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Project Updates for collection: 2015 iCAP Objectives

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  1. Engagement Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Advance Student Sustainability Outreach Efforts
    Engagement iCAP Team Recommendations Summary

    The meeting covered updates on the Greener Campus (GC) initiative, including efforts to promote office certification and introduce decals for visibility. There was discussion on engaging Greek Life in sustainability efforts, with suggested contacts for outreach. The Sustainapalooza committee, represented by Kathrine Bruce and Liesl Schrag, provided an event overview and discussed promotional efforts such as digital signage, outreach to department heads, and MTD bus advertisements. Laurinda introduced a wildlife-centered gardening project under the Illinois Prairie Garden initiative, presenting engagement opportunities like prairie conservation and plant sales. Additional sustainability events were highlighted, including a short film event during Earth Week. Action items included Brigid coordinating scheduling and outreach, Quinn working on GC decals and office engagement, and all members providing feedback on marketing materials, brainstorming engagement strategies, and filling out a scheduling poll.

    Attached Files: 

  6. 05/13/24 Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Recycling Rates

    We are using the blue bags in all the buildings. That is the expectation but it is possible a few here and there use black bags in containers as we had some complaints on the size didn’t fit.  

    Thanks 

    Mark Kuehl

     

    Hi Mark,


    Do you know what the status of the colored bag transition is across the residence halls? E.g., how many have transitioned so far?

    Thank you,
    Daphne

  8. iSEE building feasibility study committee

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    Sending on behalf of iSEE Director Madhu Khanna:

     

    Morgan,

     

    The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) is exploring a dedicated building to raise the profile of iSEE on campus and provide space for the institute to grow and expand sustainability research, education and operational support. I would like you to be part of the committee we are assembling to give feedback during the building feasibility study.

     

    This committee will help shape the way the physical space can facilitate building multi-disciplinary research teams, hosting classes for the sustainability minor, supporting sustainability student groups, and overall, being a hub for sustainability activity on campus.

     

    The feasibility study was recently approved and a design firm has been selected. We anticipate meeting monthly through the Spring semester.

     

    If you accept this invitation then you will receive a formal charge letter from VCRI Martinis. You may also delegate this to a colleague or staff member if appropriate. Please respond by December 22. Thank you for your consideration.

     

    Elizabeth A. Murphy

    --------------------------

    Sure, no problem.

    Morgan White

  9. iSEE Campus Sustainability Team Meeting notes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    Notes from our Campus Sustainability team meeting are attached.

    Actions:

    Miriam reaching back out to Ball State for more info on their program

    Jen reaching out to DIA for a mtg-some direct requests for signage, staff support for recycling collection, getting volunteers

    Morgan asked F&S to do an analysis of what could be accomplished with current $$ from carbon credit sales

    Ask Daphne to look into options for SFC bins

    Morgan would like for Madhu to speak to Paul Ellinger for his perspective on the carbon credit sales

    Jen to reach out to Lowa and Alma about water quality testing

    Miriam working to set up time with SSLC in Jan for a touch base meeting

    -Elizabeth

    Attached Files: 

  11. CCB's year-end gathering this Saturday afternoon.

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    Increase Bicycle Use

    You might be a long-time friend of CCB, or someone we just met at the Farmer's Market this summer.  Either way, come hang out for a while with us at the 25 O'Clock Brewing Company.  We will bring the snacks, you bring your stories from 2023 and ideas for 2024.

     

    And you are welcome to bring a cyclist friend with you.

     

    See you Saturday!

     

    Jeff

    Attached Files: 

  12. Action: slides for iSEE advisory committee &Subcouncil

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)

    Hi All,

     

    The iSEE advisory committee and Sustainability Subcouncil will meet on November 27. I would like to get a first draft of the slides done by Friday, November 17 so Madhu has time to review it before the Thanksgiving holiday.

     

    The Advisory slides on Box: https://uofi.box.com/s/m380tqilie5s4503svndmoot1hbxnftx

     

    I have put update assignments in the notes section of the slides, but will also list them here:

    Heidi-slides 6,7 (if there is something exciting), 9,11 (Proposal metrics, new proposals submitted, Sust Trans update) Should we add Kyushu in here?

    Luis-slides 13, 14 (Critical Conv and Sloan Workshop)

    Eric-slides 15-20 (ELP and Gen Ed. Add a slide about the ESG certificate)

    Jen/Miriam-slides 22-30 (Waste reduction efforts/DIA engagement and Carbon Credit accounting)

     

    Subcouncil slides: https://uofi.box.com/s/241ttyx8bfceor6hzvoqp0c577lykpzx

    Jen and Miriam—pull the slides about waste reduction and carbon credits over to this talk also. Make a slide on the Green research (there is a placeholder)

    Eric-pull the Gen Ed slides over to this talk and replace the previous version.

     

    Thanks,

    Elizabeth

    -------------------------------

    Hi Elizabeth,

     

    I have compiled all the draft subcouncil slides into this version: https://uofi.app.box.com/file/1361429522139

     

    Please let me know if you have any questions or changes.

     

    Best,

    Miriam

    --------------------------------

     

    Hi all,

     

    Please use the version:

     

    Sustainability SubCouncil Nov 2023_11.17.2023_new.pptx

     

    https://uofi.box.com/s/cbg4t8nr73ib38sr23i7n8k32uo82lwf

     

    Thanks,

    Jen

    ------------------------------

     

    Hi All

    Thanks for putting these slides together in a timely manner. I have a few comments and suggestions below

     

    Miriam/Tony

    A few formatting edits are needed to improve the look and readability of the slides

    1. Remove the top header which says education or campus sustainability on each slide since it is redundant to have it on each slide
    2. Instead make the content oriented header which is on the next line the top header and in larger font.
    3. Please change font to be at least 20 or more everywhere
    4. Add a section break for each change in topic – is this current section header following our latest template? If not would be good to have that.
    5. Miriam - Send me the numbers underlying the graphs for carbon credits that you have created
    6. Miriam – any idea on how our decision to sell or not would affect our AASHE gold star rating?

     

    All- take a look at the two slides I have added at the end and see if you agree.

    We have three choices for our recommendation on carbon credits –

    stop sales completely

    or follow the Ball state example and say that we will stop sales after we reach carbon neutrality, sell our credits in the meantime and not claim any environmental benefit from these reductions in the meantime,

    or only sell to entities that are willing to retire these credits and not claim it to achieve their own carbon reduction goals.

     

    Thoughts? We can keep it open for now and solicit ideas from the council.

     

    If I could have these back by Wednesday then I can go over again and have a final version ready for Elizabeth to send to the Council by Saturday. 

     

    Have a great Thanksgiving!

    Madhu

    ------------------------

     

    Hi Madhu,

     

    Regarding the last slide: Second Nature confirmed at the end of October that we have 10,264 remaining unsold carbon credits. These credits are vintage year 2018, and we haven’t verified any credits beyond 2018. I’m not sure if we can estimate total potential credits if we achieve carbon neutrality as I’ve been told the calculation used is quite complicated, but I’ve reached out to Second Nature to ask if there is any guidance to come up with a rough estimate. Another consideration is how we plan to reach carbon neutrality, and the feasibility of achieving carbon neutrality through emissions reductions alone. It looks like most schools plan to achieve carbon neutrality by buying some offsets.

     

    Please see my responses to your other questions below in blue:

     

     

    1. Miriam - Send me the numbers underlying the graphs for carbon credits that you have created

    The graphs were generated on SIMAP. The attached spreadsheet includes the underlying data. I’ve also included a screen grab below that lays out the numbers clearly.

    1. Miriam – any idea on how our decision to sell or not would affect our AASHE gold star rating?

    Institutions can earn up to 8 possible points for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the AASHE scoring system. UIUC received 3.15 out of 8 possible points in this category. Carbon credits sold or transferred are accounted for in our total score, so selling carbon credits could reduce the points we earn here. I looked at the report for Ball State, and found they achieved a Gold rating in 2023. Their score for Greenhouse Gas Emissions is also higher than ours at 4.5/8.0. This suggests there are ways to maintain a high score in this area while selling carbon credits.
    Our most recent AASHE score is 73.25, and the range for Gold is 65-85, so I do not expect that selling carbon credits would have a strong enough impact on our score to alter our overall Gold rating.

    Thanks and please let me know if you have any other questions!

     

    Best,

    Miriam

    -------------------------------

    Hi Morgan,

     

    The data from the carbon emissions charts in the subcouncil slides is attached here.

     

    -Miriam

    Attached Files: 

  14. Champaign Rainwater Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rainwater Management

     

    Hi Linda,

     

    I just talked to Morgan White, copied. Can you send her the final version of the Rainwater Report you did for Champaign? They are closing the loop on that.

     

    Thank you!

     

    Lisa

    -----------------------

    Hi Lisa,

     

    Of course! If anything else is needed to close the loop, happy to help. 

     

    Best,

     

    Linda

    Attached Files: 

  15. Carbon Credit Sale - Incoming Payment

    Associated Project(s): 
    Utilize Carbon Credits
    Use Carbon Credits to meet Commitments
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature

    Hello,

     

    iSEE has been notified by Second Nature that there is an incoming payment for recent carbon credit sales, totaling $15,625. I have attached the sales confirmation. The wire will be sent today or tomorrow to the account previously used for these payments.

     

    Please let me know if you need any other information.

     

    Best,

    Miriam

    -------------------

    Miriam-

     

    Thank you for the email and the sales confirmation attached. I will prepare the ACH form for this so University Accounting is aware the ACH will be coming in and where to deposit it.

     

    Thanks!

    -----------------

    Hi everyone,

     

    Did we receive this payment, as expected? I’d like to update the attached excel file, when the funds are received.

     

    Thanks,

    Morgan

    ------------------

     

    Hi Morgan,

     

    Yes we did, please see my updated version attached. Let me know if you have any questions.

     

    Thanks so much,

    Courtney

    Attached Files: 

  16. Task Report for Tushar Kokitkar from 10/3 to 11/15

    Associated Project(s): 
    Appropriately Staff Sustainable Transportation Efforts

    Here is a list of tasks I have worked on and continue to work on:

    Tasks completed

    • SSC Application for ‘Shipping containers for bike storage’ (in progress)
      • Drafted and submitted the step 1 application
      • Attended SSC working group meeting
      • Currently working on step 2 application
      • Prepared the site plan and internal layout for the project
    • ‘Learn how to ride a bike’ event:
      • Supervised and helped organizing the event
      • Documented and prepared a report and presentation about the event held on 10/07/2023
    • Events attended:
      • All-Employee Expo and helped set up F&S booth
      • Green Quad day and helped set up Bike at Illinois booth
      • Green Infrastructure and Erosion Control Conference
    • iCAP portal:
      • Read the iCAP 2020 plan
      • Added a project update about the ‘Learn How to Ride a Bike’ event
      • Updated eco-counter metrics on the portal
      • Updated ‘Campus Sustainability Tour’ project
      • Added a new project ‘Sustainability tour on bike’ (in progress)
      • Attended iCAP portal bi-weekly meeting
    • Sustainability Tour on Bike: in progress
      • Created the map showing the route for the tour
    • Documented and prepared a report about the condition of three bike paths within campus.
    • Eco-counters:
      • Collected the data for October 2023 and updated the metrics on iCAP portal
      • Collected the data for November 2023
    • Readings:
      • iCAP 2020
      • Bicycle Facilities Standard
      • 2014 Campus Bike Plan
      • Progress reports of 2019, 2022, and 2023 for the Campus Bike Plan.
      • 2023 Bicycle Friendly University application
      • TDM plan and FY22 TDM plan achievement report
    • Bike racks for Arcade building and Talbot Laboratory:
      • Documented the bike parking area
      • Prepared bike rack layouts on AutoCAD for both the buildings.

    Current tasks

    • 2024 campus bike plan draft
    • Working on the SSC step 2 application

  17. Apprentice program for electrical work

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus

    Hi Josh,

     

    Do you know if we could request apprentices work on the 15kw solar install?  That could potentially bump us from a tax credit of ~$5500 to $33,000 if this goes through.

     

    Best,
    Tim

     

    ---------------------

    How much of the labor has to be apprentice? 

    Joshua Robin

    ----------------------

    15%  thanks!

    Morgan White

    ---------------------

    Thanks Morgan!

     

    With a small crew, if they had one apprentice, that might catch what we need. 

     

    I overestimated below at 6x the base $5500, where apprentice would make it 5x, so only 27,500. 

     

    Best,
    Tim

    ------------------------

    Thanks all. The contractor can put one apprentice on there.  Tech services and in house work would not have an apprentice most likely.  Is there a dollar value required for the apprentice labor or just 15 percent of total hours worked?  Are certified payrolls needed?

     

    Thank you

     

    Josh

  20. RECs for small solar rooftop arrays

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Solar Power on Campus
    ECE Net-Zero Energy Building
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs

    Hi Rob and Tony,

     

    Tim Mies asked me who “owns” the RECs from small scale solar arrays at individual buildings.  I said I’d have to check into it.

     

    At first I thought all RECs are owned by central campus (UES), but then I questioned myself.  For a rooftop solar array, we don’t include it in the M-RETS program, and at ECE, we only “sold” them the solar farm 2.0 RECs.  We let them count their rooftop solar directly and they have the DOR accordingly. 

     

    So is it appropriate to tell him that the RECs associated with the 14.7 kW array he is planning to install at the Energy Farm (not the SCAPES project) will be considered “used” at the Energy Farm?

     

    I would caution that we do not want individual departments to get into selling RECs, without a much broader discussion.  So perhaps we should say that he can use/retire them at his site, but he cannot sell them without further discussion?

     

    What do you recommend?

     

    Thanks,

    Morgan

    -----------------------------

    Good questions. I think that if the department “owns” the REC, then they should also be able to sell the REC. I am interested in others views on the topic, and agree that it would lend to a much broader discussion.

    Rob Roman

    ----------------------------

    I agree that a broader discussion would be helpful.

     

    Best,

     

    Tony

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