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Projects Updates for place: National Soybean Research Center

  1. Energy Shade Curtains-Phase III

    Associated Project(s): 
    Plant Sciences Window Shades
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Energy shade curtains have many benefits for greenhouses including optimization of natural light reaching the crop canopy and reductions in heating inputs and electricity for cooling equipment and lighting. This is the 3rd phase of funding provided to the Plant Care Facility (Turner Hall Greenhouses) for curtain installation and programming, and 7 additional curtains were installed at a total cost of $71,000. Meters installed in rooms with and without curtains continue to track energy savings, and have shown an overall 50% heating use reduction, 30% electricity use reduction, and 30% water use reduction (for cooling) during fall and winter months.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Farm and Fiber

    Associated Project(s): 
    Woody Perennial Polyculture (WPP) Research Site
    Sustainable Student Farm
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Fresh Press, in collaboration with the Sustainable Student Farm (SSF) and the Woody Perennial Polyculture (WPP) site, are aiming to grow student opportunities through individual and collaborative research and public engagement efforts. The money requested in the Farm and Fiber grant will contribute to the acquisition of walk-in coolers, perennial crops, bee hives/equipment, additional paper dry box, a bailer/hay rake, and a bale shredder blower. This equipment will benefit each project at the SSF by increasing farm production and allowing for increased agricultural fiber yield, leading to a growth in paper production. This increased capacity will triple production capacity and allow greater opportunity for university paper commissions and student workshops in Fresh Press facilities at South Studios.

    Attached Files: 

  3. Field to Fuel-Biomass

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass Boiler at the Energy Farm
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This project involves purchasing and installing a biomass boiler at the Energy Farm, in order to heat a research greenhouse using Miscanthus that is grown on the Energy Farm. The hope for the project is that a successful pilot will pave the way toward expanded use of biomass heating on our campus in order to reduce our campus greenhouse gas emissions.

    Attached Files: 

  4. Krannert Art Museum LED Lamp Retrofit

    Associated Project(s): 
    Krannert Art Museum LEDs
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Krannert Art Museum approached the Student Sustainability Committee with an immediate need to improve their lighting profile. This specific LED Lamp Retrofit project would switch from incandescent lamps to LED lamps in the Noel Gallery and the East Galleries. Given its variety of available lamps, its efficiency values, and its non-UV characteristics, LED lamps are an ideal solution for these galleries at Krannert Art Museum.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Nitrile Glove Recycling

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Nitrile Glove Recycling Program is an expansion of a preliminary pilot program performed by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC). The initial pilot program collected gloves used in the laboratory setting in one central location. Gloves were collected from individual ISTC laboratories once a week into a larger collection container, and were stockpiled until there was sufficient volume to ship to the supplier. This project expands the pilot test to several more buildings on campus as a stepping stone to eventually serving the entire campus.

    Attached Files: 

  6. Recycling on the Quad

    Associated Project(s): 
    Recycling for the Quad
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The intent of this project is to improve the waste process in and around the Quad. The first step will be merging the existing 40 stand-alone refuse containers with twenty new recycling bins to create a total of 30 combined waste/recycling stations. All containers will be cleaned, painted, and color-coded to clearly indicate that one bin is for recycling and one is only for landfill-directed refuse. In addition to the expanded bin options, signage will be placed in the buildings on the Quad to launch the new standards and clarify what can be recycled. To measure the impact from this project, waste audits will be conducted before and after the proposed changes.

    Attached Files: 

  7. SECS Re_home landscaping

    Associated Project(s): 
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    In 2011, students at faculty from the University of Illinois develop the Re_Home for the Solar Decathlon Competition. As a result of a new landscaping and beautification plan, the Re_Home has found a permanent place on campus. In maintaining a “sustainability ideology”, the landscaping plans for this project are geared toward sustainability with the use of native, low maintenance plants as well as vegetables, edible herbs, and fruit trees. The Re_Home is an exemplary embodiment of sustainability and its permanent home will serve as a showcase in sustainability education.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Sheltered Bicycle Parking

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sheltered Bike Parking at CLSL
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Providing safe and convenient locations for bicycle parking is one of the key ways the University can support increased bicycle ridership and greener commuting. The goal of this project is to construct a secure, sheltered bicycle parking area for students, faculty, and staff at the Chemical and Life Sciences Building and the Roger Adams Laboratory. These parking structures are modeled after the sheltered bicycle parking currently located at the Ikenberry Commons.

    Attached Files: 

  9. Composites in Aviation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Emissions from Transportation
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Student Aircraft Builders (SAB) is an organization dedicated to teaching students from all across campus how to work together as a team to successfully construct a flyable airplane. The goal of the Composites in Aviation project has two phases. The first phase constructs a quarter scale glider powered by alternative energy. The second phase graduates from a model to a full-sized glider. Through the use of composite materials and an innovate design from an aerospace engineer, the finished glider will exemplify the future of more fuel-efficient long-range flight.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Sustainable Agriculture Food System Tomato Processing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Agricultural Food System
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Attached Files: 

  11. Solar Powered Cookstoves Funding Letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Allerton Climate Action Plan (apCAP)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The Solar Powered Cook Stoves project is an innovative effort to implement cook stoves powered by solar energy. The stoves associated with this project will utilize innovative new technology to overcome some of the key limitations of current solar cooking. Specifically, they will offer high-temperature cooking and grilling while in use while also storing energy for cooking at night or during other periods of reduced sunlight. Once completed, these stoves will provide a clean source for cooking and grilling that does not use fire, gas, wood, or charcoal.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Archived web info - CSE SSC page

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Student Sustainability Committee

    SSC Chair, Suhail Barot

    The Student Sustainability Committee'spurpose is to:

    1) explore the options for the use of the student fees for sustainability and alternative energy generation, and 2) evaluate the feasibility of projects being discussed with the professional assistance of engineers in the Division of Facilities and Services. The committee reviews and recommends projects to be funded from two student fees, the $14.00 Sustainable Campus Environment fee and the $2.00 Cleaner Energy Technologies fee.

    In Spring 2003, a $2.00 per semester non-refundable student fee for Cleaner Energy Technologies was approved by a student referendum. The intent of the fee is to "provide pollution-free renewable energy as a portion of the campus energy portfolio and reduce campus energy consumption." In Spring 2010, students passed a referendum that raised the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee from $5 to $14. The measure passed by 77% approval, and established University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as having the largest funding pool of its kind in the United States. The Student Sustainability Committee, is a joint student, faculty and staff committee, though students are the only voting members on the Committee.

    The projects approved by the Student Sustainability Committee undergo approval by the Office of Sustainability.

    To become a member of the Student Sustainability Committee, visit the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs website for application information and application deadlines.


    Student Sustainability Committee Members

    Students - 2012-2013
    Kathryn Kinley - (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
    Marika Nell - (Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Treasurer
    Suharsh Sivakumar - (Computer Science)
    Emily Cross - (Earth Systems, Society and Environment)
    Olivia Webb - (Agricultural and Biological Engineering)
    Jordan Jessop - (Graduate Student, Natural Resources and Environmental Science)
    Marcus Ricce - (Graduate Student, Urban and Regional Planning)
    Felicia Speranske - (Natural Resouces and Environmental Science)
    Sean Sullivan - (Earth Systems, Society, and Environment)
    Teresa Tousignant - (Graduate Student, Architecture) 

    Faculty Advisors - 2012-2013
    Brenda Coble Lindsey- Social Work
    Brian Deal- Urban and Regional Planning
    Praveen Kumar- Civil and Environmental Engineering
    Robert Pahre- Political Science
    Madhu Viswanathan- Business
    Michelle Wander- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

    Staff Advisors - 2012-2013
    Stephanie Lage- Office of Sustainability
    Betsy Jo Liggett- Environmental Compliance, Facilities and Services
    Morgan Johnston- Sustainability Coordinator, Facilities and Services
    John Prince- Deferred Maintenance, Facilities and Services
    Ed Slazinik- Illini Union

    Program Advisor
    Mckenzie Beverage – Student Programs and Activities

     

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  13. notes from SSLC presentation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    • Structure
      • 10 students, 6 faculty, 6 staff
      • $1.1 million to distribute among student and faculty projects
        • Cleaner Energy Technologies fee
        • Sustainable Campus Environment fee
      • 4 Subcommittees
        • Executive
        •  Bylaws
        • Fines
        • Marketing
      • 6 topics – include more community input
        • Land
        • Energy
        • Food and waste
        • Education
        • Water
        • Transportation
    • Strategic Impact
      • ICAP concerns  - fund projects that help UIUC reach ICAP goals
      • Projects that have no other method of funding.
    • Process
      • Step 1: ideas get turned into specific requests and goals, submitted to SSC in application with project abstract and approximate funding needed.
      • Applications are reviewed and selected based on strategic impact goals, get invited to step 2…
      • Step 2: Specific logistics figured out, feasibility reports made
      • Step 3: Entire SSC votes
    • SSC allocations
    • Future goals
      • More student engagement
      • Expand outreach efforts
      • Get more student-driven project applications
    • Some projects/organizations SSC has funded…
      • Green Observer
      • Bike Shop
      • Solar decathlon house

  15. February 2014 meeting notes from first Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC) meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Topical iCAP Teams
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach

    The first formal meeting with the Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC) under iSEE's guidance was an introductory meeting about iSEE and the proposed iCAP SWATeams. 

    The meeting was called by and coordinated by:

    • Ben McCall – Associate Director for Campus Sustainability, iSEE
    • Madhu Khanna – Associate Director for Education and Outreach, iSEE
    • Nishant Makhijani – iSEE Intern, Vice - Chair Student Sustainability Committee

    The key points discussed included an overview of iSEE's goals and structure, education and outreach plans, and an overview of the SWATeams.

    Attached Files: 

  18. Working Group kickoff meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC Working Group kickoff meeting we held today.  All the working group chairs gave a quick overview of the project types they handle. The chair gave an overview of the process and the workload for the working groups.  

    The individual working groups met at various tables and discussed their plans for the year.

  19. Positions determined for FY14

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Working Group Formation and Chair Selection

    a.       Energy

    Chair: Jessica DeWitt

    b.       Water

    Chair: Amy Liu

    c.        Food/Waste

    Chair: Maria Jones

    d.       Land

    Chair: Amy Liu

    e.       Transportation

    Chair: Katie Kinley

    f.        Education

    Chair: Nishant Makhijani

     Subcommittee Formation and Chair Selection

    a.       Executive

    Chair: Marika

    b.       Finance

    Chair: Katie

    c.        Bylaws

    Chair: Nishant

    d.       Marketing

    Chair: Marlon

  20. Bridge to China Allerton Project Funding Award and Acceptance

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Allerton Park, located in Monticello, Ill., was previously the private estate of Robert Henry Allerton. In 1946 Allerton Park was given as a gift to the University of Illinois by Robert Allerton as “an educational and research center, as a forest and wildlife and plant-life reserve, as an example of landscape architecture, and as a public park”. Today, the park is used for various purposes, such as business meetings, hiking, and weddings.

    Allerton Park is 4.7 miles away from downtown Monticello and has three entrances to it. One of these entrances is a North Entrance that leads from Old Timber Road. Allerton Park wishes to construct a pedestrian pathway which runs alongside Old Timber Road, connecting the Visitor Centre of the park to County Farm Road, which is connected to downtown Monticello. However, a quarter mile north from the visitors center the path is obstructed by a creek, which is difficult to cross. Allerton Park needs a solution that would help connect the two ends of this path over the creek. They wish to construct a bike path that would connect all three entrances of the Park and be a form of transportation within the park. Allerton Park wishes to draw visitors towards the park via a safe and sustainable transportation method and to promote a positive relationship between users and the natural environment. Also, this bridge project will assist the student organization, Bridge to China, to build sustainable bridges in future bridge projects in China.

    Attached Files: 

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