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Project Updates for collection: Student Sustainability Committee Funded Projects

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  1. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Morgan and I spent a chunk of time together this afternoon so she could catch me up on our latest efforts with the baler feasibility study, styrofoam recycling, glass recycling, and glove recycling. Activity from the past week is as follows: 

    • Morgan showed me some web tool resources that will enable me to finish out the glove recycling section of the iCAP portal.
    • I reached out to the Sustainable Student Farm and another local farmer to see if they can use the coffee grounds that the campus Starbuck’s is making available. Morgan and I speculated on whether some of the other coffee shop vendors might be interested in a similar setup. If we have some success with Starbuck’s I will follow up with Illini Union Vending. 
    • I talked to Carly Rizor at UIC about their experience with the Big Belly bins—and the costs. I shared information verbally with Morgan today. She had a few more questions for me to follow up on, so I will write up notes once I get the additional information. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  2. PWR SWATeam Meeting - 11/30/17

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Battery Recycling
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    The PWR SWATeam reviewed the progress made over the course of the semester on various projects and discussed next steps for each. These projects included battery recycling, the rearrangement of outdoor trash and recycling bins, guidelines for the optimal arrangement of indoor bins, expanding SmartWay, and encouraging the use of EPEAT certified products.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, with the semester under way now things picked up a little at the Campus Bike Center last week. I called in student worker Leah to help on Friday. It proved to be the correct call as we were busy and her help was greatly appreciated.

    This week I have a meeting with Lily and people from Housing to discuss Winter bike storage. I will finish the big shelving unit and start framing out some better support for the tool wall. A Bike Project member was kind enough to loan some tools to help with that. Thanks, Flora! The tail end of the week is supposed to be nice weather and I think a good time to clear out the bike warehouse. I will coordinate with The Bike Project and Parking about that.

    Visitors:  31
    Sales: $301.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $165
    Memberships: 0 L
    Tire/Tubes: 3 for $21

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  8. Freezer Challenge, 2018 International- Launch email

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge
     
     

    U of I Campus Labs Encouraged to Join
    2018 International Freezer Challenge


    Members of iSEE’s Energy Conservation & Building Standards Sustainability Working Advisory Team (ECBS SWATeam) invite U of I labs of all shapes and sizes to register for the International Laboratory Freezer Challenge, which uses friendly competition to optimize sustainability of freezer management in laboratories.

    Any type of laboratory is eligible to participate by working at its own pace to implement optimal cold storage management practices that save energy. Participating labs from the Illinois campus will receive certificates of Leadership and Environmental Stewardship in Sustainable Laboratory Practices along with special recognition from iSEE at the annual Sustainability Week Celebration and find themselves one-step ahead toward Green Lab certification, a proposed program being discussed on campus and at iSEE. The competition awards include individual lab awards, organization awards and a picture in Nature!

    Results from last year’s winners:

    The organizational winners of the Freezer Challenge were:

    • University of California San Diego
    • Eli Lilly and Company
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      UC San Diego saved an estimated 500,000 kWh/year, Lilly saved an estimated 130,400 kWh/year, the CDC saved an estimated 367,400 kWh/year, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center saved an estimated 25,000 kWh/year.


    The individual laboratory winners were: 

    • The Hoekstra Lab from Harvard University
    • The Baker Lab from Eli Lilly and Company
    • The Elemental Analysis Laboratory from the CDCP
      The Hoekstra Lab saved an estimated 13,000 kWh/year, the Baker Lab saved an estimated 34,000 kWh/year, and the Elemental Analysis Laboratory saved an estimated 64,500 kWh/year.

    Visit the iCAP Portal for more information on last year’s event
    Registration is ongoing through April 30th 2018 More details can be found on the competition website >>>

    Registration is quick and you participate anytime throughout the semester!

    Partial promotional support provided by the UIUC Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Questions can be sent to
    Paul Foote, email: fandsgfoote2@mx.uillinois.edu
    U of I, Freezer Challenge Site Coordinator
    University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
    Facilities and Services, Utilities and Energy Services
    Energy Conservation and Retro-commissioning
    		 
     
     
     
     
     

     

  9. EGen007 Solar Farm 2.0 recommendation - Assessment with all comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    eGen Recommendations Summary
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)

    The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on October 27th, 2017, to discuss and start the assessment of the SWATeam recommendation EGen007 Solar Farm 2.0. The iWG's final recommendation was:

    "The iWG agrees that this is the most cost-effective method for meeting the iCAP objective of 25,000 MWh/year of on-campus solar generation by FY25.  To meet that goal, the Solar Farm 2.0 project needs to begin soon, under F&S direction."

    See attached the iWG assessment complete with official comments from all the iWG members.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen007 Solar Farm 2.0 here.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Here are the zero-waste highlights of the past week: 

    • I submitted the UIUC response to the CURC survey
    • I exchanged emails with Rebecca Seymour at the campus Starbuck’s and with Morgan regarding a local farmer’s request for us to pay him to transport coffee grounds. We’ll have to tell him we don’t have funding for it.

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  11. Jeff Holt assigned to coordinate installation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    Jeff Holt met with Morgan White today to discuss the rooftop solar project on the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building.  We discussed solar installer certifications (NABCEP), in-house construction options, and coordination with the Capital project being managed by Kevin Price.  We also discussed the options for requesting additional funding from the Student Sustainability Committee, to be able to install more of the solar.

  13. SSC funds occupancy sensors

    Associated Project(s): 
    Occupancy and Daylight Sensors
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Bevier Hall currently has a number of spaces served by obsolete thermostat controls. While efforts to improve scheduling for heating and cooling have made improvements to energy consumption, the installation of occupancy sensors would improve the efficiency of the HVAC system, reducing energy use without sacrificing user comfort. This funding provides resources to install new occupancy sensors in 25 lab, classroom, and office spaces in Bevier Hall. When completed, the heating and cooling system will be able to work more efficiently, eliminating the need to constantly provide conditioning for unoccupied spaces. Individual spaces will have better temperature control, therefore improving occupant comfort and increasing productivity. This is a Student Sustainability Committee supported project.

    Attached Files: 

  14. SSC funds LED classroom upgrade

    Associated Project(s): 
    LED Classroom Upgrade
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC awarded $29,500 to upgrade general assignment classroom lighting campus-wide.  While Facilities & Services covers the cost to replace lamps that are part of the general illumination, any lights that are used for chalkboards/marker boards, supplemental lighting during slide shows, etc. are excluded.  The existing lamps in these fixtures are typically incandescent, which burnout quickly and are energy inefficient. When completed, this project provides new fixture-compatible LED lamps in all general assignment classrooms across campus, reducing electricity costs, improving board visibility, and improving student learning environments.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week was still quite slow. TBP volunteer John came on Tuesday and helped build a new shelving unit in the back of the shop, which once finished, will help keep things from forming dangerous piles on the ground. I’ll continue to work on that this week.

    Over the weekend, Todd (another TBP volunteer) came and cleared out the scrap metal. That was super helpful and has cleared space to store more bikes and parts.

    With the student return, it projects to be busier this week. We shall see! I’ll keep a couple staffers on call in case it does get busy.

    Other than that, I will continue to build bikes, organize, and cull the junk.

    Visitors: 22
    Sales: $240
    Memberships: 1 for $30
    Tube/tire: 2 for $9

    Sincerely,

     

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  16. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    This past week was pre3y quiet with regard to zero-waste efforts. This coming week, I will respond to the CURC survey with information on recycling at U of I and will refocus on cleaning up the glove recycling location information. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  17. Meeting notes Jan. 11, 2018

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Appropriate Waste Collection Infrastructure

    Morgan White, Anna Barnes, and Leah Berti met to discuss the first steps for the Use the Bin messaging campaign to campus staff.  Leah will finalize the powerpoint presentation by 1/16, and do a practice presentation to Morgan and Anna on 1/18.  The following week she will do a presentation to internal sustainability staff, and then start scheduling presentations with larger campus employee groups.

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