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Project Updates for collection: 2015 iCAP Objectives

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  2. EGEN SWATeam Meeting Notes (9.14.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    The EGEN SWATeam held their first meeting fo the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Selecting a team chair
    • Deciding a regular meeting time, frequency, and location
    • Preparing an evaluation of the campus's progress toward meeting the objectives of the 2015 iCAP
    • Writing a descriptive paragraph about the EGEN team's focus for the year to be posted on the iCAP portal.
    • Identifying a potential faculty member to fill the 2nd faculty spot on the EGEN SWATeam
    Attached Files: 

  3. September 9th, 2016 Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Develop Scenarios for Converting the UI Fleet to Renewable Fuels
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    2014 Campus Bike Plan [ARCHIVED]

    9/09/16

     

    Summary: This meeting was our inaugural meeting for the year. On the agenda today was the creation of a team description, a review of ongoing projects, and planning for future meetings.

     

    In attendance:

        Josh Feldman

        Claire Dondival

    Ankit Singhai

    Yangfeng Ouyang

    Pete Varney

    Lily Wilcox - Active Transportation Coordinator

    Olivia Webb - Sustainability Programs Coordinator

     

    Topics Covered:

     

    Team Description

    We collectively crafted our team description for the iCAP portal, which can be found at:  https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/transportation-swateam.

     

    Project Slides

    Renewable Fleet Study:

    Claire and Petehelped foster a discussion about the current types of alternative fuels for campus fleet vehicles. Currently, natural gas is the only type of fuel seriously looked at. One concern was that the gas CNG, while possible to implement, would be somewhat costly and have little payback unless driven many miles. Electric vehicles were brought up, but are currently not part of the market. Biodiesel was also mentioned, but its performance in cold weather is a concern.

     

    Staff Mode Shift:

    Lily discussed the ways that this project will reduce single occupancy vehicles. One idea looked at was bike sharing, which has been tried by Purdue but does not have much payback economically. Lily also discussed “It’s your MTD too”, which features social bus-riding trips which introduce MTD to campus employees.

     

    Bike Plan:

    This was a summary of effort to make campus more bike-friendly. This would include having more, and better, bike parking. UIUC was recently recognized as a bronze-level Bike Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

     

    Future Meetings

    We decided that every other Friday at 1pm is a good time to hold meetings. We will be holding meetings in the National Soybean Research Laboratory. Our clerk Josh will send out reminders.

    Attached Files: 

  6. Student solar efforts renewing for fall 2016

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Independent Student Projects

    Niharika Kishore, masters in Urban Planning (MUP) student, and Corey Weil, sophomore in Electrical and Computer Engineering, are working with Morgan Johnston on the iSEE objective for on-campus solar.  Niharika will continue her efforts for promoting rooftop solar to meet the iCAP objective for 12,500 MWh/year of on-campus solar energy generation as part of a MUP capstone project this year.  Corey will volunteer in various efforts to support the development of solar solutions for campus, from the Net Zero Energy ECE efforts to advocating for solar energy funding.

  7. FY 17 SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Decrease Wasteful Practices through Behavior Change
    Increase Recycling Rates
    Recycling for the Quad
    Implement Solutions for Special Recyclables

    The SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination ($64,862) covers four different recycling efforts.

    1)      Campus-wide infrastructure, $29,750: Expanding the “Dual bins on the Quad” to north of Green and eastward to Goodwin Avenue, in collaboration with F&S Superintendent of Grounds Ryan Welch.  Ryan’s Grounds workers are mapping the existing bins, as a first step.  All of this funding is for the physical infrastructure (bins and lids, etc.).

    2)      Campus-wide education, $1,032: The key message of personal responsibility for waste management needs to be communicated through multiple channels on campus, in order to effect the culture shift that we deeply need on campus.  F&S will create educational materials to explain the recycling options available to the campus community, to reduce confusion.  The funding is based on 8 presentations throughout campus and development of educational materials (which will be used in future years as well).  All materials will thank SSC for their funding support.

    3)      Building specific solutions, $30,520: Per the completed Waste Characterization Studies, there are various changes that can be implemented in the studied buildings to improve waste diversion.  These changes need to be approved and implemented in coordination with building occupants, so there is a need for a staff coordinator to work with the individual units.  The funding is based on two weeks of staff time per building, for eight buildings.

    4)      Special recyclables expansion $3,560: There are new programs available for interested units on campus to recycle nitrile gloves, styrofoam, alkaline batteries, and glass.  Unfortunately, very few units are aware of these opportunities.  We are requested funding for student employees to reach out directly to potential participants and help them incorporate the applicable programs.

  9. New Effort Towards Promoting Departmental Bicycle Fleets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Provide Working Bikes for University Employees
    Departmental Bike Sharing
    Independent Student Projects

    August, 2016, a new initiative towards promoting departments to start their own bicycle fleets began. Lily Wilcock, Active Transportation Coordinator, took on myself (Logan Ebeling), a student intern to help with this project. I am participating in the project as part of ENVS 491, a class required for my Sustainability Minor. 

     

    This project is an evolution from the Departmental Bike Sharing project (see Associated Projects) and is using materials from that project and is drawing off its success. 

     

    We met August 24th at the Campus Bike Center to discuss goals for this semester. We settled on two broad goals: First, assessing the health, challenges, and success of already existing departmental bicycle fleets and second, promoting the formation of new bicycle fleets on campus.  

  10. Niharika Kishore sending email to potential facilities

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Independent Student Projects

    Niharika Kishore will send an email to potential facilities for adding rooftop solar, in support of the 2015 iCAP objective.  The draft email is attached and the list of potential facilities is as follows:

    Building Estimated Yearly Output (kWh/yr)
    Physical Plant Services Building 791,522
    Activities and Recreation Center 725,562
    Law Building 395,761
    Ikenberry Dining Hall 382,569
    Abbott Power Plant 263,841
    Digital Computer Library 263,841
    Plant Sciences Laboratory 164,900
    Timothy J. Nugent Hall 164,900
    Institute of Genomic Biology 158,304
    Richard T. Ubben Basketball Complex 151,708
    Oak Street Library 151,708
    Bousfield Hall 145,112
    Garage and Carpool 125,324

     

    Attached Files: 

  11. Soil Sample Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    There is a growing interest in doing several native plantings at specific buildings and undeveloped areas around campus. However, there is no real information on the soil at these locations. This project is looking to provide the data needed to successfully and efficiently manage these planting projects. Several students will take soil core samples from each site and provide the samples to a commercial lab. The data will all be analyzed in comparable manner by the same lab. The project team will take 170 samples/subsamples with an 8” soil probe from these sites. The project team, Facilities and Services, and interested faculty and students will select these sites. The goal is to have an initial database of certain buildings and sites with usable soil sampling data: pH, fertility, and basic grain size. The analysis of the samples can be complete within two months of sampling.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Sonified 2017 Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Advance Student Sustainability Outreach Efforts
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Sonified Sustainability Festival provides a new way for sustainability to intersect with campus – through the arts. The 2016 Sonified Sustainability Festival, funded in part by SSC, was developed as a 2016 Earth Week kick-off event focusing on sustainable practices in the arts featuring live music, interactive art making, and information fair to provide greater visibility of local projects, programs and organizations working towards a sustainable future. National and local musicians performing on original instruments made from recycled and repurposed materials were showcased at the Earth Week event, as well as two prior events at the Krannert Art Museum

    The goals and outcomes of the next year of the festival will be similar, while expanding on the successes of the past. The events will encompass a series of music and arts programs spanning the 2016-17 academic year. The culmination is an Earth week event at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts that features a mix of live music, art making and information fair promoting campus-based and local organizations engaged with sustainability projects.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Niharika Kishore is working on developing a rooftop solar RFP for design

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Independent Student Projects

    Today, Morgan Johnston met with Niharika Kishore to discuss the rooftop solar iCAP objective.  Niharika is going to review the work already done, in the iSEE solar box folder, and draft a proposal for getting the engineering design work done for a set of building.  She will be working towards meeting the FY20 on campus generation goal of 12,500 MWh/year, and possibly additional installations for FY25.

  14. Professional Science Masters student projects underway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Independent Student Projects
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge [ARCHIVED]
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    Two students from the Professional Science Masters (PSM) program are working with sustainability staff this summer.  Chandana Konidala is working with the City of Urbana's Environmental Sustainability Manager Scott Tess to promote the Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge.  Sarthak Prasad is working on developing a Standard Operating Procedure for entering information in the iCAP Portal.

  16. Art and Design Building solar design

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Independent Student Projects

    A group of seniors completed the attached report for the Art and Design Building, for rooftop solar.  They recommended a flexible solar material, with micro-inverters.  The Art and Design department is interested in working with a student in the fall to seek funding for the rooftop solar from the Student Sustainability Committee.

    Attached Files: 

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