight is not available or is insufficient to power the system. Although Li-ion batteries have a high energy density, they require a battery management system to ensure safe and optimal operation. Thus, they will purchase a battery management system that is suitable for our car. Lastly, the energy generated by the solar array will power a load, which will be a motor planned to be borrowed from another team.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Layout of Demonstration Plots

    Associated Project(s): 
    Native Plants at Arboretum

    Here is the layout of the 4 prairie plots just west of the pollinatarium building and wooded area.  They are designed to give decision makers and homeowners an idea of how prairie plantings of different heights can look.

    The plant mix is good for pollinators and will have something in bloom most of the growing season, it was however limited by what we could get late in the late spring. 

    ~John C. Marlin, PhD, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    Attached Files: 

  17. bike warehouse cleanout

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Michelle,

    I have removed all bikes from the warehouse.

    James

    From: Wahl, Michelle
    Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 6:27 PM
    To: Roedl, James M
    Cc: Johnston, Morgan B; DeLorenzo, Stacey; Calloway, Jason Robard; Wise, Michael Anthony
    Subject: Re: Bike Pick Up!

    That is awesome thanks for the quick reply! I will let Kari know tomorrow! 

    Michelle 
    Sent from my iPhone


    On Apr 28, 2015, at 5:18 PM, Roedl, James M wrote:

    Michelle,

    I can work with Kari and should be able to get all of those bikes out by Friday the 1st.  If that works for you.

    Thanks,
    James

     

  18. Community Arbor Day Proclamation 2015

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education

    Hello Campus Tree Advisory Committee,

    Tomorrow is the Arbor Day Celebration on the Main Quad at 11:30.  The signed proclamation is attached here.  Please also welcome our newest committee member, Maggie Thomas, a student volunteer. 

    We are working to spread the word about the event tomorrow, so please remind your friends and coworkers to attend.  Please join us if you are able! 

    Thanks,

    Morgan

    Link to benefits from Trees: http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/resources/benefits_trees.pdf

    Thank you Email and invitation:

    Mayors:

    Thank you for your staffs help in preparing for our first Arbor Day on campus.  Mike Brunk, in Urbana, has been very helpful with coordinating the joint proclamation with Urbana, Champaign, and UIUC.  We intend to hold a celebration on April 24 at 11:30 on the Main Quad by the Henry Administration Building.  Mike DeLorenzo will read the proclamation, our staff will share a short explanation about the benefits of trees, students from Uni High will be there supporting the event, and then our Grounds division will plant a new tree.  There will also be a trivia contest for the attendees, and we will hand out white pine saplings.   

    I know your schedules are very busy but I hope that you will be able to stop by during our celebration, and we would be happy to share information about your Arbor Day events as well.

    Thanks;

    Al Stratman

    Executive Director, Facilities & Services

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    1501 S. Oak Street, 135C PPSB, M/C 800

    Champaign, IL 61820-6905

    (217) 333-2500

    Attached Files: 

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