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  1. Chancellor Signs Resilience Commitment

    Associated Project(s): 
    Resilience iCAP Team
    Issue Press Releases and Sustainability Reports
    Make Climate Commitments

    http://sustainability.illinois.edu/ui-remains-green-campus-leader-as-cha...

    Illinois a Green Campus Leader as Chancellor Signs Climate Resilience Commitment

    Mar 2, 2016 | News Releases |

    MARCH 3, 2016 — The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign took on a leadership role to more actively respond to global climate change when Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson signed Second Nature’s Climate Resilience Commitment in February.

    Illinois is a Charter Signatory of the Second Nature Climate Commitment, which combines a Carbon Commitment the campus signed in 2008 with the newly signed Resilience Commitment. The full Climate Commitment formally acknowledges that the effects of climate change are already felt — and that universities and colleges must pursue both mitigation and adaptation to combat the unfolding crisis.

    By adding the Resilience Commitment, Illinois has made a pledge to evaluate campus vulnerabilities to a changing climate in its landscapes, natural resources, and energy production — and to make an action plan that addresses those weaknesses.

    In 2015, Illinois released an updated Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) reporting its progress toward emissions reduction and other campus sustainability goals and outlining a new path to reaching net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2050.

    “While the iCAP is a plan for how campus impacts the atmosphere and climate, the resilience plan will be about how the campus reacts to atmosphere and climate change,” said Evan DeLucia, Director of the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).

    Resilience is a measure of the ability to react to and recover from difficult circumstances. Resilient communities bend but do not break under pressure, he said.

    Wilson, who signed the document Feb. 9, said: “Signing the Resiliency Commitment is a natural extension of our efforts to carefully steward university resources. By planning ahead, we can prepare for a range of potential challenges presented by climate change — whether social, financial, or ecological.

    “We’re positioning ourselves to be the kind of nimble and responsive university that can deliver on our educational and research missions for generations to come.”

    DeLucia said that carrying out the terms of the commitment will create a more holistic picture of sustainability on campus.

    “I think this commitment will make us think about sustainability in a broader way,” he said. “Rather than only asking, ‘How much renewable energy do we use?’ we’ll also be asking ‘Do we have a diverse enough pool of energy resources so that if one fails, the entire system doesn’t fail?’ It will be less about being ‘green’ and more about being truly sustainable.”

    A PDF of the Resilience Commitment — complete with Wilson’s signature — can be viewed on iSEE’s website.
    Second Nature is a nonprofit organization with more than 20 years of experience mobilizing institutions of higher education to lead the way to a more just, healthy, and sustainable society. It sponsors the Climate, Resilience, and Carbon commitments and oversees reporting of the signatory institutions’ progress toward their goals.

     

  2. News Release - RLF update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    $1.9M Available for Campus Utility Conservation Projects from the Revolving Loan Fund

    CHAMPAIGN, IL – More than $1.9M will be available for campus projects through the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) this semester. Departments and units interested in submitting utility conservation work for consideration are encouraged to download and complete the RLF application available at: http://go.fs.illinois.edu/rlf. The RLF Committee will evaluate proposals beginning in mid-April with project selection occurring this summer. 

    The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) collaborated with Facilities & Services (F&S) to allocate $500K from Chevrolet Bonneville Environmental Foundation funding into the RLF. The amount was matched by an additional $250K from the Office of the Chancellor with the goal of further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on campus and achieving targets outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP).  

    Through the carbon credit agreement with Chevrolet, acquisition of grant funding, and campus commitments the RLF has grown to a record $3.9M.

    Engineer specialist for F&S Josh Whitson said, “Through both centrally-funded programs and user-based initiatives there is a proven track record of significant cost avoidance and energy reduction at the university. The RLF builds on these successful conservation efforts.”

    Chevrolet retired an estimated 150K metric tons of carbon credits from the university on behalf of the environment in May 2014. The carbon credits were earned through the work of the campus to reduce GHG.

    “By increasing the size of the RLF, our campus has reinforced its commitment to conserving energy and resources — a commitment that will allow the excellent work done by F&S to continue and increase,” said Ben McCall, associate director for campus sustainability at iSEE. “Decreasing our carbon footprint through this cost-effective approach will help Illinois remain a leader among green campuses.”

    The RLF was established in 2011 as a financing source for utility conservation projects with a less than 10-year payback period. The savings from steam, electricity, and chilled or potable water costs are paid back annually, based on initially calculated savings.

    To date, more than $2M has been allocated from the RLF for energy-efficient lighting retrofits, including LED upgrades, and the installation of occupancy sensors.

    BILLION DOLLAR GREEN CHALLENGE:
    The RLF is a recognized part of the Billion Dollar Green Challenge where 57 universities have committed more than $116M for energy conservation efforts: http://greenbillion.org/. The Challenge encourages colleges, universities, and other nonprofit institutions to invest a combined total of $1 Billion in self-managed revolving funds that finance energy efficiency improvements.

    RLF ONLINE:
    More information on the RLF is available on the iCAP Portal: http://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/revolving-loan-fund

    RLF Project Application ​

    Attached Files: 

  3. ECBS SWATeam Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    Ben McCall attended this ECBS SWATeam meeting to join in on the discussion of objectives 2 and 3 under the ECBS section of iCAP 2015.  A consultation group will be formed to help in recommending potential objective 2 strategies.  The main issue is that there is no "one size fits all" standard for all campus buildings.  Various strategies of creating a feedback loop for reducing energy usage were also discussed with regards to objective 3.  Next meeting is set for Tuesday, March 15.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Archived info - RLF previous background info

    Associated Project(s): 
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    This fund was originally called for in the 2010 iCAP, as the “clean energy fund.”  It was established in Fiscal Year 2012, with funding from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Office of the Chancellor.  Within the first year, the Office of the President committed additional funds. 

    With input from the campus community, Facilities & Services, the SSC, the Office of Sustainability, and the Office of the Chancellor worked through the details for selecting projects.  The agreement about the process was signed in November 2011.  According to the  agreement, any grant funds received for RLF projects in campus-funded utility buildings will be allocated entirely to the RLF.  Thus, the fund can grow over time.  Additionally, the campus agreed to match any future additional commitments from the SSC.

    If an Auxiliary unit is interested in using the Revolving Loan Fund for a utility conservation project, a simple Memo of Understanding is needed to allow the repayment through utility savings over time. 

  6. ECBS Objective 4 Subcommittee Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]

    The ECBS Objective 4 Subcommittee met Tuesday, February 16 to continue fleshing out the ECBS SWATeam's fourth iCAP objective, which has to do with increasing campus engagement in sustainability.  Discussion continued on ECIP and potential changes for the upcoming year- a major issue is raising awareness of this program and others like it. By the conclusion of the meeting, the focus of the subcommittee shifted to creating and sending recommendations to the iCAP Working Group, such as a Green Labs Initiative proposal as well as continuing Eco-Olympics or initiating a similar program that would serve as dorm resident engagement.  The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23.

    Attached Files: 

  7. Student workers needed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Establish a Net Zero Waste Plan and Policy

    Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    Campus Waste Study 

    "We are conducting some research on the campus waste hauling process and I am looking for some help. I need workers for a project that will last for one week, paying $10 per hour. In this project I am looking for people to ride along on the waste collection routes to record how full the dumpsters are prior to being emptied. I have three routes to cover.  The first starts at 3am and runs until 11:30am. The other two routes start at 6:30am and run until 3pm." - Bart Bartels

     

    *If you are interested please contact Bart Bartels, Technical Assistance Engineer ,* at217.244.7572 or bbartel@illinois.edu.

     

    1455031005594-u0kneiisvw-2a1395da292e4f2149b6554133c1d6e0.jpg

  8. ECBS Objective 4 Subcommittee Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    The ECBS Objective 4 Subcommittee held its first meeting on Tuesday, February 9.  Discussion revolved around the issue of tying all existing campus engagement programs (e.g., ECIP, Certified Green Office Program, revolving loan fund, etc.) together into one campus-wide brand.

    Attached Files: 

  10. weekly update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bicycle Education
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    Hello all,  This past week was good.  We got a lot done and helped a lot of folks.  The Center sold 3 bikes for $400, and grossed $908.50.  I agreed to provide materials and do some education at a international student bike safety event in February.  I was able to clean the shop up a considerable amount. I built a few bikes and we now have 32 bikes that are for sale or need to be logged and priced.  Rick got his bike share up and running and I was very appreciative for the help.

    This coming week I plan on building bikes and cleaning out the back of the shop.

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl
     

  11. weekly update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bike Sharing
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    Hello all, This past week was very busy.  We had a lot of people come in and either volunteer to fix their bikes.  The shop grossed $70.  I got a lot done with cleaning the space out.  We had far too many bikes donated that were directed to this shop.  I am not going to be able to accept any more bikes for a while.  I scrapped upwards of 30 bikes sawing them into pieces and putting them in boxes.  It was so bad the boxes themselves made the whole back of the shop inaccessible.  They got removed Friday by Todd so we wont have to deal with that issue any more.  The shop is very well stocked with used parts right now.  I went over to the warehouse and pulled some bikes and cleaned up a bit.  There is more work to be done and 30 or so bikes to dispose of.  I got an account setup with shimano so we can order shifters and bbs.  I helped Rick Langlois haul, build, and accessorize the bike share bikes for his department.  He was very happy, and now we have a 6 bike bike share on campus.  Silver BFU status here we come.  I worked on reinstating Shiqi.  She is returning for spring semester which will help me a lot.  I will have a labor shortage when it gets a little warmer.

    This coming week I plan on getting the shop back into shape after spending the last two weeks not being able to access half of it.  I will also try to get more work done at the warehouse. 

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl

  14. VHS tapes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Recycling Rates

    Cassettes and VHS tapes are recycled at Plastic Recycling Incorporated through a mail in program.  Their address is:

    2015 S. Pennsylvania St.

    Indianapolis, IN 46225

    317.780.6100

  16. FY15 ECIP award winners announced

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)
    Occupant Action Category  % Improvement  Incentive Award
    1. Admissions and Records
        Building      		  39.2%  $61,778
    2. Agricultural Bioprocess
        Laboratory     		  25.2%  $34,110
    3. Christopher Hall  24.9%  $18,297
    4. Turner Hall     11.4%  $16,075
     Energy Advancement Category  % Improvement  Incentive Award
    1. David Kinley Hall 39.9%   $33,701
    2. Lincoln Hall 32.0%   $15,961
    3. Early Childhood Development
        Building    		 24.2% $10,000
    4. Davenport Hall  19.6%  $10,000

     

  17. Archive: previous project name and description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Improve Space Utilization

    "No Net Increase in Space" Policy

    According to plans set forth by the 2010 Illinois Climate Action Plan, the University will enact a “no net increase in space” policy for the entire campus by 2012, applicable to all space controlled by campus including auxiliary units and rental space. Continued growth of the campus has led to an increase in the University’s use of non-renewable energy sources. In order to decrease the projected increase in carbon emissions, steps must be taken to ensure that square footage is only added on necessary occasions.

    As part of the “no net increase in space” policy, the Non-Instructional and Instruction Space Taskforces were created. These taskforce provided advice on non-instructional and instructional space utilization on the Urbana campus.

    The goals of the Non-Instructional Space Taskforce are to develop and review policies governing the assignment of space to promote the most efficient use; prepare recommendations for policies to govern how space is assigned and used; propose an approval process for requesting new and additional space that considers the iCAP commitment; determine policies for space being used for storage of excess equipment, furniture and physical records; and review the policies of other institutions to identify practices that should be incorporated into the policy recommendations above. The committee is also looking into space management tools to allow for better transparency of space allocated to units.

    The goals of the Instructional Space Taskforce are to adopt guiding principles for use of instructional space and determine standards for equipment within the instructional spaces; determine the appropriate inventory mix of instructional space and what qualifies as "instructional space; create or update an inventory and assess the use and condition of all instructional space; and create and track space utilization metrics on an annual basis.

  18. 2015 iCAP potential strategies

    Associated Project(s): 
    Improve Space Utilization

    Maintain or reduce the campus gross square footage relative to the FY10 baseline.

    The 2010 iCAP committed the campus to enacting a 'no net increase in space' policy applicable to all space controlled by campus. Such a policy enables greenhouse gas emission reductions through restricting additional gross square feet of campus buildings, which is directly related to the peak energy demand for campus utilities. In addition to limiting future energy expenditures, there will also be a reduction in the use of resources for construction materials and processes, and a reduction of transportation emissions associated with urban sprawl.

    A net zero growth space policy has been approved by the Provost’s Non-Instructional Space Task Force.  The campus should target formal adoption of this policy and incorporation into the Campus Administrative Manual before the end of FY15. According to this policy, when buildings are demolished or leases are vacated (post-2010), their gross square footage would be added to a “square footage bank” held by the Provost’s office. The Provost may “retire” this square footage in order to effect a gradual reduction in campus gross square footage, or may make allocations of this square footage to offset individual projects that would otherwise increase gross square footage. Such an allocation from the bank would represent a negative square footage contribution to the project to enable it to result in no increase in gross square footage.

    Modern building standards typically require more square footage for accessibility and mechanical needs. Nevertheless, campus could prevent the need for increases in square footage by judiciously examining existing and new space requirements at a departmental level. Campus could also consider best practices from other campuses, such as a space marketplace that provides rewards for space reduction and enables efficient space swaps. The campus could develop a standardized reporting system that measures utilization of classrooms, classroom laboratories, conference rooms, and meeting rooms based on variables such as time and day of the week, average percent fill, facilities demand, etc. Campus administrators could then identify underutilized spaces and reassign them for other purposes. A comprehensive space audit of the campus could also be considered.

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