Here are the proposal and supporting documents for the TBH lighting project.   The account number has been set up so the project now has access to the funds.   I’d like to get this project into the lighting design and electrical engineering pipeline as soon as we can.  I’d also like to call a project kickoff meeting so we can sit down with Prof. Hall, Director Chasco, and Eva Sweeney and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Teresa Tousignant
Student Sustainability Committee

Energy Working Group Co-Chair

Yesterday’s meeting covered more refined and detailed breakdown of the following topics, most of which were discussed in prior meetings, with the exception of the newly introduced structural support “Space Frame” option.

• Panel layout configurations for truss mounted structural frame- 4 sections of seven rows at approx. 100 modules/row or four sections of six rows also 100 modules each. Truss mounting providing specific spacing for mounting dimensions. Also mentioned types of Truss material recommending tubular over welded angle, siting weatherization, degradation, appearance and animal habitat prevention as main reasons.
• Space Frame structure was introduced as a favorable option.
• A space frame is a structure system assembled of linear elements so arranged that forces are transferred in a three-dimensional manner. In some cases, the constituent element may be two dimensional.
• Macroscopically a space frame often takes the form of a flat or curved surface.
• It should be noted that virtually the same structure defined as space frame here is referred to as latticed structures in a state-of-the-art report prepared by the Task Committee on Latticed Structures [2], which states
• A latticed structure is a structure system in the form of a network of elements (as opposed to a continuous surface). Rolled, extruded or fabricated sections comprise the member elements.
• Another characteristic of latticed structural system is that their load-carrying mechanism is three dimensional in nature.
• Space frame benefits although more costly up front were presented as prefabricated, galvanized and powder coated, sturdy, longer Life cycle and less maintenance, but requiring cranes and other installation costs. They also have installer requirements for mounting solar array as to maintain the integrity of the coating and protective surfaces. Provided flexible mounting spacing to help maximize power output and minimize shading.
• Inverter layout revisited with schematic diagram presented illustrating component placement and wiring layouts.
• An overall electrical schematic was presented identifying key component placing and overcurrent protection limits and needs, along with electrical room Layout.
• Metering usage stated existing meters could be utilized with the addition of a revenue grade power production meter to monitor the array output.
• Single line diagram was presented identifying current and project components, mentioning the output potential of 1400-1600 amps at 480 volts.
• Introduced idea of rainwater harvesting for irrigation or toilet flushing usages.
• Procurement procedures mentioned and moved as major topic for next meeting with concerns of turnkey type purchasing being the industry norm verses purchasing standard variety purchasing from multiple vendors in normal construction.
• Next meeting PEP is having the structural Engineers present design considerations, and Mr. Jim Lev will have construction procurement representative attend.

In general, the overall efficiency of a typical power plant is approximately 35%, and the efficiency of a typical cogeneration plant is typically 80-85%.  The efficiency is in general a measure of the energy input (fuel), vs. the energy output (electricity, and in the case of a cogeneration plant steam and electricity).

We have done a lot of things to improve the plant efficiency, but at this point in time we don’t have good data available that can measure and quantify those improvements.  Some of the items that we have undertaken include:  changing out the lighting to higher efficient flourescents and/or LEDs, changing out the Centac Centrifugal Air Compressors to more efficient VFD driven rotary air compressors, changing the air compressor cooling from city water to the plant service water system, and repairing and replacing direct contact heaters.

Mike Larson

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Director of Utilities Production

In "The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research" by Lindsay Baker and Harvey Bernstein (2012), authors note research results and needs about green schools.

What do we know today?   In some areas, we have strong evidence to support the notion that school buildings impact student health and their ability to learn, and we know exactly how to ensure that the impacts are positive. For example, we know how to build classrooms that minimize background noise and allow voices to be heard clearly, which will allow students to hear their teachers and protect their aural health. We have clear evidence that certain aspects of school buildings have an impact on student health and learning, such as:

• When deprived of natural light, studies have shown that children’s melatonin cycles are disrupted, thus likely having an impact on their alertness during school (Figueiro & Rea, 2010).
• Teachers report higher levels of comfort in their classrooms when they have access to thermal controls like thermostats or operable windows (Heschong, 2003, and Lackney, 2001).
• According to researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, when ventilation rates are at or below minimum standards (roughly 15 cfm per student), an associated decrease of 5%–10% occurs in certain aspects of student performance tests (LBNL IAQ Resource Bank).
• In recent studies, when ventilation rates were lowered from 17 cfm/person to 10 cfm/person researchers saw a 15% increase in symptom prevalence for Sick Building Syndrome (ibid).

What do we need to find out?   While there have been studies on the impact of environments on children—and the benefits of green buildings more broadly—more research is needed. Some of the larger research questions are:

• When prioritization is necessary, which building projects can be expected to have larger impacts on facility quality and student health?
• What are the impacts of high-performance school buildings, above and beyond an adequate (and potentially new) school building?
• How do high-performance design features interact with each other? Relationships such as those between daylighting and acoustical design are understood less in terms of how they interact than in isolation.

Morgan Johnston met with a delegation from Mumbai, India, to tell them how we are making our campus more sustainable. 

Jack Dempsey has been asked to speak to two different delegations this June about the same topic.    The first group is from  a group of private universities in India, sponsored by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and is coming on a program promoted by Pradeep Khanna and his staff in Corporate Relations.  The second group is from a group of institutions in Pakistan with whom we have had a longstanding relationship:  COMSATS Institutes of Information Technology. 

Morgan Johnston recommended Shirley Liang work with Marcus Ricci when selecting preferred packaging options, based upon waste management needs.

The USGBC Illinois Chapter Green Schools Higher-Education Subcommittee met, via teleconference, on May 20 for the first time.  One of the future topics identified was a discussion of LEED Existing Building and LEED Operations and Maintenance, so Illinois colleges and universities can consider the merits of implementing LEED EB or LEED OM.

James Roedl has been hired as the new Campus Bicycle Shop Manager, replacing Ken Sutto.  James' first day of work is May 28, 2013. Ken's last day is June 14, 2013, giving the two managers roughly 3 weeks of overlap for training and orientation. The shop will remain open during regular hours, Monday-Thursday, 2-6pm and Friday, 2-5:30pm. The Campus Bicycle Shop Manager reports to the Sustainability Coordinator in Facilities & Services (Morgan Johnston), and is funded jointly by the University and The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign. James can be contacted at jmroedl@illinois.edu.