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  5. Finalized Bee Campus USA Sign Design

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    A 24" by 36" Bee Campus USA sign will be installed at the corner of Florida Avenue and Orchard Street, by the Florida-Orchard prairie, near Orchard Downs and the Presidents’ House.

    The sign includes information about Bee Campus USA, local pollinators, the creation of the prairie zone, and more!

    See the attached file to view a digital rendition of the signage.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Weekly Update: Increased bicycle registration; Getting very busy!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bicycle Registration

    All, We’re getting legitimately busy nowadays! We’ll be keeping an eye on overall capacity and having to limit some visitors soon.

    I’m scrambling to finish more bikes to capitalize on the surging demand but we’ll likely sell out this week or next.

    Over the weekend we’ve gotten over 50 bike registration notifications so it’s likely we’ll see an uptick in registration pick-ups here.

    We had a patron come in on Friday who’s an RA at LAR and took all of our rack card flyers to hand out to his students—hopefully that’ll bump up our applications.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 41
    Sales: $1,362.60
    Bikes (refurb): 6 for $940
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Tires/tubes: 8 for $42
    U-locks: 6 or $126

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  12. archived info - past project description additional information

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach

    The following text was removed from this project description, with the update to the iCAP 2020:

    "The core component of co-curricular education and sustainability outreach is strong and effective communication; therefore these objectives center around communication. 

    1. Support and communicate about co-curricular student sustainability programs. 
    2. Strengthen and communicate about sustainability outreach programs.  Specifically, at least half of the full-time campus staff will be participating in the Certified Green Office Program by FY20.
    3. Organize and promote three major sustainability events on campus each year: Earth Week, Campus Sustainability Week, and the iSEE Congress."

  13. Kane County Solar PV Concerns

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Clean Power

    Kane County Department of Environment and Water Resources, Management Coordinator, Ivy Klee reached out to get some information about solar panels. Specifically, they are proposing a solar project that is across some residential homes. The residents of those houses have growing concerns about living across from an eight acre solar field due to potential radiation. Ivy wants to know if this is a legitimate concern and if there is any research on this subject. Professor and Director at the Grainger Center of Electric Machinery and Electromechanics, Philip Klein, explained that any electromagnetic radiation stems from inverters and wiring, not from the panels themselves. Certified residential inverters must meet FCC Class B limits (similarly to air conditioners and other residential appliances). The only potential concern is communications interference which has only been an issue when solar farms have been installed very close to aircraft navigation radars or military radars. For more information visit: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/67440.pdf. 

    Other information was shared regarding solar PV by Mechanical Engineering Emeritus Professor, Ty Newell:

    -As homes electrify (heat pumps for comfort conditioning, heat pumps for water heating and heat pumps for clothes drying), along with EVs (Electric Vehicles), all solar energy (including wind) converted to electricity for powering our homes, buildings and vehicles is released back into the environment at exactly the same amount that was temporarily diverted to keep our food preserved, buildings comfortable, and providing transportation....unlike fossil (stored solar energy) that is an additional release of energy to the environment (along with a lot of other stuff)

    -Every dollar removed from fossil fuel related electricity production creates 10 times more jobs in manufacturing and construction for building heat pumps, constructing solar and wind fields, and improving our buildings (~0.2to 0.3jobs per million$ of revenue for fossil fuel industry, similar to investment banks and health insurance companies versus 2-4jobs per million$ of revenue for jobs in manufacturing and construction...Fortune 500 data)

    -Improving home and building efficiency will create a surplus of electric energy for a seamless transition to EV transportation

    -EVs require about 200square feet of solar array (size of a garage car space) for 10-12,000 miles of driving per year

    -The coal industry employs fewer people (less than 8000) in Illinois than the Univ of Illinois graduate each year.....clean energy and sustainable living technologies will provide those jobs

     

     

  14. 2021 Freezer Challenge Recap & Summary

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    In the 2021 Freezer Challenge, 222 labs participated from over 100 different research institutions across 17 countries. The combined efforts of the scientists and labs saved 4.6 million kWh of electricity over the past year, which is the equivalent of reducing carbon emissions by 3,260 metric tons. 

    Based on the U of I's submitted scoresheets (33 in total), the combined actions of the university saved a total of 1051 kWh/day across multiple labs throughout campus. 

  15. Geothermal Illinois Series: Community Models

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Geothermal Coalition

    On August 12, 2021, the Illinois Geothermal Coalition hosted it's third webinar in the Geothermal Illinois Series.

    The program, Geothermal Illinois: Community Models, discussed (1) decarbonization of the energy sector with a focus on the challenge of decarbonizing commercial and residential heating, (2) geothermal energy at the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District’s Administration Facility and converting a public sector commercial building to geothermal energy, and (3) the process of designing and implementing the community-based education and group purchasing program Geothermal Urbana Champaign. 

    These topics were covered by the following presenters:

    • Scott R. Tess, Sustainability & Resilience Officer for the City of Urbana, IL
    • Peter Murphy, Solar Program Director, Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)
    • Jane Sullivan, Grants & Governmental Affairs Director, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD)

    See the recording of the webinar and slide decks:

    Additionally, the complete materials from all 3 Geothermal Illinois sessions are available for viewing:

    • July 29 - Geothermal Illinois: Research and Technology - Recording | Slides
    • August 10 - Geothermal Illinois: Campus Projects - Recording | Slides
    • August 12 - Geothermal Illinois: Community Models - Recording | Slides

  17. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, This update is a day late as I was out of the office on Monday.
    Last week I was out on Thursday and Friday as well. Student staff covered Bike Center hours in my absence. On Monday last week we received a bike from Housing which we were able to quickly fix up and put out for sale.  
    This week we have a couple drop off repairs to catch up on, a few more bikes to fix up for sale, and some donations to process.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 26
    Sales: $1,167

    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $500
    U-locks: 5 for $105

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  19. Final bicycle registration sign and work order details

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Registration
    ENG 177 GFX Global Sustainability Scholars
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Please see attached the final bicycle registration sign design in JPEG and PDF formats. We have received approvals from Housing to put up these signs in the major high traffic bicycle parking locations, mainly in the SDRP, LAR, FAR/PAR, and Busey Evans bicycle parking areas. We are also looking at Illini Union and ARC for these signs in this cycle, but dependent on funding.

    Sarthak Prasad has submitted a work order to fabricate and install the bike registration signs at these locations (as mentioned in previous project updates). The Work Order number is 10885468.

    Attached Files: 

  20. Dump and Run held this August!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

    Dump and Run is BACK! After a 1-year hiatus, the University YMCA is thrilled to once again hold community collections and the Big Sale this August. All collections and the sale will be held at the U of I Stock Pavilion, in cooperation with the College of ACES and Dept. of Animal Sciences.

    Dump and Run keeps over 30 tons of used, quality goods out of Champaign-Urbana’s dumpsters and landfills each year. This project reduces litter and consumer waste, saves space in landfills, lowers dumping costs for certified housing and apartments and provides inexpensive items for folks to purchase in the fall.

    While we were unable to hold our normal spring collections this past May, we look forward to collecting as many great items as we can from our community and hope that you will join us in helping find usable goods a new home. Thanks to the community and the University of Illinois for making Dump & Run a success each year, and we will see you this August!

    (From the YMCA Dump and Run website) More information here

    August 2021 Collection Days:

    All collections will be held at the UI Stock Pavilion, located at 1402 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana IL, beginning on Monday, August 2.

    Monday Aug. 2: noon - 4:00pm

    Tuesday Aug. 3 - Friday Aug. 6: 9:00am - 4:00pm. Late collection on Wednesday Aug. 4 until 7:00pm

    Saturday, Aug. 7: 10:00am - 2:00pm

    Monday Aug. 9 - Friday August 13: 9:00am - 4:00pm. Late collection on Wednesday Aug. 11 until 7:00pm

    Saturday, Aug. 14: 10:00am - 2:00pm

    FINAL collection day, Monday Aug. 16: 9:00am - 4:00pm

     

    Check out the YMCA Dump and Run website for more information. 

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