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Project Updates for collection: Student Sustainability Committee Funded Projects

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  2. request for public charging station

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Public Use Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Skaggs, Thomas R

    Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 10:39 AM

    To: amhobbs22@gmail.com

    Cc: Ivey, David J; Wahl, Michelle

    Subject: FW: electric vehicle charging stations

    Dear Mr. Hobbs,

       Thank you for contacting the Parking Department and providing your comments.  While electric charging stations are not readily available on our campus, there are discussions currently underway that include the Parking Department about the installation of electric charging stations.  We are in touch with other campuses around the nation and many are likewise exploring the use of EV stations.  Because the scale of the UIUC campus is vast, the program requires extra consideration, funding and logistics to execute.  Please know however, that UI is committed to sustainability and will continue our effort.

      Again, thank you for your input.  We hope your visit to our campus was enjoyable.

    Regards,

    Thomas Skaggs

    Coordinator

     

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Martin Hobbs [mailto:amhobbs22@gmail.com]

    Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2013 10:16 AM

    To: parkingcomments@illinois.edu; esbeaty@urbanaillinois.us

    Subject: electric vehicle charging stations

    To Whom It May Concern:

    I visited the U of I campus yesterday to attend a football game and was disappointed in the absence of EV charging stations.  I would expect a university and city of this caliber to have numerous Level II charging stations available for the public to use.  Normal/Bloomington have dozens of public EV charging stations, all of which are free to the public to use.  Many are located on or near the ISU campus.  Is the Bloomington/Normal and ISU community that much more progressive and environmentally friendly than the U of I and Champaign/Urbana community.  I don't think necessarily that is the case, but the absence of electric vehicle charging stations sure leaves a black mark on the reputation of the university and the community.  I sincerely hope that your community has plans to install Level 2 charging stations in the near future.

    Sincerely,

    Martin Hobbs

    Eureka, IL

  3. Morgan talks with Mark Warner in Plumbing Shop

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Fountain Retrofit
    Reduce Single-Use Plastics

    Mark Warner is the Plumbing Shop Foreman who will oversee the installations of these water fountain glass fillers.  Morgan gave him the preliminary priority list, discussed the work order methodology, and gave him the SSC funding requirements document.  The key points in the SSC funding requirements are (1) the funds must be spent by May 31, 2014, and (2) there must be at least 57 glass fillers installed with this funding.

    Morgan will submit one work order for each building. 

  5. meeting with Morgan and Amy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Fountain Retrofit
    Reduce Single-Use Plastics

    Amy Liu and Morgan Johnston discussed the process for moving forward.

    1. Morgan will submit a work order to F&S installers.
    2. Morgan will schedule a tour of the proposed locations, with Amy, Morgan, and the F&S installation contact.
    3. F&S installers will proceed to install the glass fillers as quickly as possible, in the order previous identified.
    4. Amy will meet with the Illinois Student Senate, Environmental Sustainability Committee, to seek their attention to this project.
    5. Amy will continue working on the anti-water bottle campaign.

     

  7. List of Locations

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Fountain Retrofit
    Reduce Single-Use Plastics

    David Mischiu and Amy Liu met today to form a very basic list of priority buildings for filler installment. Additionally, they determined which floors for each building would be most useful to have them on. Here is the list, 1 indicating highest priority. 

    1. Undergraduate Library, floors 1 and ground level
    2. Grainger Library, all floors
    3. Ikenberry Commons, floor 1
    4. Armory, floors 1 and 3
    5. Wohlers Hall, floors 1 and 2
    6. Loomis Lab, floors 1 and 2
    7. Siebel Center, basement and floor 1
    8. Natural Resources Building, floors 1 and 2

    They still want to take a look a few more buildings in the quad. Whatever is surveyed from that might not even change the list presented already, but add to how this project could materialize in the future.

  8. Update from Tracy Osby at the Waste Transfer Station

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    The saw dust pan at the PPSB is no longer emptied at the WTS. We are currently emptying it at the Horse and Dairy barns. It is now being diverted from the landfill. Also, the DSC staff that work here at the WTS work hours has been extended to 3:30PM provided we have work for them here to do. This way all the pans with the exception of the compactors from Dining Services and the trash from ORD will be emptied in the south bay here at the WTS.

  9. Phoenix will comply with US Steel requirements

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Borkowski, Joe [mailto:J.Borkowski@Phoenixsolar.us]
    Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 2:11 PM
    To: Johnston, Morgan B; Dempsey, John Garrett
    Subject: U.S. Steel use for University solar

    Morgan,

    This email is to attest Phoenix Solar will comply with Illinois and Federal Buy American procurement provisions.  For the purpose of clarity, Phoenix Solar will ensure the steel that is used on this system will be procured and manufactured in the United States.

    I look forward to speaking soon.

    Best regards,

    Joe Borkowski

  11. Initial Meeting with Campus Parking, Car pool and Sustainability

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Public Use Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations

    The first meeting was held on August 6th to discuss campus public use EV charging station plans.

    It was determined at this time more research into parking enforcement options, types of charging stations to use, and sites available for installation is needed. Follow-up meeting to take place after research findings are completed.

    To this date no method exists to interface from the chargers software to the campus parking enforcement software. 

    See picture below: with this type of charger the enforcement officer could identify that billing is taking place by the Solid lightning bolt on the right as opposed to the one on the left.

  12. Report by Anna Hochlater

    Associated Project(s): 
    Burrill/ Morrill Walkway

    "The Burrill/ Morrill Hall corridor offers a unique opportunity to explore methods of sustainable design through conventional practices of rain garden design as well as hardscaping improvements, lighting installations and additional non-plant strategies.  A moderate strategy is advised. In this conversation moderate is understood to mean more than a creating only rain garden while leaving the existing vegetation, but less than a full redesign which would completely reshape the hardscaping.  A moderate strategy addresses the creation of the rain garden, all the landscape beds while leaving the mature canopy trees in place, and makes some alterations to the existing hardscape.  Perhaps the most difficult challenges of the corridor will be to unify the character of the corridor landscape beds and to design a solu-tion suitable for the harsh conditions of very little sun, significant wind, and heavy pedestrian use."

    Attached Files: 

  13. Update from Justin Johnston at UI Purchasing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    Justin Johnston confirmed that the answers to all the State Purchasing Officer's questions have been sent to Steve Rotello, the State Purchasing Officer.  Justin is working to set a meeting with the SPO, Justin, and Morgan Johnston to review the current status of this approval.

  15. Update from Bill Krudienier

    Associated Project(s): 
    Native Plants at Arboretum

    There are native plants throughout the Arboretum and in concentrated paces around the ponds - wetland and mezic.  There is also a prairie just south of the Polinatarium, maintained by John Marlin and volunteers.

     

  16. Plants moved to Arboretum

    Associated Project(s): 
    Orchard Downs Multifunctional Landscape (ODMFL)

    The ODMFL plants have been moved to the Arboretum growth house.  Sarah talked with Bill Krudienier and moved the plants to the Arboretum as they continue to grow.  Bill met with May Berenbaum and Terry Harkness to discuss the best use of the plants in the Arboretum, within the master plan for the site.  It is possible that they will put them near the Pollinatarium and the children's garden.

    The Arboretum is very pleased to be able to help and excited about the possibilities for these plants and future endeavors.

  17. Prioritizing locations

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Fountain Retrofit
    Reduce Single-Use Plastics

    Morgan reached out to Felicia Speranske to get a current contact with the ISS for this project.  The funding was delayed, arriving in late June, rather than mid May, and this project is waiting for a list of priority locations to begin installation.  Morgan also sent an email to Damani Bolden the Illinois Student Senate (ISS) president.

  18. Anna hired to complete this work

    Associated Project(s): 
    Burrill/ Morrill Walkway

    Eliana Brown provided the following update.

    • Anna Hochhalter was hired by F&S for the summer to complete a revised design of the Burrill/Morrill walkway rain garden / native plants improvements.  She reviewed the entire walkway from Mathews to Goodwin.  Her report is expected August 15th.
    • The space should be multifunctional, use native plants, accommodate the stormwater run off with green infrastructure.  It could include new lighting and artworks.
    • This project will use the existing SSC funding, as well as other funding sources.  The other funding sources may include Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District, and/or F&S.
    • Eliana will take the project scope change request to SSC this fall, for approval.
    • Matt Edmonson has been involved with this project and will inform Eliana about any additional campus approvals that may be needed.

  19. Land Use Data for US Solar Farms

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    National Renewable Energy Laboratories conducted research into solar land use requirements, but were unable to find a comprehensive evaluation from the literature. NREL created this report to analyze data related to land use in large solar arrays. The paragraph below explains the efficiency of land by type of solar project, and the link takes you directly to the report.

    Generation-weighted averages for total area requirements range from about 3 acres/GWh/yr for CSP towers and CPV installations to 5.5 acres/GWh/yr for small 2-axis flat panel PV power plants. Across all solar technologies, the total area generation-weighted average is 3.5 acres/GWh/yr with 40% of power plants within 3 and 4 acres/GWh/yr. For direct-area requirements the generation-weighted average is 2.9 acres/GWh/yr, with 49% of power plants within 2.5 and 3.5 acres/GWh/yr. On a capacity basis, the total-area capacity-weighted average is 8.9 acres/MWac, with 22% of power plants within 8 and 10 acres/MWac. For direct land-use requirements, the capacity-weighted average is 7.3 acre/MWac, with 40% of power plants within 6 and 8 acres/MWac. Other published estimates of solar direct land use generally fall within these ranges.
     

    https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/56290.pdf 

  20. Sustainability Fellow, Madhu Viswanathan, begins advisory position

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Dashboard Project
    FY14 Sustainability Fellows Program
    • Since we want to put the energy displays around campus, Madhu Viswanathan can help us identify the best method for implementing these to change behavior. 
    • We need to determine how many displays to install, where they should go, what information should be on them. 
    • How can we use this system that F&S now has through your office to actually improve energy use behavior. 
    • We would like building users to become more conscious of the energy use in their building(s).
    • What sort of display and style will really grab their attention?
    • Is social media something that we should utilize for this effort?

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