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  1. F&S shared info about DDC system with Berkeley student

    Associated Project(s): 
    Utilities Master Plan for Energy Production and Distribution

    For a general overview of our energy systems at the University of Illinois, please see the online overview at http://www.fs.illinois.edu/docs/default-source/Resources/brochures/utilities-energy-3-14.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

    1. Does your school have sort of campus-wide energy management system (EMS)? Or does each building have its own energy monitoring system?

    Each building has its own metering station where chilled water, condensate, and electricity are measured and recorded. The chilled water and condensate usages are recorded into the building automation system and transferred over BACnet I/P to our campus data historian system and the electric meters have an Ethernet I/P connection that is directly fed to the data historian.

    1.  Does the EMS at your school have the ability to turn the HVAC systems on/off (this feature is often called Direct Digital Control) ? 

    We have a mixture of control system types and vintages on campus. There are older pneumatic controls systems still on campus that we are gradually converting over to DDC systems. Back in 1984 is when the campus starting installing its first digital control system. This system’s primary function was for monitoring temperatures, status of various types of equipment, and start/stop and speed adjustment of HVAC.  About 20 years ago is when DDC systems were being installed for full control of system and not just for start/stop purposes. I would approximate that our campus has about 60% DDC and 40% pneumatic control.

    The HVAC systems that do have DDC control typically have some sort of occupancy schedule where the unit either shuts down or a setback mode is used for after hours. We also utilize occupancy sensors on variable air volume(VAV) air handlers for classrooms and offices. This allows us during normal hours where the unit would be running to achieve additional saving by closing off air dampers( or air flow) to specific spaces that do not have occupants.  

    We have an Energy Management Control Center (EMCC) that is staff during normal working hours to monitor our DDC systems. They monitor the alarms, handle hot/cold calls and make sure the campus HVAC systems are running at their optimal level. We use two primary DDC systems for our building controls, Siemens and Schneider Electric’s TAC system and the Delta V system is used in our production plants. All three systems are monitored in the EMCC.

    Requested information:

    Hi my name is Sho Kawano.

    I'm a student at the University of California, Berkeley currently doing research on sustainable operations, specifically energy use.

    I thought this would be the right place to contact regarding energy management at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

    1. Does your school have sort of campus-wide energy management system(EMS)? Or does each building have its own energy monitoring system?
    2. Does the EMS at your school have the ability to turn the HVAC systems on/off (this feature is often called Direct Digital Control) ? 

    If you can answer these questions for me, I'd greatly appreciate your help

    Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

    Sincerely,
    Sho Kawano 

    University of California, Berkeley | May 2017

    B.A. Statistics

  2. Project Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Main Library Steam Reduction Project

    Completed Project Scope and Costs:

    1. Pressure Reducing Valve stations (PRV):
      1. Utilities and Energy Services completed the installation of the PRVs, as described above, on April 27, 2013.  F&S replaced steam PRVs (pressure regulating valves) and associated isolation valves serving HVAC equipment at UIUC Library, to reduce and stabilize steam pressure to all control valves to improve comfort and reduce steam consumption. The total cost was $117,009.
    2. Steam Traps:
      1. The F&S Building Maintenance division replaced a total of 710 steam traps in the Main Library.  The total cost was $249,441.00, and this work was completed in July 2013.
    3. Control Valves:
      1. Utilities and Energy Services determined that this portion of the project should not be implemented at this time.
    Attached Files: 

  4. Bike Code approved

    Associated Project(s): 
    Enforcement for Safe Cycling

    The University Bicycle Ordinance, referenced in CAM VIII-22. Bicycle Regulations, was approved by the CAM committee on May 15, 2014.  The plan was to have enforcement of the ordinance to begin at the start of the Fall 2014 semester.  During the fall semester, enforcement would be focused on education, with only safety-related citations being issued.

    The link below is the approved version of the ordinance.

    University Bicycle Code

  6. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Assessment with all comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    eGen Recommendations Summary
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on August 28th, 2014, to discuss the EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation, and they started the assessment for this recommendation. 

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

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA here.

    Attached Files: 

  7. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Transmittal to the unit

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    eGen Recommendations Summary

    The SWATeam recommendation complete with the iWG Assessment with comments from all the iWG members was transmitted to the Facilities & Services on August 28th, 2014.

    For any future updates on this item, please visit the Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) project.

    See iWG Assessment for EGen001 Wind PPA here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA here.

  8. Enrollment information

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)

    Enrollment in the Certified Green Office Program will be open throughout the Fall 2014 semester. Don’t get caught enrolling at the last minute, though. The deadline to complete the five required sustainability commitments is December 15, 2014. We recommend that you and your office get started as soon as possible to leave extra time for additional commitments (see more below!). Office leaders must identify a Sustainability Ambassador before enrolling in the program.

    ENROLL HERE!

    After enrolling for the program, you can use this application to track your progress and send the completed form by December 15, 2014 to sustainability@illinois.edu. Once you complete the required commitments and email us the application (Excel spreadsheet), the iSEE team will review the applications from March to April 2015 and notify the award winners by April 10, 2015. The certificates will be presented during Earth Week 2015. The participants will also be mentioned on the iSEE website and publicized through our social media outlets.

    Nervous about getting things done? Don’t be! The iSEE team will be in regular communication with your office Sustainability Ambassador to answer questions and assist with implementation. We will regularly update our website with resources to help you implement sustainability commitments. In addition, we will hold four meetings throughout the semester to share best practices and discuss any challenges offices may face. Each meeting will center on a different commitment theme and give you ideas about how you can implement green practices:

    • August 28, 2014 – Introduction: Completing the five basic commitments (University YMCA, Latzer Hall) — RSVP HERE!

    • September 25, 2014 – Topic TBA (Illini Union, Room 210) — RSVP HERE!

    • November 4, 2014 – Topic TBA (Illini Union, Room 314B) — RSVP HERE!

    • December 4, 2014 – Topic TBA (Illini Union, Room 314B) — RSVP HERE!

    All meetings will be held between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

    Can’t make these meetings? The presentations will be posted on the iSEE website.

    Go the extra mile!

    Offices are encouraged to make additional commitments and perform additional acts to become a Bronze-, Silver-, or Gold-level Certified Green Office. Offices can choose from 17 additional commitments. The implementation deadline for these additional action items is March 15, 2015. To become a:

    • Bronze Certified Green Office – make 40% or more (at least 7) of the total additional commitments.

    • Silver Certified Green Office – make 60% or more (at least 11) of the total additional commitments.

    • Gold Certified Green Office – make 80% or more (at least 14) of the total additional commitments.

    The additional commitments can be found here.

    Resources

    The Certified Green Office Program application

    Promotional information and presentations coming soon!

    If you have any further questions, please contact Nishant Makhijani, iSEE's Student Intern for Campus Sustainability.

  9. August 2014 SSLC Meeting notes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Zero Waste Gameday Challenge Fall 2014
    iSEE Congress
    Illinois: A Climate Action Plan (2010 iCAP)

    iSEE leaders provided an introduction to the SSLC

    Six Objectives: Facilitate communication, facilitate collaboration, provide a forum for student leaders to voice their opinions to iSEE and thereby to the campus administration, help identify students who can serve on iSEE working groups or advisory groups, help identify potential interns, encourage more awareness about sustainability among student body

    Unofficial objective: Create political will/pressure to implement sustainability initiatives

    Topics covered:

    • 2010 iCAP progress toward 2015 objectives
    • iSEE Congress
    • Zero Waste Game Day
    • SSLC organizational structure
    Attached Files: 

  11. Eweek announcement of program

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)

    iSEE Certified Green Office Program

    You are invited to reduce the environmental impact of your office by enrolling in iSEE's Certified Green Office Program. Participating offices will implement some of the best practices to conserve energy and resources. Although changes to each office will for the most part be small, the aggregate impact of many people’s actions will be large. Registration is now open.

    Nishant Makhijani • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment

  15. Prairie on TV

    Associated Project(s): 
    Prairie Restoration at Florida & Orchard

    Sandy Mason interviewed myself and Jessica Mondello this morning at the Florida—Orchard prairie.  I think it went well.  As usual there was an awkward moment or two as we groped for words.  It should air on the farm segments at 5:40 am tomorrow Aug 7, and another version next Tuesday.  It will likely also show up on Illinois Home page .net

    All the paths now have a thin layer of wood chips to prevent erosion.

    ~John Marlin

  17. resource about using wood for energy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass use on Campus

    There are some environmental advocates who oppose using wood chips for energy. 

    This YouTube video includes the following description: "Forests are also one of our best defenses against global warming, absorbing vast amounts of carbon pollution out of the air. But power companies are increasingly proposing to burn whole trees for energy. Trees are not a "carbon neutral" fuel source. Just like coal, when trees are burned in power plants, the carbon they have accumulated over long periods of time is released into the atmosphere. Unlike coal, however, trees will continue to absorb carbon if left alone. So burning forests for energy not only emits a lot of carbon, but also degrades our carbon sinks. This video shows what happens to the balance of carbon between and forest and the atmosphere when we burn forests to produce energy instead of leaving them standing to continue to absorb and store carbon. Burning forests for electricity is dirty and destructive!" 

    It is shared by the Natural Resources Defence Council.

  18. update from Shantanu

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Housing has been piloting the glove recycling program for about four weeks now.  LAR, PRI, and MRL are all considering implementing the program.  Kimberly-Clarke Professionals (KCP) is interested in potentially supporting an intern to help expand the program.

    If everyone on campus recycled their KCP gloves it would be about 20 tons of landfill reduced.

  19. Joyce Mast coordinating RFP for the rooftop solar installation

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs

    Joyce Mast is coordinating a Request for Purchase to buy and install the solar panels that will go on top of the ECE Building.  The building already has the structural supports for the panels, so the purchase will include the racks, PV panels, and inverters.  Joyce is working with ECE's administrative office, the Purchasing Department, and F&S Capital Programs to facilitate this RFP.

  20. EGen001 Wind PPA recommendation - Submittal

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    eGen Recommendations Summary
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    The eGen SWATeam submitted a recommendation to the iWG stating, "We strongly endorse pursuing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with one or more Wind Farms as soon as possible. Given current market conditions, we believe that a PPA with one or more Wind Farms presents a great opportunity to purchase renewable energy in support of the campus iCAP targets."

    See attached the SWATeam recommendation EGen001 Wind PPA complete with comments from all the eGen SWATeam members.

    Attached Files: 

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