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Projects Updates for key objective: No name

  1. 2015 iCAP potential strategies

    Associated Project(s): 

    Maintain or reduce the campus gross square footage relative to the FY10 baseline.

    The 2010 iCAP committed the campus to enacting a 'no net increase in space' policy applicable to all space controlled by campus. Such a policy enables greenhouse gas emission reductions through restricting additional gross square feet of campus buildings, which is directly related to the peak energy demand for campus utilities. In addition to limiting future energy expenditures, there will also be a reduction in the use of resources for construction materials and processes, and a reduction of transportation emissions associated with urban sprawl.

    A net zero growth space policy has been approved by the Provost’s Non-Instructional Space Task Force.  The campus should target formal adoption of this policy and incorporation into the Campus Administrative Manual before the end of FY15. According to this policy, when buildings are demolished or leases are vacated (post-2010), their gross square footage would be added to a “square footage bank” held by the Provost’s office. The Provost may “retire” this square footage in order to effect a gradual reduction in campus gross square footage, or may make allocations of this square footage to offset individual projects that would otherwise increase gross square footage. Such an allocation from the bank would represent a negative square footage contribution to the project to enable it to result in no increase in gross square footage.

    Modern building standards typically require more square footage for accessibility and mechanical needs. Nevertheless, campus could prevent the need for increases in square footage by judiciously examining existing and new space requirements at a departmental level. Campus could also consider best practices from other campuses, such as a space marketplace that provides rewards for space reduction and enables efficient space swaps. The campus could develop a standardized reporting system that measures utilization of classrooms, classroom laboratories, conference rooms, and meeting rooms based on variables such as time and day of the week, average percent fill, facilities demand, etc. Campus administrators could then identify underutilized spaces and reassign them for other purposes. A comprehensive space audit of the campus could also be considered.

  2. Status update from Bart to Tracy

    Tracy,

    Here is an update and overview from our conversation this morning.

    1.        We will start by auditing BIF on the week of October 5-9.  Kari Cooperider is our contact.  Everything is in place at this venue.  Bin mapping has already been done.  We will pick up most of the material from both dumpsters on a daily basis.  You may not have to empty these all week but we will let you know if it is needed.  We will also weigh all the recycling totes on site before you pick up that material, but not remove anything from the totes.  Everything removed from the dumpsters will be taken to ISTC for sorting and then dropped off at the WTS the next morning. 

    2.       The Illini Union will be audited the week of October 12-17.  Dave Guth and David Parker are our contacts.  They are working to have Area provide them with a roll off for that week.  Bin mapping has been done.  They are already looking to purchase new bins and change signage.  We will capture 400 pounds of material and take it to ISTC for sorting.  Afterward that material will be taken back to the Union.  The compactor will only be used in the case overflow is needed.  We will coordinate the collection of samples to prior to the Area pickups.  

    3.       LAR will be audited the week of October 19-23.  Contacts are Michael Wassom (BSW Supervisor) and Brenda Welch (Dining Supervisor) .  For this week you will provide a 20 yard roll off and place it at the loading dock next to the compactor.  The compactor will not be used during this week.  For this week LAR will place everything in liners and place them in the 20 yard roll off.  We will be pulling out 40 bags per day but there will most likely still need to be pickups depending on how much material is left over.    We will call you when that is needed and to coordinate our samples being picked up prior.  Bin mapping has already been done.

    4.       RAL is also scheduled for October 19-23.  Our contacts are Wes Riggsby and Ron Eggett.  For this audit they have agreed to use liners for that week.  They are also going to try and direct any waste from the Chemical Life Sciences building to the dumpsters on the other side of their building.  Because RAL has a deep dumpster, you have agreed to replace it with a 20 yard roll off.  We will be picking up 40 bags per day and taking them to the ISTC for sorting.  That material will be taken to the WTS the next morningWe believe that some pickups may be needed but we will call you if that is the case. 

    The materials will be collected and then sorted behind ISTC.  To accommodate student workers, the timing of the sorts will be from 3pm -7pm each day.  Surveys will also be done on each building. 

    Cheers,

    Bart

  3. New fume hood standards drafted

    Associated Project(s): 

    NEW CHEMICAL FUME HOODS: In response to our ongoing focus on energy conservation programs and increased interest by campus units, F&S has completed a draft of revised ventilation facility standards that incorporates criteria for the use of high-efficiency chemical fume hoods (HE-CFH). These units have air flow requirements that are different from standard fume hoods and can decrease operating expenses related to air handling and overall energy consumption. In creating the draft, F&S conducted an in-depth engineering study, including surveying equipment manufacturers and installers, as well as other universities. 

     

  4. Update from Bart to Tracy

    Hi Tracy,

    Plans are coming together for the waste audits so let me give you the latest.

    1.        We will start by auditing BIF on the week of October 5-9.  Kari Cooperider is our contact.  Everything is in place at this venue.  Bin mapping has already been done.

    2.       The Illini Union will be audited the week of October 12-17.  Dave Guth and David Parker are our contacts.  They are working to have Area provide them with a roll off for that week.  Bin mapping has been done.  They are already looking to purchase new bins and change signage.

    3.       LAR will be audited the week of October 19-23.  Contact is Michael Wassom.  To do this audit we would like a roll off placed on site for that week.  Can you help us with that?  Bin mapping has already been done.

    4.       RAL is also scheduled for October 19-23.  Our contacts are Wes Riggsby and Ron Eggett.  For this audit they have agreed to use liners for that week.  They are also going to try and direct any waste from the Chemical Life Sciences building to the dumpsters on the other side of their building.  RAL has a very deep dumpster.  Could you replace that for the week with a shorter version?  We are happy to make frequent pickups to accommodate a decrease in capacity.   

    The materials will be collected and then sorted behind ISTC.  To accommodate student workers, the timing of the sorts will be from 3pm -7pm each day.  Materials will then either be dropped on the dumpster and recycling bins at ISTC or taken to the WTS the next morning.  I think most will have to be taken to the WTS because of the limited capacity at ISTC.  Surveys will also be done on each building.  Art and Design students are also putting together a structure built from waste.  Final reports on everything should be complete by year end.  Please let me know if you have any questions or want to discuss in more detail. 

    Cheers,

    Bart

     

  5. UIUC recognized for use of Local Foods

    Associated Project(s): 

    "The University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign spends 25 percent of its yearly food budget on locally grown or processed food items. Campus dining services also exclusively serve fair trade coffee and almost all seafood is sustainably harvested. The university is also very committed to reducing waste and has enacted efforts to recycle cooking oil for biodiesel production and currently a quarter of the meals served on-campus are trayless."

    http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2015/0826/Twelve-college-camp...

  6. iWG meeting agenda August 28, 2015

  7. iWG meeting minutes August 28, 2015

  8. vertical solar idea

    The Architecture Review Committee (ARC) got an inquiry about the possiblity of mounting solar vertically on south-facing walls (without windows).  This could be a sheer flush-mounted solar PV array immediately against the wall.  The PVs would not produce as much energy as a roof-top array, but there could be fewer issues with rooftop penetrations, etc.  The ARC noted that there is not a specific policy about this idea yet, and they would willing to work with the idea on installation on a case by case, building by building basis, at least until there is a comprehensive policy in place.

    For a given capacity of PV modules, a vertical wall will harvest 78% of the energy that a flat roof would, and 67% of the energy that could be harvested at a 40 degree tilt. While this is not ideal, the costs may be lower and the maintenance and roof loading concerns would not pertain.  Two possible candidates are the south wall of NSRC (which has no windows in the "central" part) and the south facade of the Tryon Festival Theater in Krannert, which is actually somewhat tilted.

    <post edited on 7/15/2024, added "Vertical Solar Panels on MEB" project, mbwhite>

  9. Jul 9 2015 Minutes

    see file

    Several SWATeam recommendations were discussed.  Also, an update from the Sustainability Council was provided:

    "Review of Council Meeting/Status of iCAP Approval - The Sustainability Council meeting went very well with lots of good discussion. There were not too many serious objections to the iCAP. They would like to see financial information, such as cost-benefit analysis on projects. This information will be included in the study for accelerating our carbon neutrality date. The cover letter from the Chancellor affirming our commitment will include language about the current fiscal climate in Illinois. The Chancellor was keen to be able to reach carbon neutrality by 2035. Other concerns were in regard to the net zero space item and they suggested a space audit be included in the iCAP."

  10. Award Letter - Anaerobic Digester Pilot

    Food waste is the second largest category of municipal solid waste (MSW) sent to landfills in the United States, accounting for approximately 18% of the waste stream. Agricultural and garden wastes comprising of wood and yard trimmings come next in the list, accounting for approximately 15% of the waste stream. At the U of I campus as well, about 100-120 gallons of food waste is generated from one dining hall unit per week. That is roughly 0.5 cubic yards/week currently.
    Anaerobic digestion occurs naturally, in the absence of oxygen, as bacteria break down organic materials and produce biogas. The process reduces the amount of material and produces biogas, which can be used as an energy source. This technology is commonly used throughout the United States to break down sewage sludge at wastewater treatment facilities. In the past few years, there has been a movement to start adding food waste to anaerobic digesters already in place at wastewater treatment facilities.
    This proposal provides setup costs for a pilot test of an anaerobic digestion process to determine if a full-scale digester prototype is feasible.

  11. Award Letter - Baseline Waste Characterization

    The primary deliverable of this proposed project is to provide a detailed waste characterization assessment for three facilities located throughout the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois. Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls (LAR), Business Instructional Facility (BIF), Roger Adams Laboratory(RAL) are facilities that will be characterized.
    This proposal builds upon the initial waste characterizations conducted in the Spring of 2013 for four buildings: Henry Administration Building, Alice Campbell Alumni Center, Swanlund Administration Building, and Illini Union Bookstore.
    The objective of the assessments is to characterize the waste generated from a Lab building, a classroom building and a housing building. The primary goal of the waste stream characterization study is to provide UIUC with an accurate and precise baseline measurement of the solid waste generated at each facility type. ISTC will assist F&S in identifying and implementing practices and technologies that will reduce waste, increase landfill diversion, increase recycling revenues, and decrease waste disposal costs. These efforts will help UIUC to become an example of a sustainable campus, and will provide new learning and teaching opportunities for the university and community at large. The ancillary deliverables are various direct educational programing opportunities both structured as well as passive.

  12. Award Letter - Residential Recycling

    This project was developed by Eco-mmunity, a team of students passionate about sustainability, after noticing that students were not recycling within the residence halls. After further research, interviews, and observations of facilities and processes we noticed that it all came down to students’ convenience. After completing a pilot study we recognized that if students had the option to sort their trash and recycling in their room, they were much more likely to participate in recycling. With recycling bins placed in each student’s individual room, alongside their trash bin, students could conveniently dump them into their corresponding bins in the trash rooms at the end of the hallway. The goal of this project is to create positive long lasting habits that residents and students will continue to use after leaving University Housing. We also hope that this larger awareness and convenience of recycling will stimulate and promote more recycling around campus, as well as set a standard for other non-University Housing and private certified residencies to follow.

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