The Land & Water iCAP team met on Teams from 1-2 PM on Friday, January 19th. Meeting minutes are attached.

Agenda

• Clarification of future meeting schedule and topics
• Update: Miriam Keep, Codie Sterner, and Michael McKelvey met to continue the discussion about embedding SSC project information in the SSC website: Discussion about SSC projects in iCAP Portal - January 16, 2024
• Recommendation to make Christina's iCAP Portal Header Page Layout #4: Tabbed Navigation (Figma) the default layout for all projects
  • For context, see final takeaway of previously mentioned SSC meeting
  • Would need to figure out a new way to make Project Header pages stand out

Discussion/Decisions:

• Agreed to move meetings to once per month; Quinn will take care of that
• Agreed to make the tabbed navigation layout the default layout for projects; Christina will consider possible alternate designs for the Project Header layout
• Decided to only show the SSC tab for projects which have SSC funding; hide it for all others
• Discussion of representing SSC and other student-initiated fees
  • If we start adding information about other fees (e.g. bike fee), should we group all the student-initated fees in a single tab (SSC, bike fee, etc.) or have separate tabs for each?
  • Single tab would group together logically related info, avoids tab overload
  • Multiple tabs would allow SSC to retain prominence on project pages, not dilute its impact and prestige
  • Decided to do a single SSC tab now and revisit if we add information about other student-initiated fees in the future

Done:

• Print layout updated (see Objectives page)
• Rough draft of SSC project embed filtering
• Rough draft of Christina's tab-based layout (Dev site; requires VPN or on-campus connection)
  [Based on Christina's iCAP Portal Header Page Layout designs (Figma)]

Discussion:

• Question about a TODO: "Collections page: Add image upload option". At a previous meeting we had this TODO, but what was the context? Was it to have a thumbnail for each Collection? Or a banner image? Or an image gallery?
• Should we link to "Take Action" project from homepage?
  • Replace map link in Highlights?
  • Need to finish Take Action page content
• Continue discussion of Fancy Page Layout (see the 4 mockups in the October 21, 2022 meeting notes)
• Continue discussion of improving site's aesthetics
• Archiving projects
  • Add "Archived" checkbox?
  • Add "Archived" to Visibility options?
  • Add "Archived" to Project Status options? (probably not - this mixes the status of the project itself with whether we still want it to show up on the site)
  • Remove from nested listings, still publicly available?

TODO:

• Print styles:
  • ✅ Objectives page:
    • ✅ Do not bold metric titles
    • ✅ Put "(not shown)" on own line
  • Footer:
    • ✅ Replace old iSEE logo with current iSEE wordmark
    • ✅ Hide social media icons
    • ✅ Show F&S and iSEE logos side-by-side
• Main map:
  • See CSU's campus map (Sustainability section) for inspiration
  • Campus boundary, like ArcGIS Bicycle Map
  • Improve mobile filter?
  • Use heatmap when zoomed out, switch to markers when zoomed in?
• (long term goal) look into importing information from another source, e.g. SSC students without iCAP Portal access can put together info in a structured format for automatic import into iCAP Portal
• Metric search/display:
  • Theme (via connected Project, i.e. Theme -> Project -> Metric)
  • Most recent updates as of: (list of years) -> can we query Tracking data?
  • (Internal only) Last updated before (list of years) -> can we query Tracking data?
• (Low Priority) Make column headers click-sortable on Projects by Project Status page
• Fancy project layout mockups - keep tweaking #3 to improve contrast
• Discuss metrics
  • Metrics with lots of data
  • Consider how to handle old metrics that no longer track new data. Archive somehow?
  • Fun with math (e.g. combining multiple metrics)
  • Calculated Metrics on Dev site

Ideations:

• Map brainstorming:
  • What if we had a separate Campus Sustainability Tour expandable section, alongside Collections and Themes? Perhaps with a specific order to the locations and information about each location in the infowindow popup? We might have to hand-craft it rather than using Collections, but it might be worth it if we want an interface more like the CSU sustainability map. This could also work for any other bespoke sections we might want to include in the future.
  • Are there other things we'd like to highlight on the map beyond Themes and Collections? If we can think of them, Michael can try to figure out how to make it happen.
  • Michael is working on trying to make the map queries work asynchronously so each filter doesn't require a new pageload. This would make interactions with the map much snappier.
  • Would we like to provide the ability to view individual projects for each section in the sidebar, à la CSU's map?
  • Are there other categories we would like to include, either in addition to or instead of Collections and Themes? Is that information already in the iCAP Portal? If so, perhaps there's a way we can use it... If not, perhaps a new tagging system specifically for the map might help us achieve it?
  • Sarthak: would like to create a Biking Tour
  • Reed: highlight things students can see/experience
• SSC projects
  • May want to use this Archive of Funded Projects on old SSC site (2019) as a reference for showing SSC project info
  • Discussed using iCAP Portal projects for SSC projects page vs. maintaining own project pages directly on SSC website.
  • One possible challenge - SSC sometimes funds part of a project or provides funding for a period of time (e.g. 1 year) for a longer-term project, so only the project updates for that period of time are relevant, not all updates in perpetuity. How do we handle that?
  • Decided to start with map embed from Student Sustainability Committee Funded Projects collection, then look at adding card-based project embed as well.
  • SSC project integration discussion on 11/30/2023:
    • New projects need to be approved and located appropriately in portal hierarchy
    • Codie considers an SSC project worth adding once it has a CFOAP
    • Projects can be updated w/SSC info by SSC students/employees once they exist in portal
    • How to show projects with multiple funding allocations over time? (e.g. $100K in spring 2020, $100K in fall 2020)
      • Is it the same project over time? Sometimes it is, but sometimes the leaders change and the direction changes significantly
      • Discussed dusting off the Project Funding feature we'd deprecated several years ago. It looks promising for showing SSC's funding of projects!
    • Michael and Codie will meet next week to discuss specifics about what SSC needs the iCAP Portal to be able to do in order to use the iCAP Portal for the SSC website's project listing.

Hi Rob,

We have about $1.4M in Carbon Credit Sales Funds, and (as just one of the potential uses) we would like to know the most impactful energy project this could support in terms of maximum emission reductions.  Could I talk with Sylvia about that, or do you have someone else I should contact?

Thanks,

Morgan

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Morgan,

We have a stack of project requests that we can look at to see where the best use of the funds could be. Please let me discuss with Tony, and we will reply with our recommendations.

Thanks,
Rob

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Hello Morgan,

Thanks for your patience. I have worked with the others in UES to develop the attached list of recommended projects. The file is sorted by the mtCO2/$ to show the projects with the most carbon emissions reduction for the money.  We recommend to use the $1.4M to fund the first three projects and partially funding the fourth or the fifth project (the fifth project has higher energy savings and is slightly less on the mtCO2/$). 

Thanks for reaching out to us with your inquiry. I hope that you find these projects acceptable. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Best Regards,
Rob

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Hi Rob,

Thank you for this list.  Could your team please provide an estimated life in years for these projects?  If we say the Controls Upgrade at the Conference Center will last 30 years, then the footprint reduction cost is $32.44/mtCO2e.  We can assume 30 years for all the projects, but that is just a WAG from my perspective.

Thanks,

Morgan

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Morgan,

I have attached an amended table to this email with a new column for life expectancy as defined by ASHRAE. Generally, ASHRAE indicates 15-20 years for each of the projects.

Thanks,
Rob

Good morning, Mike!

Great to hear from you.  Absolutely can provide you with some additional information on both of those procurement pathways:

1. Sourcewell:

The University is a member of a purchasing co-op which provides pre-negotiated pricing for a variety of solutions – including microgrids – which enables them to purchase directly through Sourcewell without needing to go out to bid.  Please see attached for an example of the Siemens Sourcewell contract offerings and below for the University’s member information:

1. Energy as a Service:

Siemens could design, develop, own, implement and maintain a turn key energy system allowing the University to avoid capital investment and simply pay a “subscription cost” if you will for all their energy needs for I-ACT.  This would also enable them to stay up to date on new technologies as they come on line.  Please see attached “4-Steps for Integrating EaaS” for additional information.

Again, we would be very happy to get on a call to walk through how to customize either of these offerings to meet their needs in cooperation with the work they are doing with AECOM.

Could be a really exciting collaboration!

I warmly welcome your thoughts.

Thank you and

All the best!

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Kevin,

Here is the info I received from Siemend for your review.

Thanks

Mike

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Hello,

Regarding the ongoing discussion of the electrical microgrid design (including PV panels on site) for U20029:IACT the PSC has wondered if UIUC has ever participated in either of this type of programs for procuring such systems by what appears a more design/build method?

Kevin

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Good Afternoon Aaron and Graham,

Can you advise if the attached Sourcewell Contract is one that we can utilize, if not, is there an IPHEC contract that would provide this type service? I tried to research the existing IPHEC vendors.

Thank You

MARIA THOMPSON

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

Hi, Maria

The awarded contracts on the flyer all appear to be expired per the Sourcewell website.

#031517-SIE for building technologies

#051017-SIE for EV supplies and equipment

#030817-SIE includes HVAC systems and mechanical

Which contract were you interested in using? We may have something already.

Also, IPHEC must adopt a consortia award first before a member can leverage it.

Thank you

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

Graham,

I am not really sure. Morgan or Kevin can you advise on Graham’s question?

Thank You

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

Hello Graham,

I’m the F&S-CP Project Manager for the U20029: IACT track and fleet building project.  This is an automated and connected track for testing autonomous vehicles and anticipates having renewable energy production from wind turbines and PV panels on the large track site.

The question which launched this email chain was received from the track designers who became aware of the existence to programs such as Sourcewell when discussing the PV design with potential sub designers for that portion of the track design.  I’m afraid I am not familiar enough with the three projects to know for sure but from the thumbnail descriptions perhaps the first one might be most similar to what is involved here, although this project would involve a large system covering both site elements producing renewable energy and only one building.  Their questions were really if the UIUC had interacted with Sourcewell in the past, and if Sourcewell might be an avenue to explore further as part of their design work.

Would it be acceptable to share your contact information with the designers so that they could determine if your program could help provide some of the elements required for the IACT track and fleet building?

Thank you,

Kevin

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Hi Angie,

I’ve reviewed this form (actually, Tim filled it out while I was with him), and I agree this small solar installation at UIUC should qualify for the IRA Tax Credit.  I understand that the next step is for you to review it, and then forward it to the Treasury Office for their review and processing.

Please let me and Tim know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Morgan

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Morgan,

Is this project actually a solar installation or just the interconnection?

From below:

“Project will connect existing 15kw solar panels to campus electrical grid.”

If this is not the purchase/construction of solar panels for original use, it is not property as described under Section 48:

equipment which uses solar energy to generate electricity, to heat or cool (or provide hot water for use in) a structure, or to provide solar process heat, except property used to generate energy for the purposes of heating a swimming pool,

I’m happy to set up a time to discuss if that helps.

Kimberly A. Maxwell, CPA

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Hi Tim and Rob,

I’d like your perspective on this question about the small solar at the Energy Farm.  If you would like to discuss it, please let me know who to include in a call with the tax office.

Thank you,

Morgan

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Hi Morgan,

Happy to discuss this further to determine if this project can meet the requirements for the credit.  Do we want to discuss internally first?

Best,
Tim

The Education iCAP team met on Teams from 1-2 PM on Thursday, December 7th. The team discussed Sustainability in Study Abroad, the Sustainability Literacy assessment, and the Sustainability Internship Coordinator recommendation. Meeting minutes are attached.