The Illinois student chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) met with staff to discuss an energy and water conservation program they would like to initiate in FY13.  This would require some meter upgrades which could be implemented in conjunction with the Energy Dashboard project.  In the fall, the students would organize conservation competitions between various residence halls on campus, to promote, highlight, and celebrate sustainable behavior.

The projects committee in the US Green Building Council student chapter is working on a "Green Your Dorm" project encouraging dorms to save energy and water. The SSC has approved funding to put individual metering in dorms. The USGBC chapter made the suggestion that Ikenberry Commons resdence halls be the first to receive meter upgrades.

There are officially 12 proposals submitted, and 11 are responsive per Purchasing’s requirements. The Evaluation Team is: Kent Reifsteck, chair; Mike Marquissee, Keith Erickson, Morgan Johnston, Teresa Temples, Larry Altenbaumer, and Kim Porter.

IDNR staff will review the project because the Franklin's Ground Squirrel may reside there. They state they will require thirty days of review. The Franklin’s Ground Squirrel resides in culverts and areas with low shrubs and prairie grasses and not in cultivated farm areas. Most of the Solar Farm area has been farmed for years.

The proposed Solar Farm was taken through the formal Site Selection process for campus, and approved by the Chancellor’s Capital Review Committee (CCRC).  Then the Request for Proposal (RFP) was published and over 30 vendors downloaded the RFP.  A Fact Sheet and Q&A were sent with introductory letters to the community leaders and Solar Farm site neighbors on First Street.

The Energy Dashboard Project will be a highlighted project at the Behavior Change/ Energy Efficiency Conference.

Illinois Energy Dashboard project, collaboration with the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Department of Facilities and Services (F & S).

This project has been in the works for over a year, with a commitment to provide clearly visible, usable and understandable information to students and staff of chosen University buildings about energy consumption (electrical, chilled water and steam).  We are working with InStep Software, Inc., the University of Illinois vendor for the management and predictive analytics software for energy use on campus.   We are now in Phase One of implementation, the design of the look and content of our public Energy Dashboard site, testing and the public launching of the first version of the Ilini Energy dashboard (Phase two will support the installation of real time meters in about 10 – 12 builings).

This is one in many of the continuing efforts across campus to pull together and unify the significant educational (and research) efforts of departments and Colleges in reducing negative human impact and enhancing sustainability locally, nationally and globally. 

This project is intended to have a threefold effect:

·         Provide real time information to develop awareness and cultural/behavioral changes in how energy is used (not only in the buildings featured but in all aspects of life).

·         Provide information for faculty and students in research.

·         Provide details for building staff to better use resources and energy, and make plans for building adaption in ways that may decrease usage over time.

Because the Solar Farm is being managed by Purchasing, through the RFP process and contracts, there is not a Planner assigned to the entire Solar Farm project. However, the portion of the project that does relate to campus infrastructure is the connection to the Campus Electrical Grid. That will be under the responsibility of Jim Sims as the Planner.

ACES will transfer assignment of 27.8 acres at Kruse Farm to Facilities & Services to provide property for the solar farm installation. ln exchange, Facilities & Services will provide ACES Crop Sciences with $84,250 to re-establish new organic acres as replacement for their research
plots.

Location of land identified for this purpose is near the southwest corner of Windsor Road and First Street, bounded by the railroad tracks to the west and First Street to the east. A total oÍ 27 .B acres has been identified, including the homestead area, as illustrated on the attached map. lf additional acreage is needed, up to a total of 30 acres, land directly east of the homestead area may be made available.

NRES is in the process of developing this farmland to meet organic designation/standards and relocation of this activity will be required in order to accommodate making the land available to F&S. The Department of Crop Sciences has agreed to provide similar acreage to NRES for this purpose. The location of the replacement land will be in the southern portion of the Cruse Farm and is reflected in the 27 acres identified as C1000W 14 acres and C100E 13 acres in the attached map.

To facilitate relocation and to compensate the Department of Crop Sciences, F&S agrees to provide $550/acre for each of 5 years, plus $10,000. Funds would be provided beginning FY12 as outlined below. After the 5-year period, any compensation required by the Department of Crop Sciences will become the responsibility of the Department of NRES.

The lighting retrofit project continues with funding from the Revolving Loan Fund, and is waiting for a grant anticipation account from OSPRA. The funding commitment from the RLF involves working with Energy Services, OBFS, and the RLF committee.

F&S met with key faculty to discuss collaboration opportunities related to implementing a smart grid on campus.  Additionally, the Director of Energy Services at F&S worked with the F&S Sustainability Coordinator and the Executive Director to explain the current status of the campus energy system, including data sources, control systems, financial considerations, and forecasting.  F&S will continue to document the status quo and the visionary smart grid concept, dubbed the Energy Management and Control Center (EMC^2).