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Projects Updates for theme: Engagement

  1. Solar Decathlon 2009 Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Solar Decathlon
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    This proposal seeks to provide funding for student education centered around the University of Illinois’s participation in the 2011 US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Competition. Each student team participating in this prestigious, international competition is required to build an entirely solar-powered 800 sq. foot house with innovative design features. This grant will provide funds for the development of new courses and enhancement of existing courses, provisioning of course materials and software, and the sponsorship of guest lecturers and consultants ($25,000), the employment of graduate students in coordinating roles for education and volunteer engagement activities ($15,000), and student travel associated with the competition ($10,000). The last UI entry in the Solar Decathlon competition engaged hundreds of students and was the highest-placed US finisher in the Competition; furthermore this participation will require the team to raise $700,000 at a time of severe campus budget constraints. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding this proposal in the amount of $50,000.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Shut the Sash Model Program Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fume Hood Shut the Sash Campaign
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Lowering the sashes on laboratory chemical fume hoods (CFHs) can result in significant energy cost savings by reducing the volume of room air that has to be heated or cooled. This project will evaluate the resources, components, and best practices required to develop a model shut the sash program and implement it campus-wide for variable air volume (VAV) CFHs. If successful, the project could generate over $250,200 in annual cost savings. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $4,400.

    Attached Files: 

  3. Power Plant Carbon Sequestration via Algae Biodiesel Production Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Power Plant Carbon Sequestration via Algae Biodiesel Production
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to construct an Algae Biodiesel Production Facility at Abott power plant. This facility will sequester some of the flue gases produced at Abott power plant while providing a renewable, carbon neutral fuel source for transportation.  The project offers potential for scaling, involves many student organizations and is also expected to be of research interest. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of partially funding the requested amount to the extent of $13,000

    Attached Files: 

  4. Open Geothermal at ISTC Project Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    ISTC Geothermal Loop
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to conduct a feasibility study regarding installing an open geothermal loop underneath the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.  The open geothermal loop would take water from one of the many nearby aquifers and only introduce heat into the system.   The project will increase awareness of geothermal systems, determine the physical and chemical attributes of the aquifer, and study integrating the geothermal system with the current HVAC system.  The ISTC hopes to decrease their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 25%-50%. The ISTC would test the procedure on this building, but hopes to extend it to other campus buildings.  Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $27,000.

    Attached Files: 

  5. Occupancy Sensors (Automatic Lighting Controls) Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Occupancy and Daylight Sensors
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to install lighting sensors in classrooms in several University instructional buildings (e.g. the Armory, the Foreign Language Building and Loomis). The sensors will switch off the lights in these areas, after 30 minutes of inactivity, which will reduce lighting consumption by ~30%. Additionally, having these retrofits take place at the same time as additional lighting upgrades will reduce overall installation costs. Given the reduction in lighting and electricity usage, the high visibility to students of the target areas and student interest in this technology, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $50,000.

    Attached Files: 

  6. MechSE Sustainability Senior Design Funding Agreement

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

    Students in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering have been working on projects to improve the sustainability of our campus. The Department has requested support to carry out to projects (designing a sump pump water collection and use system, and assisting with the retro-commissioning of Siebel Center), which will are high-impact projects and will involve students. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding them to the amount of $6,000 ($4,000 for the water project, and $2,000 for the retro-commissioning project – with the expectation that Computer Science will underwrite the remainder).

    Attached Files: 

  7. Measuring Sustainability Metrics of the Green Roof @ BIF Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Roof on the Business Instructional Facility (BIF)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to support class projects to assess the impact on sustainability of the green roof atop the new Business Instructional Facility. Students will get the opportunity to make measurements of the filtration and thermal properties of the green roof. Additionally it is hoped that these projects will help establish the roof as a laboratory for future student and faculty research projects on this topic. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $13,100.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Mapping Sustainability Class Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Mapping Sustainability [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to help inform the campus and community of sustainability related programs, facilities and organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area. This grant will pay for a student RA and GPS equipment to support a class project to map the above, thus adding an educational component to this proposal.  Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $3,200.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Green Link at School of Art + Design & Krannert Art Museum Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Roof on KCPA
    Green Roof on Art & Design Link Gallery
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to construct a green roof atop the Link Gallery between the School of Art + Design and the Krannert Art Museum. This project will be implemented primarily by students and faculty of the School of Art + Design and will be in a highly visible campus location. It will help reduce energy costs at the facility and provide rain water for the surrounding gardens. As Facilities & Services is expected to cover half the cost of resurfacing the roof, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of partially funding the  proposal in the amount of $63,900.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Green Allerton Wood-fired Boiler Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Allerton Wood-fired Boiler
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The goal of this project is to replace a natural gas heating system at Allerton Park with an Outdoor Wood-fired Boiler System. This replacement will eliminate considerable CO2 emissions from the current system and result in substantial cost savings. The use of a renewable resource (wood) in place of a non-renewable one (natural gas), combined with the greenhouse gas emissions reduction will help increase campus sustainability, thus the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $25,500.

    Attached Files: 

  12. Campus Recreation Water Conservation Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Rec Water Conservation Incentives
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Water conservation initiatives have generally taken a back seat to energy conservation at the University of Illinois. Campus Recreation has proposed a comprehensive upgrade of restroom facilities in all three of their buildings, with the potential of reducing water consumption by almost 6.5 million gallons annually. This work would be highly visible to students and in a fellow student-fee supported unit. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of proving upto $30,000 in incentives at the rate of $0.30 per $1.00 spent.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Bike Parking Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    FY09 SSC Bike Parking Upgrades [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    FY12 SSC Bike Parking Upgrades [ARCHIVED]

    The goal of this project is to fund installation of bicycle parking facilities at the Undergraduate Library, the Ag. Sciences Engineering Building and Freer Hall. Cycling is a sustainable form of transportation, highly used by the student body, and inadequately supported on campus. Thus the students sustainability committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $10,600.  

    Attached Files: 

  14. Students' letter to the Governor

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)

    In late January 2009, students wrote a letter to the Governor, Pat Quinn, requesting him for support and assistance in the campus wind farm project. This letter addressed the need of wind generation capacity on campus and requesting the governor to persuade the Chancellor to bring the wind power to the campus.

    Attached Files: 

  15. SSC and SECS letter writing campaign

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms [ARCHIVED]
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    In January 2009, the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) wrote letters to the university administration (trustees, Chancellor and Provost’s offices, deans and assistant deans, department heads, faculty and senate faculty) asking for support for the campus wind farm project.

    Attached Files: 

  17. Complaint letter from SSC and SECS

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms [ARCHIVED]
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)

    Following the cancellation of the wind turbine project on South farms, the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) wrote a complaint letter to the Chancellor Richard Herman. SSC and SECS expressed their disappointment about the decision as well as the timing of the decision. They were also upset because the university didn't discuss or consult with the student stakeholders in this decision.

    Attached Files: 

  18. Student protest

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms [ARCHIVED]
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)

    Following cancellation of the wind project, the students were angry about autocratic and secretive behaviour of the university administration regarding cancellation. They were disheartened and upset with the timing of the decision because the decision came during the finals week when the students were pre-occupied and under stress with exams. Students felt that university's choice of cancelling the project during the finals week was to avoid any response or protest from the students.

    However, following the finals week, students protested the decision of cancelling the wind turbine project.

  20. Student support

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms [ARCHIVED]
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC)

    In February 2008, the students leaders in the environment movement wrote letters to the Provost Linda Katehi, Chancellor Robert Herman, and Facilities and Services Administration, Dr. John Dempsey. These letters were signed by the student leaders and expressed their excitement and support to the project.

    Attached Files: 

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