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Projects Updates for place: Institute for Genomic Biology

  1. Styrofoam recycling communications

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

     

    Good afternoon!

     

    Info sharing...

     

    Sad day for local Styrofoam recycling.  🙁  Dart Corp is closing at the end of this year.  They reached out to me to request that I update our website info re: Styrofoam recycling.

     

    He said the Styrofoam drop-off will remain open until Friday, Sept 29th.

     

    https://www.news-gazette.com/business/longtime-urbana-plant-to-close-135-jobs-lost/article_51bd0a33-27ab-5f72-8d72-af8a3c60ce72.html

    64e9078ea346a.image.jpg?crop=1763%2C926%2C0%2C124&resize=1200%2C630&order=crop%2Cresize

    Dart Container closing Urbana plant by end of year; 135 jobs to be lost

    Company said it will provide offers of severance and job placement assistance to workers currently employed; Urbana police were asked by Dart to stand by at a company employee meeting

    www.news-gazette.com

     

    Please forward this to whoever you think would be interested in knowing.

    Nichole

  2. RECs for small solar rooftop arrays

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Solar Power on Campus
    ECE Net-Zero Energy Building
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs

    Hi Rob and Tony,

     

    Tim Mies asked me who “owns” the RECs from small scale solar arrays at individual buildings.  I said I’d have to check into it.

     

    At first I thought all RECs are owned by central campus (UES), but then I questioned myself.  For a rooftop solar array, we don’t include it in the M-RETS program, and at ECE, we only “sold” them the solar farm 2.0 RECs.  We let them count their rooftop solar directly and they have the DOR accordingly. 

     

    So is it appropriate to tell him that the RECs associated with the 14.7 kW array he is planning to install at the Energy Farm (not the SCAPES project) will be considered “used” at the Energy Farm?

     

    I would caution that we do not want individual departments to get into selling RECs, without a much broader discussion.  So perhaps we should say that he can use/retire them at his site, but he cannot sell them without further discussion?

     

    What do you recommend?

     

    Thanks,

    Morgan

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

    Good questions. I think that if the department “owns” the REC, then they should also be able to sell the REC. I am interested in others views on the topic, and agree that it would lend to a much broader discussion.

    Rob Roman

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

    I agree that a broader discussion would be helpful.

     

    Best,

     

    Tony

  3. Interview request: Freezer Challenge Award Article

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello Paul,

     

    Congratulations on your 2023 Freezer Challenge award! My name is Rachel, I'm a writer for Lab Manager, and I am working with My Green Lab on an article featuring this year's winners. (You can view last year's article here.)

     

    You previously indicated you would like to participate in an interview for the article. If that is still the case, I invite you to reply to this email with answers to the questions listed below by Monday, October 23rd. If you think you will need more time for review or would prefer to respond to the questions in a call, please let me know. 

     

    For this year's article, we are focusing content around the themes of leadership, empowerment, cultural change, and community engagement. In particular, we're exploring how organizational strategies for the first two can drive and be driven by shifts in the latter two as they pertain to sustainability goals and from the perspective of the Freezer Challenge. The questions below are a starting point, please feel free to skip over questions you would prefer not to answer or add additional comments you believe are relevant. 

    1. In an environment where resources are usually limited, how did you motivate and lead your labs/teams to prioritize and achieve sustainability goals in the lab?
    2. How have the successes from the freezer challenge spilled over into other areas of your university, creating a broader sense of community around sustainability?
    3. Do you think your participation in and winning of the Freezer Challenge has prompted leadership at your university to set more ambitious resource-reduction targets or strengthened investment in laboratory sustainability efforts?
    4. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about how your university approached the Freezer Challenge this year or its overall impact?

    Once the article is drafted, you will have an opportunity to review the relevant content for accuracy. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to hearing from you.

     

    Thank you very much,

     

    Rachel

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

    Hello Madhu,

    The interview questions in the thread below ask for leadership perspectives, and I am wondering if you would be willing to say a few words for this article to be published in Lab Manager Journal?

     

    Specifically:

    #2- Our campus has a widespread sense of community around sustainability and the freezer challenge uniquely demonstrates how efficient sample-management reduces green-house gas emissions, optimizes cold storage space      utilization, and increases equipment longevity while providing significant energy savings across campus. These successful impacts place potential opportunities under the microscope for researchers to take a closer look at other environmentally friendly changes are available in their labs.

     

    #3- The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s ability to continually place among the top performing academic institutions reflects support from a large number of researchers and commitment to sustainable sample management. 

    You could mention the green research committee and the charge you, Dr. Martinis and Ehab have put in place and what sustainable labs may look like in the near future?


    #4 – Do you have a perspective on the overall impact of the success we have had with the freezer Challenge?

    OR

    Please feel free to respond to the questions below and forward them to me at your convenience before Oct 23rd.

     

    Thank you 

    Paul Foote

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

    Hello Madhu,

    I am just sending this as a reminder, if you would like to respond?

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

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

    Hi Paul

    Yes I would be happy to send you a quote by the 23rd.

    Best

    Madhu

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

    Terrific, thank you!

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

  5. Itinerary Freezer Challenge Lab Manager Photo and award recognition

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello Everyone,

    Thank you for joining us and celebrating the terrific work accomplished during this year’s Freezer Challenge event!

     

    I have attached an itinerary to familiarize yourself with todays activities.

    Reminder:

                    If rain is present after 130 we will move 2 buildings to the west inside the Stock Pavilion for this event.

     

    If NOT raining meet outside IBRL 1300 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

     

    If rain is imminent meet at Stock Pavilion 1402 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

     

    See you all there!

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

    Attached Files: 

  6. RAIN ALTERNATIVE information RE: Freezer Challenge Lab Manager Photo and award recognition

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello Everyone,

    As you may have read in last night’s email, you made a huge impact and helped UIUC on its way to the 2023 “Winning Streak Award” very nice work, thank you for all you do!

     

    As a benefit the winners will be highlighted in a digital Lab Manager article which will come out in November.

    Thursday Sept. 21st at 2pm we are recognizing the top performing labs from UIUC and taking a group photo in front of Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) at 2pm sharp.

     

    Dr. Melanie Loots, Chief of Staff, Senior Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation will be handing out these awards.

    You are all encouraged to join us and cheer on your fellow researchers as they receive their awards and join in the photo.

     

    Thank you 

    Paul Foote

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

    Hi everyone,

     

    The radar shows rain has stopped for the majority of the work day, with some showers popping up randomly.

     

    If rain is present after 130 we will move 2 buildings to the west inside the Stock Pavilion for this event.

     

    If NOT raining meet outside IBRL 1300 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

     

    If rain is imminent meet at Stock Pavilion 1402 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

     

    See you all there!

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

  8. Update on time and location RE: RSVP requested 2023 Freezer Challenge Awards Ceremony/photo shoot calendar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Hello Everyone,

    I am rushing to put together the mass-mail announcement for the campus research community, as My Green Labs re-finalized our results last night. This will go out by the end of this week.  

    It will include action item totals, recognition and a couple of new achievements reached by UIUC.

     

    Everyone on this email has earned an award this year, we will be awarding the top 14 performing labs.

    Sorry the celebration date is so close, we need to send the photo to the My Green Labs and the Lab Manager Journal by Sept. 29th  in order make the deadline.

     

    Thank you 

    Paul Foote

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

    Thanks to everyone that has already responded!

     

    If you have not yet had the chance, Please do so by Friday the 15th?

    So far we are looking at 2pm Thursday afternoon, I hope all can make it!

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

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

    Hello Everyone,

    The most popular date and time is Thursday the 21st at 2 pm, we will be in front of IBRL (1300 W Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL 61801)

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    IBRL-Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory

    See you all then!

     

    P.S. I am still tabulating the results, the mass email will go out to the research community Monday evening.

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

  9. [WUNA-Main] Will Styrofoam recycling continue post-Dart?

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    From Kathy's Mailbag in today's News-Gazette:

     

    “I'm wondering if Styrofoam recycling will stop when the Dart Container plant closes at the end of the year. Our community Styrofoam recycling program is one of just six in the state, with the other 5 located in the Chicago area. Will this program be saved for our community?”

    Michael Westerfield, Dart Container Corporation’s vice president for sustainability, notified the City of Champaign that the community Styrofoam recycling program hosted by Dart will remain in operation until Sept. 29.

    Nichole Millage, the City of Champaign’s environmental sustainability specialist, said at this time she is not aware of any other companies or recycling processors in the area that have the equipment (densifier) to recycle Styrofoam. “If new options become available, I will make sure folks are aware.”

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

    Hi Morgan and Scott,

     

    Could the city of Urbana or the UIUC buy Dart’s densifier and operate it for the community?

     

    Jeff

  10. 2023 Freezer Challenge RESULTS!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Dear Paul, 

      

    We here at My Green Lab thank you very much for your patience while the submissions for the 2023 Freezer Challenge were reviewed over the past number of weeks. You’re receiving this email because you were a site coordinator for the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign  this year. Thank you for encouraging labs to participate in the Freezer Challenge this year! You and your lab(s) are a part of over 1,900 labs from 170 different institutions, across 27 countries which participated this year, a new record! The combined efforts of the scientists and labs participating in the 2023 Freezer Challenge saved an estimated 20.6 million kWh over the past year, which is the equivalent of avoiding an estimated 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

     

    66 scoresheets were submitted from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, representing a total of 94 labs, the combined actions of which saved an estimated 1293.5 kWh/day! Great job, and well done! Please see the attached Excel document for details of all the actions taken by labs at your organization this year, with each row being a different scoresheet submitted back to us. Total raw points for actions and kwh/day saved are on the far right. *Please note that all lab points of contact received a separate email from programs@mygreenlab.org in the past 24 hours informing them of their lab’s estimated energy savings too. 

     

    The winners of the 2023 Freezer Challenge will be announced by mid-August via My Green Lab and I2SL newsletters and our social media channels, so stay tuned for that announcement! 

     

    Thank you for engaging labs at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign to implement cold storage best practices through the Freezer Challenge! We hope you’ll encourage your organization to participate in the 2024 Freezer Challenge next year. 

     

    Sincerely,  

    My Green Lab & the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)

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

     

    We have officially surpassed the highest number of labs participating and reached our highest avoided energy reduction at over $54k avoided annually at the current kWh rate.

    We also have a lab receiving an award for the best lab in their category. See next email forward.

     

    Best

    Paul

  11. Foam Compacting Machine Location and Status

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    On August 7, 2023 Amy Rosenbery sent the following email:

    Hi Morgan!

    I’m working on our inventory and the Foam Compacting machine that Ben purchased in 2015 is on our list.

    Do you know if this equipment went to ISTC? I don’t know who has this or where it’s located. It used to be on the 2nd floor here at NSRC but it’s not there anymore.

    Best,
    Amy

     

    On August 9, 2023 Morgan White replied:

     

    Hi Amy,

     

    That Styrofoam machine was transferred to a different non-profit in Illinois, by ISTC.  Joe Pickowitz and Shantanu Pai were involved in getting it moved form ISTC to the other non-UIUC facility.

     

    Thanks,

    Morgan

     

    Amy replied:

    Hi Morgan!

    That’s what I thought. I found an email about it going to Community Resource, Inc. in Urbana so I looked them up and the place is permanently closed now.

    The equipment is still showing up on iSEE’s inventory.

    Thanks for your help!

    Best,
    Amy

     

  13. I2SL Winner Announcement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    Below is the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories Winners for Sustainable Achievements. UIUC was awarded excellence for the following. 

    Excellence Winners in the Renovation/Retrofit Category

    • Excellence in Energy Efficiency: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Materials Research Laboratory Renovation
    • Excellence in Energy and Water Efficiency: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab Renovation

    I2SL

    I2SL Recognizes Winners for Sustainable Achievements

    This year, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) was excited to launch the new Sustainable Laboratory Awards Program to acknowledge leading people, projects, and programs in the sustainable lab community. As part of the new program, I2SL recognized eight buildings or projects for their achievements in new construction, renovation/retrofit, or adaptive reuse.

    Two projects, both submitted in the New Construction category, won Sustainable Laboratory Awards for demonstrating overall sustainability and efficiency:

    • The Universities at Shady Grove Biomedical Sciences & Engineering Education Facility, submitted by Cooper Carry, incorporated many impressive features, including sustainable building materials, waste diversion, air quality management, natural ventilation, and daylighting, resulting in a very low energy use intensity.
    • The new Merck Research Laboratory in South San Francisco, submitted by Jacobs, showcases an integrated design that focuses on indoor air quality and waste reduction, and they maintain building performance with a sustainability dashboard.

    We receive many great applications this year, so to recognize additional teams for their efforts, I2SL awarded a series of awards for buildings and projects that excelled in one particular area.

    Excellence Winners in the New Construction Category

    • Excellence in Decarbonization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Integrative Genomics Building
    • Excellence in Climate Resiliency: Webster University, Interdisciplinary Science Building
    • Excellence in Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Diversion: Wanhua Global Research Center

    Excellence Winners in the Renovation/Retrofit Category

    • Excellence in Energy Efficiency: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Materials Research Laboratory Renovation

    • Excellence in Energy and Water Efficiency: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab Renovation

    Excellence Winner in the Adaptive Reuse Category

    • Excellence in Adaptive Reuse: o2h co-work labs

    Winners were recognized on October 18 at the 2022 I2SL Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can find all the winners on our website and check out the Programs and Initiatives winners in an upcoming issue of the Sustainability Scoop. I2SL thanks all the winners for their commitment to sustainable, efficient, and safe laboratories around the world and congratulates them for their achievements!

    I2SL

  15. FC Standings

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    UIUC was within top 4 for energy savings in the Freezer Challenge this year among academic organizations. 

    And, in the top 2 in terms of normalized points earned. UAB beat UIUC in both categories this year, with over 100 labs participating from their campus. 

  16. FC Standings

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    UIUC was within top 4 for energy savings in the Freezer Challenge this year among academic organizations. 

    And, in the top 2 in terms of normalized points earned. UAB beat UIUC in both categories this year, with over 100 labs participating from their campus. 

  17. 2022 Freezer Challenge Results

    Associated Project(s): 
    Freezer Challenge

    From: Foote, Gerard Paul <gfoote2 at illinois.edu>
    Sent: Friday, August 12, 2022 4:01 PM


    Subject: Urgent poll for photo shoot & 2022 Freezer Challenge results

     

    Hello Everyone,

    Congratulations, on another world-class performance and international recognition in the 2022 International Freezer Challenge!

    You have reduced over 290,000 kWh’s annually, an energy cost savings of over $25,500, which is our second highest results since participating in this competition and has earned the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Freezer Challenge!

    Yes, I know this is not the same as first place or even the innovative Winning Streak Award that we helped create, but it is a testament to our world-class example and leadership in sustainable laboratory practices in research sample cold-storage management.

    Most importantly, your continued efforts, participation and documenting these lab practices reflects efficient adoption and implementation of sustainable laboratory practices that have long lasting impacts once incorporated into the labs day-to-day operations.


    On a side note: My competitive side suspects that we once again may have outperformed or at least participated in the top tier of participating universities worldwide, more follow up to come.

     

    Please add your availability in this When2Meet calendar: https://www.when2meet.com/?16378891-ETV5Z  by August 19th 2022 deadline?

     

    FYI- The overall impacts are still being accumulated and will be shared in a campus wide media release and mass email.  

    The rules now state we are only able to be recognized for 1st place or the Winning Streak Award if previous winners surpass their previous year’s energy savings calculations and while we achieved are second highest reductions to date, overall it was not higher than last year’s reductions of over 383,000 kWh’s.

     

    Thank you 

    Paul Foote

    Think Globally. Act Locally

    Energy Efficiency and Conservation Specialist
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    F&S Energy Services Retrocommissioning

    Email: gfoote2 at illinois.edu

    Office: 217-244-1048

     

  18. Solar Urbana-Champaign

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus
    Energy for Sustainability

    From: Marta Monti <marta@midwestrenew.org>
    Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2022 4:34 PM
    To: White, Morgan <mbwhite at illinois.edu>
    Subject: Solar Urbana-Champaign is back!

     

    Alternate text

     

     

     

    Solar Urbana Champaign is back for 2022

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    2022 marks the seventh year for the Solar Urbana Champaign program. Since 2016, this non-profit-led program has educated 1,292 people about their solar opportunities with our Solar Power Hours presentations, and of those folks, 242 properties decided to go solar.

     

    In partnership with our competitively-selected installer, GRNE Solar, and with support from the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), the City of Urbana, and our growing partners, we're excited to help central Illinois residents go solar and save on their energy costs!   

     

     

    Find us online:

     

     

     

     

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    First Benchmark Reached!

     

    Our group buy program uses the power of bulk purchasing to create an economy of scale: the more people who participate, the larger the savings become! This year's program has already passed the first 50 kilowatt benchmark, meaning that participants can look forward to additional savings. Join today and share with friends so we can achieve lower costs for everyone!

     

    Please help spread the word:

     

    Please share the program website or this email with your friends and neighbors or post it on your social media pages.

     

    Remember: the more people that go solar through the Solar Urbana Champaign program, the lower the cost for all!

     

     

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    Pull out your yard sign, it's Grow Solar season!

     

    Not sure where it went? No worries, it's been a while. Let us know where to drop it off and we will get you a new one. 

     

     

    - UPCOMING SOLAR POWER HOURS -

    Share this schedule with a friend and invite them to start their solar journey with you!

     

    8/11, Thursday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Papa Del’s Pizza Factory, 1201 S Neil St, Champaign, IL

    8/17, Wednesday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Danville Public Library, 319 N Vermilion St, Danville, IL

    8/26, Friday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, 14274 600 North Rd, Georgetown, IL – co-hosted by Big Thorn Farm & Brewery

    8/31, Wednesday: Solar Power Hour, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Zoom (click to register)

     

    — BROUGHT TO YOU BY —

     

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    Questions?

    Throughout the program, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know. I can be reached at marta@midwestrenew.org.

    Sincerely,

    Marta Monti

    MREA Solar Program Manager

    Midwest Renewable Energy Assn (MREA) 

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    The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration. To learn more about our work, visit midwestrenew.org. 

     

    uy60wam

  20. Spring 2022: iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
    iSEE funding for Campus as a Living Lab (CALL)
    Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW)
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Freezer Challenge
    Sierra Club surveys
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Certified Greener Campus Programs

    The Spring 2022 iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ) was released with the following message from Madhu Khanna, the Interim Director of iSEE:

     

    Greetings Colleagues,

     

    Attached, please find the Spring 2022 edition of iQ, our quarterly update. You will see that in this six-page pdf recapping the recent semester, we had plenty of news and updates from our research, education, events, and campus sustainability fronts.

     

    But the work did not end there! Since the semester ended, we have had two other exciting announcements:

     

    • The U of I campus was rewarded with the only USDA NIFA “Farm of the Future” grant. Our I-FARM project will be an 80-acre testbed for merging technology, sensing, and agronomy into a farm setting with crops and livestock that will be productive and profitable. Read our June 1 news release >>>
    • In addition, for the fifth consecutive time, our campus reached Gold-level status in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) run by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). New solar and geothermal energy projects, a reduction in water use, and wide-ranging sustainability research helped us reach this level yet again. Read the May 25 news release >>>

     

    For more up-to-date news from iSEE, please sign up for our E-newsletter at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5031776.

      

    Best wishes for a healthy and productive summer,

     

    Madhu

     

    Attached Files: 

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