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Projects Updates for key objective: No name

  1. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Here are the zero-waste highlights of the past week: 

    • I submitted the UIUC response to the CURC survey
    • I exchanged emails with Rebecca Seymour at the campus Starbuck’s and with Morgan regarding a local farmer’s request for us to pay him to transport coffee grounds. We’ll have to tell him we don’t have funding for it.

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  2. Funding Approval for Campus Tree Inventory

    Evan De Lucia and Helen Coleman approved $70,000 of funding from the Carbon Credit Sales Fund for Campus Tree Inventory.

     

    The emails of approval are attached below.

  3. SSC funds occupancy sensors

    Bevier Hall currently has a number of spaces served by obsolete thermostat controls. While efforts to improve scheduling for heating and cooling have made improvements to energy consumption, the installation of occupancy sensors would improve the efficiency of the HVAC system, reducing energy use without sacrificing user comfort. This funding provides resources to install new occupancy sensors in 25 lab, classroom, and office spaces in Bevier Hall. When completed, the heating and cooling system will be able to work more efficiently, eliminating the need to constantly provide conditioning for unoccupied spaces. Individual spaces will have better temperature control, therefore improving occupant comfort and increasing productivity. This is a Student Sustainability Committee supported project.

  4. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    This past week was pre3y quiet with regard to zero-waste efforts. This coming week, I will respond to the CURC survey with information on recycling at U of I and will refocus on cleaning up the glove recycling location information. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  5. Meeting notes Jan. 11, 2018

    Morgan White, Anna Barnes, and Leah Berti met to discuss the first steps for the Use the Bin messaging campaign to campus staff.  Leah will finalize the powerpoint presentation by 1/16, and do a practice presentation to Morgan and Anna on 1/18.  The following week she will do a presentation to internal sustainability staff, and then start scheduling presentations with larger campus employee groups.

  6. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Here is the latest on zero-waste from the past week: 

    • I put a local farmer, John McNally, in touch with Rebecca Seymour, who manages the Starbuck’s at the Illini Union. I was able to learn that coffee grounds can be stored in plastic bins with lids until they are ready for use, although the lid should be kept on as they mold quickly and emit a nasty odor. John is able to pick up the grounds and will arrange pickup directly with Rebecca. 
    • I also let Rebecca know that I heard back from the Urbana Park District, and they will see if any of their gardeners are interested in the used coffee grounds. Starbuck’s corporate has a program for packaging small quantities of used grounds for same-day pickup that may be a good fit for individual gardeners. I sent program information to Rebecca as well. 
    • I went by PPSB today to take a look at the trailer for nitrile gloves but was unable to identify which container it was. I have a note out to Morgan and Anna to see if it makes sense for me to get a “tour”/demo one weekend or when I’m in town on Feb. 19. Once I see the trailer and how it works, I’ll be able to draft better instructions for glove recycling program participants. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  7. Updated LEED requirements

    Associated Project(s): 

    The previous project description began with this statement: "The University has adopted LEED Gold certification as a part of their design standards on all new construction."  However, the Facility Standards and the Campus Master Plan were not aligned with each other.  During the update to the Facility Standards and update to the Campus Master Plan in 2017, the campus leadership determined that the appropriate requirement for new construction buildings is LEED Silver, to comply with minimum state legal requirements.

  8. Archived info - 2010 iCAP LEED goals

    Associated Project(s): 

    The 2010 iCAP included a focused effort on the use of LEED Certification to incorporate sustainable design in new capital construction on campus.  In the 2015 iCAP, campus sustainability advocates recognized that "While the utilization of current building certification programs such as LEED has helped raise awareness of sustainable building standards, the campus could accelerate progress in reducing building energy use by shifting to performance based building standards for new buildings and major renovations."  The 2010 iCAP LEED goals are documented here, for the archive.

    2010 iCAP LEED Goals:

    Require all new construction to be LEED Platinum certified by FY15:

    The LEED certification requirements were increased in fiscal year 2011 to require Gold level certification for all new projects.  This has increased the visibility and sustainability of all new campus buildings.  There is a proposal from the 2010 iCAP to increase the certification requirement to Platinum level in fiscal year 2015.  This increase would require additional funding for new building projects, and in some cases there may be conflicts with building codes or campus Standards.  

    Completed LEED Goals:

    Incorporate LEED principles into Facility Standards:

    The Facility Standards for campus have been updated to incorporate many LEED principles.  As of 2012, a building that meets all the Facility Standards, will qualify for a LEED Silver designation.  Additionally, new buildings, additions, or major renovations are required to meet LEED Gold certification.  The additional points to acheive LEED Gold are selected by the individual project teams, rather than prescribed specifically in the Facility Standards.

    The 2010 U of I Facilities Standards have been published and are currently based on LEED Gold certification.  The U of I Facilities Standards require compliance with all 8 Required Prerequisites and several additional Credits listed in the LEED Rating System.  The Standards list some minimum technical requirements and make recommendations pertaining to energy conservation strategies, but allow the AE the flexibility to determine how the LEED Gold certification is obtained.

    Require all new construction to be LEED Silver certified by FY10:

    LEED Silver certification has been required for all new campus buidings since 2008, when the iCAP was signed. Thee are four levels of LEED certification: certified, silver, gold, and platinum.  Silver certification requires a mimum of 50 LEED points.  The Ikenberry Commons Student Dining and Residential Programs (SDRP) building and the phase A of the new residence halls in Ikenberry Commons is also LEED Silver certified.  This designation is required for all buildings that were planned or begun before 2010.  While many of the buildings planned at that time are completed or in construction, there are some future buildings planned before 2010, which will only be required to meet LEED Silver status.

    Require all new construction to be LEED Gold certified by FY11:

    With the successful attainment of LEED Silver certification for some campus buildings, the Campus advanced the LEED certification requirements to a minimum of Gold certification at the beginning of fiscal year 2011.  All projects which began the planning process after May 2010 are required to be LEED Gold certified.  To acheive LEED Gold, the construction or renovation project must qualify for a minimum of 60 LEED points.

  9. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Here are my zero-waste activities from the past week: 

    • Drafted instructions for opening the trailer where participants can drop off full containers of nitrile gloves for recycling. I will need to redraft the instructions after viewing the trailer itself. I had planned to go by and see it today, but with it being the coldest day of the millennium, I thought perhaps I could postpone until it’s above zero again! 
    • Drafted the Fall 2017 semester report that Morgan will submit to the Student Sustainability Committee
    • Continued my search for information on how best to store used coffee grounds—Rebecca Seymour at the Illini Union Starbuck’s asked if I had the information, so I have been researching it for her. So far, we have one farmer (John McNally) who would like to use the coffee grounds. I am working with him and Rebecca to arrange for him to pick them up.
    • Drafted replies to a CURC survey and requested information from Morgan that will allow me to complete it.

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  10. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    I have no significant zero-waste activity to report from the past week, except for some email exchanges related to finding takers for Starbuck’s coffee grounds. Two farms expressed interest, and I need to follow up with Rebecca Seymour at the Union to see what resources there are for delivering grounds to the farms. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  11. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Zero waste activities this past week were to 

    • Read the SSC grant application related to getting a new baler to support expanded plastic recycling
    • Update the glove recycling page of the iCAP portal
    • Contact several local farms to see if they would like to receive used coffee grounds from the campus Starbuck’s 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

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