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Project Updates for collection: 2015 iCAP Objectives

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  2. Mahomet Lots (Lot F-4) Permeable Pavement Proposal to SSC

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rainwater Management
    Rainwater Management Plans
    Use of Non-Potable Water (such as Greywater)
    Rainwater Capture Systems
    Land and Water iCAP Team

    Attached is the proposal, budget, and presentation for the upgrade of the Lot F-4 parking lot. 

    Attached Files: 

  3. Resilient Landscape Strategy approved by CCRC

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan

    In 2019 F&S Executive Director Mohamed Attalla charged a Resilient Grounds Strategy Advisory Committee, to develop a Resilient Landscape Strategy for this campus.  In December of that year, the Chancellor's Capital Review Committee (CCRC) approved the attached file, as the strategy for this campus moving toward a fully sustainable campus landscape. This effort is also reflective of a Senate Resolution from November 2018 (RS.19.03 Resolution for Campus Ssutainable Landscapes) and the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP).

    Attached Files: 

  6. David and Sarthak's meeting notes from November 20

    Associated Project(s): 
    Anaerobic Digester at Beef and Sheep Study
    Methane Capture on Campus

    David and I met on November 20, 2019 for our first meeting following his Biogas on Campus email on November 13th. David received an email from Doug Wolters from the College of ACES, and Doug said that he will discuss this project with his Dean. David had not heard from anyone else.

    We discussed how to proceed with this project. I will try to get in touch with Lance Schideman to get his opinion on this subject. I introduced David to the SWATeam Clerk of the Transportation and Zero Waste SWATeam, Julija Sakutyte. I will talk to the Transportation SWATeam about a possible collaboration opportunity with the Energy SWATeam and Zero Waste SWATeam. David will also talk to the Energy SWATeam about this possible collaboration.

    I have set up a biweekly meeting with David, and a monthly meeting with Meredith Moore for this project.

  8. Biochemistry Student working with F&S on an Anaerobic Digester study project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Anaerobic Digester at Beef and Sheep Study
    Methane Capture on Campus

    Following is an email sent by David Rivera-Kohr regarding Biogas on-campus to several faculty and staff at the U of I.

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

    Hello,

     

    My name is David Rivera-Kohr and I’m a student member of the Energy SWATeam. I want to propose using biogas for energy on campus. Since burning biogas for energy is effectively carbon neutral, this would bring us closer to our iCAP goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 

     

    Biogas is a huge untapped resource for energy production at the U of I. Rather than utilize the methane from animal manure and carcasses and food waste, we allow much of it to escape into the atmosphere. The Sanitary District currently uses municipal waste, restaurant grease, industrial food processing waste and campus dining hall food waste as feedstocks for its own anaerobic digester to produce biogas which is burned to generate 25-30% of the facility's energy. However, the Sanitary District does not want to dedicate digestion capacity to manure due to the need to accommodate growth of the local area (i.e. anticipated growth of student population). Furthermore, the Sanitary District is not a UIUC facility, therefore its use of biogas does not alleviate campus energy demand or contribute to our net-zero emissions objective. 

     

    I have a few ideas for biogas production on campus I would like feedback on:

    1. Add a biogas siphoning system to the manure storage tanks at the Beef & Sheep Farm.

    2. Conduct a study to determine which UIUC facility produces the most methane from animal waste and construct an anaerobic digester there. The 2014 Anaerobic Digester Feasibility Study indicated the Swine Farms collectively had the highest methane output; Miles Redden told me the Beef & Sheep farm is the highest manure-producing farcilty, though ionophore feeding of beef cattle decreases methane output. It may be worthwhile to determine which single facility has the highest methane output in 2019-2020.

     

    Additionally, there are a few options in consideration for how to best use the biogas: 

    1. Burn it on-site in existing natural gas furnaces to meet facility heat demands. This could be used in conjunction with the deep direct-use (DDU) geothermal system that is being studied for the ACES Legacy corridor—the brine solution from the DDU system will bring the facility's hot water to ~110 degrees F and the biogas furnace could increase that temperature to 130 degrees. There would likely be a considerable excess of biogas, which could either be burned on-site to generate electricity for distribution to the local grid (which is less efficient than combined heat & power), transported to nearby facilities to burn in their furnaces, or...

    2. Upgrade the biogas (all or only the excess from idea #1) to pipeline-quality methane and inject it into the pipeline for use at Abbott Power Plant. There is a supply pipeline that runs through the ACES corridor where this methane could be injected. 

    3. Use upgraded biogas for compressed natural gas (CNG) to power F&S vehicle fleets.

     

    The 2014 Feasibility Study also discussed constructing a pressurized pipeline to deliver  waste from multiple facilities to the site of the anaerobic digester. This may be worthwhile if the biogas is to be used on a larger scale i.e. at Abbott Power Plant or some combination of the previous ideas.

     

    Life-cycle cost analysis of the above options should be studied to determine the most cost-effective and, more importantly, the lowest emissions option. If you can, please let me know which of these options for biogas production and use sound most feasible, or if better ideas come to mind.

     

    Finally, we need the support and expertise of faculty and staff to advance this proposal. If you are interested in backing or contributing to this proposal, or you know someone else who may be, please let me know. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

     

    --

    Best,

    David A. Rivera-Kohr

    Undergraduate Student 

    University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign

    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

    Biochemistry

    Dr. Rutilio Fratti's Lab

  9. ACES Approval

    Associated Project(s): 
    Methane Capture on Campus
    Anaerobic Digester at Beef and Sheep Study

    David Rivera-Kohr shared this great news today: 

    ACES has decided to support the biogas initiative! This is a huge step in the right direction. I’ve made decent progress on the presentation (though I need more information before it’s complete) and deciding which options to write the recommendation for is an important future step. An anaerobic digester is best in terms of energy production and waste disposal, but it ultimately comes down to what the University will fund. The Zero Waste SWATeam is very supportive of this idea and if I can collect evidence that a digester alleviates the burden on agricultural land and water consumption, the Land & Water team will also be on board. Thank you all for your help thus far, let’s make this happen! Communication with our Associated Dean for Research Germàn Bollero and the College of ACES is supportive of this proposal.  As it moves forward, we will need to work together to determine the level of involvement that ACES faculty/staff are willing and able to provide.

  10. 2020 iCAP October Final Objectives: Zero Waste SWATeam

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Food Waste Reduction
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach
    Increase Recycling Rates
    Reuse Surplus Goods and Valuable "Waste"
    Green Cleaning Products and Practices

    Attached is the final draft of the recommended 2020 iCAP objectives from the Zero Waste SWATeam. 

    Any meeting minutes from October 2019 or November 2019 may reference the following categories: 

    • Food waste: Reducing & Diverting Food Waste
    • Education
    • Purchasing
    • Increasing Recycling Rates
    • Reducing Consumption
    • Increasing Reuse Rates
    • Source Reduction
    • Builsing Cleaning and Maintenance

    There will be a revised version by the end of the 2019 Fall Semester after iWG gives feedback for the SWATeams to revise.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Transportation SWATeam Meeting 24 October 2019

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Encourage Active Transportation
    Encourage Low-Emission Vehicles and Renewable Fuel Options
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    Encourage Telecommuting
    Reduce Emissions from Business Travel

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the 24 October Transportation SWATeam meeting.

    Stacey DeLorenzo was able to join us in order to provide insight to the Road Management Objectives the SWATeam discussed earlier, and to answer questions. She also was able to take a look at other objectives and provide input on potential objective ideas.

    The SWATeam confirmed submittal of Road Management, Active Transportation, and Business Travel Emissions objectives and added a new objective under Reducing Business Travel emissions.

    The next meeting is 31 October 2019.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Solar Farm 2.0 to Nearly Triple on Campus Renewable Energy Production

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Issue Press Releases and Sustainability Reports

    Construction of a new 54-acre, 12.1 megawatt (MWdc) Solar Farm is approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees as the sole member of Prairieland Energy, Inc. Referred to as “Solar Farm 2.0,” the new utility-scale array to be located north of Curtis Road, between First Street and U.S. Route 45, will produce approximately 20,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, almost tripling the university’s existing on-site renewable energy generation. Solar Farm 2.0 will generate the equivalent electricity use of more than 2,000 average American homes.

    Sol Systems, LLC, will design, build, operate, and maintain Solar Farm 2.0, for the duration of a 20-year contract which includes power purchase and land lease agreements, and an option to buy the system at the end of the term.

    https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/234685.html

  16. Transportation reference info

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS)

    The attached file and following links are reference materials for the Transportation SWATeam, for developing draft objectives for the 2020 iCAP.

     

    Every few years iSEE submits data to the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), in the Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Reporting System (STARS).  Our campus is STARS gold, and we would like to aim for platinum.  This is a resource as you consider 2020 iCAP objectives.

     

     

    If you click on a link above and then choose “Credit Info,” you can see the data requirements for that item. 

    Attached Files: 

  17. Reference info for Zero Waste SWATeam

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS)
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan

    The attached file and following links are reference materials for the Zero Waste SWATeam, for developing draft objectives for the 2020 iCAP.

    Every few years iSEE submits data to the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), in the Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Reporting System (STARS).  Our campus is STARS gold, and we would like to aim for platinum.  This is a resource as you consider 2020 iCAP objectives.

     

     

    You can see from the scores above that some items were not pursued.  If you click on a link above and then choose “Credit Info,” you can see the data requirements for that item. 

    Attached Files: 

  18. Next steps phone call

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Net-Zero Energy Building
    Solar Farm 2.0

    Morgan White and Joyce Mast discussed next steps for acheiving Net-Zero status for the ECE Building.  Mike Marquissee is working on a draft MOU about using Solar Farm 2.0 Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

    Joyce is seeking student input about what should go on the ECE Building interactive display.  If you are interested in working with her on this, contact her at jmast@illinois.edu. 

  20. 2019 Mode Share results - Faculty/Staff and Students

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Driving on Campus

    The mode share for campus employees driving alone is down from an original figure of 74% to only 60%!  There is more work to be done to reach our FY20 goal of only 55%, but this is great progress! Check out the graph at 4.4 Reduce Single Occupancy Vehicle Usage, or read the attached files for more details.

     

     

    Attached Files: 

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