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Projects Updates for key objective: No name

  1. Coordination meeting to discuss fume hoods and green labs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Lab Program
    Reduce Active Fume Hoods
    Fume Hood Shut the Sash Campaign
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]

    Representatives from iSEE, the ECBS SWATeam, F&S, and student interns met to discuss coordination of energy conservation efforts regarding the fume hoods on campus.  iSEE and the student interns is investigating the development of a Certified Green Lab Program, like the Certified Green Office Program.  F&S is actively reducing fume hoods, through consolidation and moth-balling.  The ECBS SWATeam is advocating for more Shut the Sash communication efforts.  These groups will continue to move forward, and coordinate their efforts.

  3. EGEN SWATeam Meeting Notes (9.28.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]
    Solar Power on Campus
    Biomass use on Campus

    The EGEN SWATeam held their second meeting for the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Review progress toward 2015 iCAP objectives
    • Review/Finalize poster for Campus Sustainability Celebration.
    • Identify 2nd faculty member for EGEN SWATeam
    • Exploring ideas for clean energy on campus.
    Attached Files: 

  4. Jill Maxey meets with energy contacts regarding space policy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Improve Space Utilization
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Space Marketplace

    In September, Associate Director for Space Utilization Jill Maxey met with faculty and staff interested in the status of the Net Zero Growth Space Policy.  She explained the calculations involved in setting up the Space Bank, and the anticipated usage going forward in future years.

  6. Report of iSEE Communication Performance (January - June 2016)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build a Culture of Sustainability
    Provide Centralized Communication about Sustainability

    A general assessment was conducted from the period of January 2016 to January 2016, identifying the state of sustainability communication channels. During this time, statistics, major developments, and observations were recorded to understand the performance of communication to the general public.

    See the attached file for collected data.

    Attached Files: 

  7. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Green Lab Program
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    At the ECBS SWATeam initial meeting Marian Huhman was elected as a new chair. Recruting more proposals for education of other students about energy conservation was discussed.  The "Illini Lights Out" Program pilot last semester was very successful and should be a year-long program. Engaging the whole campus for the "Green Labs" Program is needed. More funding for energy conservation was discussed. The completion of 2015 iCAP tasks poster templete is expected by September 23.

    Attached Files: 

  9. EGEN SWATeam Meeting Notes (9.14.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    The EGEN SWATeam held their first meeting fo the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Selecting a team chair
    • Deciding a regular meeting time, frequency, and location
    • Preparing an evaluation of the campus's progress toward meeting the objectives of the 2015 iCAP
    • Writing a descriptive paragraph about the EGEN team's focus for the year to be posted on the iCAP portal.
    • Identifying a potential faculty member to fill the 2nd faculty spot on the EGEN SWATeam
    Attached Files: 

  10. September 9th, 2016 Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Develop Scenarios for Converting the UI Fleet to Renewable Fuels
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    2014 Campus Bike Plan [ARCHIVED]

    9/09/16

     

    Summary: This meeting was our inaugural meeting for the year. On the agenda today was the creation of a team description, a review of ongoing projects, and planning for future meetings.

     

    In attendance:

        Josh Feldman

        Claire Dondival

    Ankit Singhai

    Yangfeng Ouyang

    Pete Varney

    Lily Wilcox - Active Transportation Coordinator

    Olivia Webb - Sustainability Programs Coordinator

     

    Topics Covered:

     

    Team Description

    We collectively crafted our team description for the iCAP portal, which can be found at:  https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/transportation-swateam.

     

    Project Slides

    Renewable Fleet Study:

    Claire and Petehelped foster a discussion about the current types of alternative fuels for campus fleet vehicles. Currently, natural gas is the only type of fuel seriously looked at. One concern was that the gas CNG, while possible to implement, would be somewhat costly and have little payback unless driven many miles. Electric vehicles were brought up, but are currently not part of the market. Biodiesel was also mentioned, but its performance in cold weather is a concern.

     

    Staff Mode Shift:

    Lily discussed the ways that this project will reduce single occupancy vehicles. One idea looked at was bike sharing, which has been tried by Purdue but does not have much payback economically. Lily also discussed “It’s your MTD too”, which features social bus-riding trips which introduce MTD to campus employees.

     

    Bike Plan:

    This was a summary of effort to make campus more bike-friendly. This would include having more, and better, bike parking. UIUC was recently recognized as a bronze-level Bike Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

     

    Future Meetings

    We decided that every other Friday at 1pm is a good time to hold meetings. We will be holding meetings in the National Soybean Research Laboratory. Our clerk Josh will send out reminders.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Clerkship Orientation with Clerks Chibu and Alexia

    Associated Project(s): 
    Agriculture, Land Use, Food, and Sequestration (ALUFS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    Team Clerk Chibu Asonye attended a Clerkship Orientation meeting with Olivia Webb, Sustainability Programs Coordinator at iSEE and Clerk Alexia Bedolla of the Purchasing, Waste, and Recycling SWATeam. During this meeting, Olivia walked through how to navigate, update, and over all populate the ICAP Portal for the SWATeams. Olivia also went over the charge list for the Clerks, detailing a few due dates and things to keep in mind over the school year. 

  14. Student solar efforts renewing for fall 2016

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Independent Student Projects

    Niharika Kishore, masters in Urban Planning (MUP) student, and Corey Weil, sophomore in Electrical and Computer Engineering, are working with Morgan Johnston on the iSEE objective for on-campus solar.  Niharika will continue her efforts for promoting rooftop solar to meet the iCAP objective for 12,500 MWh/year of on-campus solar energy generation as part of a MUP capstone project this year.  Corey will volunteer in various efforts to support the development of solar solutions for campus, from the Net Zero Energy ECE efforts to advocating for solar energy funding.

  15. FY 17 SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Decrease Wasteful Practices through Behavior Change
    Increase Recycling Rates
    Recycling for the Quad
    Implement Solutions for Special Recyclables

    The SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination ($64,862) covers four different recycling efforts.

    1)      Campus-wide infrastructure, $29,750: Expanding the “Dual bins on the Quad” to north of Green and eastward to Goodwin Avenue, in collaboration with F&S Superintendent of Grounds Ryan Welch.  Ryan’s Grounds workers are mapping the existing bins, as a first step.  All of this funding is for the physical infrastructure (bins and lids, etc.).

    2)      Campus-wide education, $1,032: The key message of personal responsibility for waste management needs to be communicated through multiple channels on campus, in order to effect the culture shift that we deeply need on campus.  F&S will create educational materials to explain the recycling options available to the campus community, to reduce confusion.  The funding is based on 8 presentations throughout campus and development of educational materials (which will be used in future years as well).  All materials will thank SSC for their funding support.

    3)      Building specific solutions, $30,520: Per the completed Waste Characterization Studies, there are various changes that can be implemented in the studied buildings to improve waste diversion.  These changes need to be approved and implemented in coordination with building occupants, so there is a need for a staff coordinator to work with the individual units.  The funding is based on two weeks of staff time per building, for eight buildings.

    4)      Special recyclables expansion $3,560: There are new programs available for interested units on campus to recycle nitrile gloves, styrofoam, alkaline batteries, and glass.  Unfortunately, very few units are aware of these opportunities.  We are requested funding for student employees to reach out directly to potential participants and help them incorporate the applicable programs.

  18. New Effort Towards Promoting Departmental Bicycle Fleets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Provide Working Bikes for University Employees
    Departmental Bike Sharing
    Independent Student Projects

    August, 2016, a new initiative towards promoting departments to start their own bicycle fleets began. Lily Wilcock, Active Transportation Coordinator, took on myself (Logan Ebeling), a student intern to help with this project. I am participating in the project as part of ENVS 491, a class required for my Sustainability Minor. 

     

    This project is an evolution from the Departmental Bike Sharing project (see Associated Projects) and is using materials from that project and is drawing off its success. 

     

    We met August 24th at the Campus Bike Center to discuss goals for this semester. We settled on two broad goals: First, assessing the health, challenges, and success of already existing departmental bicycle fleets and second, promoting the formation of new bicycle fleets on campus.  

  20. Concrete Repairs

    Associated Project(s): 
    2014 Campus Bike Plan [ARCHIVED]

    While the plan implementation is not done yet, the Armory Avenue path has seen concrete repair and improvement this summer. Sections between Lincoln and Goodwin have been repaired after recent construction has made the existing poor conditions worse.

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