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Projects Updates for place: Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE)

  1. Weekly Update: BTWD and LTN dates finalized

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    All, Steadily picking up around here. Had to pull out the folding stands on a couple occasions. Got a new hire in the works. Dates are set for Light The Night and Bike To Work Day for the fall. On Friday we had a volunteer working towards a membership, which was a welcome occurrence.

    This week is business as usual.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 20
    Sales: $1022.10
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $500
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Misc: $58.50

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Manager, Campus Bike Center

  2. Combined Bike to Work Day and Light the Night planning meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Please watch the meeting recording here: Combined Bike to Work Day and Light the Night meeting on June 8, 2021.

    Also, attached are the meeting notes for Light the Night, agenda for this meeting, and a draft of the sponsorship/fundraising letter from Champaign County Bikes.

    Attached Files: 

  3. Bike Month planning meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Independent Student Projects

    The Bike Month planning team met today, with representatives from several areas across Champaign County.

    1) CU Safe Routes to School - planned for May 5 - Urban Planning student is an intern for CU-SRTS. They are also working on a safe routes to parks program.

    2) Champaign County Bikes - Charlie Smyth is the chair of CCB this year.  They will have a new website in a few days.  They still need one more board member for this year.  They talked with Amelia Neptune at the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), and Charlie shared several points about the national outlook.

    3) This group will plan virtual events for the spring, and meet again in February.

  4. Call2Recycle FY2020 Report: Collection of Batteries and Cell Phones

    Associated Project(s): 
    Battery Recycling

    The attached files highlight the battery and cell phone collection efforts conducted from 01/01/2020 to 12/31/2020. These reports include valuable information such as the pounds collected, breakdown by chemistry, growth rates, and collected trends over a 3-year time period.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Campus Sustainability Celebration

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)
    Freezer Challenge
    Campus Sustainability Month
    Climate Leadership Commitments
    Major Annual Events
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)

    iSEE and F&S are excited to invite you to the Campus Sustainability Celebration 2020! This is an annual event that is especially exciting this year with the signing ceremony of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) 2020, (once every five years) and the presentation of energy conservation and Freezer Challenge awards. Everyone is invited and encouraged to stay afterward for a social-hour!

    Campus Sustainability Celebration

    October 20, 3 pm • Map

    Meredith Moore • Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment

    baseline_wifi_black_18dp.png This opportunity is available online.

  6. Mailbag solar article: Suggestion for UI solar panels

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    Uni High Gym Rooftop Solar PVs
    Solar Thermal at ARC
    Wassaja Hall Rooftop Solar PVs

    "Why doesn't the company installing the solar panels at U of I put them over the parking lot? I would provide shade for the cars underneath and would eliminate having to kill whatever would be underneath them in the fields."

    The best option for building solar panels is ground-mounted, said Morgan White, the associate director for sustainability at the University of Illinois.

    "As part of our Climate Leadership Commitments the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a goal of producing at least 25,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) per year from on-campus solar," she said. "When we evaluated options for meeting this goal, rooftop solar, solar over parking areas, and ground-mounted solar were all considered. The most cost-effective option is ground-mounted solar, and it also allows for larger-scale installations.

    "For a sense of the scale, the two solar farms will be a total of 75 acres, while the largest parking lot on campus is less than 15 acres.

    "When installing solar panels over parking areas, there are additional infrastructure and labor costs to raise the solar panels above the ground level. Although we do not currently have any solar over parking areas, Facilities & Services is working with the Parking Department to evaluate potential locations for a pilot installation. We are also continuing to install rooftop solar on individual buildings."

    Solar panels are on the following five Urbana campus buildings:

    — Business Instructional Facility

    — the Activities & Recreation Center

    — Wassaja Residence Hall

    — University High School Gymnasium

    — Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building.

    "I'd also like to emphasize that the ground-mounted solar panels do not harm the plants under them. After building the first Solar Farm, we learned that there was an excellent opportunity for growing useful plants under and around the panels," said White. "This is a great opportunity for creating a multi-functional ecosystem, with pollinator supportive plants and protected areas for small animals and insects."

    https://www.news-gazette.com/toms-mailbag/toms-mailbag-june-26-2020/article_65ef2976-09b9-526a-848d-1419c905b0ec.html

     

  8. Energy Conservation Incentive Program - Program Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)

    Hello ECIP winners,

     

    When the Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP) was launched in 2013, it included financial awards that distributed some of the centrally managed campus utility funds back to the winning buildings. The calculation system was based on placement (first place to fourth place) in the awards program and the award category (occupant action or energy advancement).  You can see the calculation in the attached fact sheet from 2016, if you are interested.  With the Integrated and Value-Centered Budget (IVCB) reform, we transitioned this year, and we are closing out the initial phase one of the ECIP.

     

    Some of the original award funding has not yet been allocated to an associated facility improvement project.  If you have remaining funds and have not yet committed to a specific project, please do so as soon as possible.  All ECIP award funds must be committed by the end of this fiscal year, so please let us know your plans.

     

    Now in phase two, the ECIP awards include a plaque and the associated prestige, and no additional monetary awards (see attached revised fact sheet).  Instead, your colleges will benefit directly from the energy savings.  Additionally, to increase the visibility of the great progress all of you have made, we are collaborating with the Illinois Solar Decathlon’s Concept Team (incoming freshmen, learning about building systems and sustainability).  They will be completing a simple Building-Level Energy Report card for the 50+ ECIP winners this fall.  In the spring, I will send those reports to you with an opportunity to connect with the Concept Team members.

     

    Later this week, I will send a follow up email to the FY19 winners with images to help you spread awareness of this award.  Congratulations again to all of you, and thank you very much for your past and ongoing contributions to the campus sustainability and energy efficiency efforts.

     

    Sincerely,

    Morgan

    Attached Files: 

  9. Division of Research Safety - battery recycling

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    All rechargeable batteries that are received through the campus waste program are recycled. The campus community must submit an online waste request through the DRS waste application to have their rechargeable batteries picked up and recycled.

     

    I would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have.

     

    Thanks.

     

    LANDON HILL
    Chemical Waste Manager
    Division of Research Safety

  10. UI Energy Conservation Winners Saved $189K in FY19

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)

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    UI Energy Conservation Winners Saved $189K in FY19

     

     

    CHAMPAIGN, IL – Facilities & Services (F&S) is recognizing the efforts of eight campus facilities for their energy conservation successes during the Campus Sustainability Celebration on Wednesday, October 23, 4–6 p.m. at the Levis Faculty Center. The event is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend and learn more about the university's sustainability progress and initiatives.

    The Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP) recognizes buildings on campus that showed the greatest percentage of energy reduction from fiscal year 2018 to 2019.

    In the "Occupant Action Category," the four winners are "auxiliary" buildings: F-29 Parking Deck won first prize, showing a 44.1% improvement, saving $9,084.79. Campus Recreation Center - East (25.4%, $47,746.73), McKinley Health Center (21.2%, $37,949.77), and North Campus Parking Deck (15.6%, $16,992.74) were the other winners.

    This was the first year auxiliary buildings – that is, buildings that financially support themselves – were allowed to participate in the ECIP competition.

    In the "Energy Advancement Category," Harker Hall showed the greatest improvement, with a 34.9% reduction, saving $14,739.62. English Building (26.6%, $21,918.88), Admin Information Technology Building (26.5%, $7,820.66), and Loomis Laboratory of Physics (15.1%, $32,697.59) also won.

    The ECIP started seven years ago as a way to encourage and reward energy conservation achievements in support of the Climate Leadership Commitments. State-supported and auxiliary buildings of 10,000 gross square feet or more are eligible for the awards program. Buildings compete in two categories: Occupant Action, which recognizes building users' efforts, and Energy Advancement, which recognizes facilities that partnered with F&S to complete a large-scale energy conservation project.

    For more information, visit https://www.fs.illinois.edu/services/utilities-energy/energy-conservation/ecip.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  11. Glass recycling finds funding on campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    Indoor Bin Update
    Glass Recycling at Housing Catering Services

    Glass recycling finds funding on campus

    Recycling+and+trash+bins+lie+near+the+west+courtyard+of+the+Union+on+Wednesday.+The+University+offers+more+than+3%2C000+recycling+bins+around+campus+including+glass+deposits.%0A

    MARK CAPAPAS

    Recycling and trash bins lie near the west courtyard of the Union on Wednesday. The University offers more than 3,000 recycling bins around campus including glass deposits.

    BY LUIS VELAZQUEZ, STAFF WRITER
    OCTOBER 10, 2019

    A glass recycling bin located in the Illini Union Courtyard surprised associate director of Facilities and Services for Sustainability Morgan White because she thought the University does not partake in recycling glass. Although many bins around campus only have places for plastic, paper, cardboard and scrap metal to be recycled, the University Housing Dining Services still funds glass recycling.

    More than 3,000 recycling bins are available throughout campus in dorms, as well as public facilities where plastic bottles, paper, cardboard and scrap metal can be recycled. 

    “A few times in the past 30 years, we have reviewed the materials that go through the F&S Waste Transfer Station, and we found that there is a very small amount of glass,” White said in an email. “Recently, Waste Characterization Studies were done for (eight) buildings on campus, measuring the exact amount of waste materials produced by each of those buildings.”

    According to White, Dave Guth, interim senior associate director of operations at the Illini Union, said, “This is probably one of the last remaining fiberglass bins we have in the building. The old containers had a separate stream for glass bottles and aluminum cans/plastic bottles.”

    White said although small amounts of glass come from campus buildings, the University Housing’s Dining Services have chosen to fund glass recycling.

    According to the Waste Management and Recycling website, “The University ‘diverts about 30% of its waste from landfills.’”

    With help from the F+S Waste Management Department, the University is aiming to reach its goal of reducing the total amount of waste sent to landfills. The University’s objective is to obtain a Zero Waste Campus environment, as indicated in the Illinois Climate Action Plan.

    The Waste Transfer Station, a facility for recycling goods, operates daily compacting and shipping trash to a landfill. However, the recyclables that come from campus are manually sorted and deposited into storage bins. After being compressed in a different bin, they are sold to recycling companies.

    Nichole Millage, environmental sustainability specialist for the City of Champaign Public Works Department, said the city offers glass recycling, but does not actually collect or process trash. This job is done by other companies, such as private solid waste haulers.

    “The City manages a multifamily recycling program (Feed the Thing), but the pick-up services are contracted to a private hauler (Midwest Fiber Recycling in Urbana),” Millage said in an email. “Per City Code, all licensed residential solid waste haulers in the City of Champaign are required to accept glass for recycling from residents.”

    Lesly Ortega, sophomore in LAS, said she believes since the University does not tell students to recycle, the majority do not properly recycle trash. However, Ortega is glad the University offers this option in general.

    “I feel like glass is used a lot more now,” Ortega said. “A lot of the refreshments sold in vending machines or in stores are accompanied with glass, so instead of it being thrown away, it should be recycled.”

  12. Collection Containers to Increase Recycling Efforts

    Associated Project(s): 
    Indoor Bin Update
    Zero Waste iCAP Team

    As part of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s effort to improve sustainability, new recycling and landfill collection containers have been distributed to buildings on the Urbana campus. Eventually, more than 20 buildings will have the containers, which feature three top openings with easily-identifiable and color-coded labels for either “landfill,” “paper,” or “bottles & cans.”

     

    Collection Containers to Increase Recycling Efforts

     

    Pete Varney . Facilities & Services

  13. New Collection Containers to Help Increase Recycling Efforts

    Associated Project(s): 
    Indoor Bin Update

    Click here to see this online

    As part of Illinois’ effort to improve sustainability, new recycling and landfill collection containers have been distributed to buildings on the Urbana campus.

    This first set of containers can be found in Gregory Hall, Lincoln Hall, English Building, Henry Administration Building, Wohlers Hall, and the Physical Plant Service Building. By fall 2019, 113 containers will be deployed across campus, primarily in first-floor hallways to divert recycled products away from the landfill.

    The containers feature three top openings with easily identifiable and color-coded labels for either “landfill,” “paper,” or “bottles & cans.” The acquisition and distribution of the new collection containers was coordinated from the office of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, the F&S Waste Transfer Station, and by Pete Varney, associate director of Operations, Maintenance & Alterations, Transportation & Automotive Services.

    “We are striving to add consistency to receptacles across campus,” said Varney. “We’ll continue to increase the number of containers over time, but we want to get a big impact out there now. We want to start someplace where they will be seen, they will be noticed, and they will have an impact.”

    The containers will help continue to raise awareness about the importance of recycling on campus, according to Shawn Patterson, transportation manager.

    “What we see is, ‘Just throw it in the trash can and [F&S] will recycle it,’ and that is something that sets a bad example for us, for the students, and for everybody especially going forward. We need everyone’s help to make sure we are recycling the right things, and these containers will make it easier for students, faculty, and staff members to help us accomplish the university goal of an increased recycling rate.”

    The Waste Transfer Station diverted 26.2 percent to recycling in FY2019, with a goal set by the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) of 30 percent by 2020 and 35 percent by 2025.

    For more information about the program, contact Associate Director of Operations, Maintenance & Alterations, Transportation & Automotive Services, Pete Varney pvarney@illinois.edu, 217-333-7583.

  15. FY2018 ECIP Winners

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP)

    Here are the winners for the 2018 ECIP Awards!

     

     Occupant Action  % Improvement   Incentive Award 
    1. Turner Hall  21.8%  $103,130
    2. Art and Design Building 19.9%  $37,816
    3. Burrill Hall  19.8%  $57,518
         
     Energy Advancement % Improvement  Incentive Award 
    1. Coordinated Science Laboratory 47.2%  $84,308
    2. Seitz Materials Research Laboratory 44.4%  $91,537
    3. Loomis Laboratory of Physics  40.7%  $25,717
    4. Harker Hall  38.0%  $10,000
    Attached Files: 

  16. Weekly Update - Bike to Work Day, Bike Rodeo, etc.

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, What a week! Last week (and weekend) was a TBP meeting, Bike To Work Day, the Bike Rodeo, and picking up donations from the Community Bike Sale. Lots of extracurricular activity! All of the events went well but not amazingly well. Attendance was on the low side for BTWD and BR but the weather is a major culprit there.

    Since 2pm on Friday we’ve gotten (rough count) 20 bike donations, so we’re pretty inundated right now. With bad weather in the forecast and the busyness of finals for most students, we’ll be able to process the donations this week—hopefully.

    Last Friday was the last Fix-a-Flat class and we had our first attendee! Maria and Jacob taught the course well and the gentleman seemed happy to have come. Also on Friday the student staff hosted an impromptu Friday ride of sorts for one of our graduating staffers. This upcoming Friday will be the last official one for the season.

    I’ll be out of town Thursday and Friday so Chris will open and run the shop in my absence.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $750.20
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $295
    Memberships: 7 for $210
    Tire/tubes: 9 for $64

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  17. Weekly Update - Bicycle Donations, Bike to Work Day, etc.

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    All, Big but also kind of micro news is that there’s been a noticeable uptick in donations here at the Bike Center. While I’d love to attribute that to our awesome Bike Abandonment Prevention program, it’s really just been local community members who’re cleaning out their garages--most prominently two white bearded men, not the graduating seniors that we’re hoping to attract.

    But that’s a good segue into what our Bike Abandonment Prevention is trying to do: reduce and abate the number of abandoned bikes left by students leaving campus around this time of year. In turn we hope Parking will have to collect fewer bikes that’ll end up in our hands in the end anyway. We’ve got signage and a bike rack set up outside the Bike Center to allow students to donate their bikes and, to incentivize the donation,  in return they can get a water bottle (but the water bottles are only available during open hours). We’ll track how many students are donating and obviously won’t be turning away community donations. There’s already been a social media push and advertising done by Campus Rec to help promote and get the word out!
    We’ve got our Fix-a-Flat class this Friday and of course Bike To Work Day on Wednesday. The weather isn’t looking great but we’ll get the dedicated folks come through, I’m sure. Jeff Yockey dropped off the BTWD shirt last week and we’ve been hanging it by the register to showcase the event. Over the upcoming weekend we’ve got our Bike Rodeo event which will also double as a drop-off spot for the Bike Abandonment Prevention program. May is looking busy but it is Bike Month!

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $812.50
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $500

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  18. SSC funds Recycling Pods

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Recycling Bins at the Illini Union
    Indoor Bin Update

    The Illini Union has purchased 6 outdoor recycling units and 7 indoor units to address the growing need for recycling centers in and around the Union. This project will add an additional 10 recycling bins to the current initiative. In doing so, recycling efforts will increase around the Union, iCAP objectives will be implemented, recycling will be promoted across campus, strides towards waste reduction will be made – among just some of the positive impacts.

    Attached Files: 

  19. Bike to Work Day Registration

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Ride your bike to work on Wed., May 1, and get a free t-shirt! Welcome stations will be set up across the area from 7-10 a.m. to help you travel to campus. Celebrate C-U Bike Month by stopping in for drinks and snacks. Stations will be hosted by Campus Recreation, Campus Bike Center, University High School, F&S, VeoRide and the Research Park. Register at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BiketoWorkDay

    Sign up for Bike to Work Day on May 1

    Sarthak Prasad . Facilities & Services

  20. Net Metering on campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Rooftop Solar Potential

    For all of our buildings with renewable energy systems, we employ a net metering method.  We deduct the energy supplied by the system from the building load on the campus grid.  So, if ECE uses about 250,000 kwh of electricity per month, and the rooftop array will supply 10,000 kwh per month, then the net bill for the ECE building will be 240,000 kwh at the campus electricity rate.  Therefore, the building gets full credit for the energy supplied by the array.

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