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Projects Updates for theme: all

  1. ECBS SWATeam Green Labs Coordinator recommendation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Green Lab Program

    The ECBS SWATeam recommends funding a full-time Green Labs Coordinator position.  The coordinator would implement, with the help of students, a Green Labs Program.  Major components of the program would include energy conservation through analysis of fume hood usage (needs and possible consolidation), a Shut the Sash fume hood initiative, freezer and refrigerator management, space efficiency and utilization, water conservation, recycling (e.g., batteries, Styrofoam) and collaboration and education of effective energy efficiency and sustainable methods for management of lab chemicals and hazardous waste disposal.  

    Rationale for Recommendation is included. Connection to iCAP Goals is considered. Perceived Challenges are discussed. Suggested unit/department to address implementation is considered. Individual comments from each SWATeam member are included.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, we were closed this past week for the Thanksgiving break. The week prior to that was slow; we only had 46 visitors. Gross sales were $403.50. We sold three memberships for a total of $90. We didn’t sell any build-a-bikes nor any shop builds.

    On Friday (18th) Working Bikes came down and took all of the scrap bikes that they did not want for their earlier shipment. The warehouse is now completely empty and ready for next year’s crop of abandoned bikes.

    This week I plan to continue shop builds and move some bikes to the Urbana shop as this space is beyond its bike-capacity. I will work on bettering the staff manual/list of guidelines in advance of next semester’s student workers. I will be attending the public forum for the Campus Master Plan on Wednesday evening.

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  3. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Illini Lights Out
    Green Lab Program

    At the ECBS SWATeam meeting on November 28, the results of "Illini Lights Out" project, occured on November 17, were discussed. ECBS SWATeam Green Labs Coordinator recommendation was considered as ready for the submission. Possible participation in the 2017 North American Laboratory Freezer Challenge from January to May 2017 was considered. Upcoming public forums on the ongoing design updates to the Urbana campus Master Plan-November 29 and November 30.

    Attached Files: 

  4. Committee working on updating the Tree Care Plan

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education

    The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is working on updating the Tree Care Plan, in preparation for the Tree Campus USA designation renewal this year.  There are five standards to be met in order to receive the Tree Campus USA designation: an advisory committee, a tree care plan, an Arbor Day event, a service learning project, and a dedicated tree care budget.

  5. archived info - previous project intro

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Minor

    A key piece of the Institute’s mission is to prepare the next generation of leaders in sustainability. To that end, its first education initiative is the development of a campuswide undergraduate minor in sustainability.

    This minor, named the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (SEE) Fellows Program, will promote systems-level thinking about issues of sustainability. Students will develop an integrative understanding of sustainability and understand the trade-offs, barriers, and implications for sustainable decision making. The minor will replace the existing Environmental Fellows Program and provide a broader opportunity for interdisciplinary education, internships, and capstone research projects in the area of sustainability.

  6. Status update for purchasing offsets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) with Second Nature
    Virtual Storeroom for Carbon Offsets [ARCHIVED]
    Utilize Carbon Credits

    iSEE is working with the Purchasing Division to publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase carbon offsets.  These will include replacement offsets for the 2015 Carbon Credits (CCs) sold, and an option to purchase an additional 10,000 CCs to start an internal virtual storeroom for voluntary departmental offsets.

  8. Update as of 11/16/16

    Associated Project(s): 
    Provide Working Bikes for University Employees

    The past couple weeks have been productive and busy. Follow up emails were sent to those people who filled out our enrollment form but did not reply back after the initial email and already some good responses have come of that. A couple people said they misunderstood and didn't realize that their department would have to purchase the bicycles so they said they weren't interested. A couple said they received the info and were talking to the appropriate people within their departments. A couple others had meetings setup with myself due to the follow up emails. 

     

    This week I met with Illini Emergency Medical Services who have a bicycle fleet that they use during University events to ensure rapid medical response times. We discussed what was going well for them and what could be improved. They said they would like more publicity so I said that they should absolutely try and get the word out more about their efforts. 

    This week I also met with the Student Planning Organization, the RSO that manages Urban Planning department bicycle fleet. They have 3 bikes that I got to see. We discussed the potential of encouraging more faculty and visiting people's use of the bikes as well as branding for their bikes in an attempt to differentiate them from private bikes. 

    I have also been working on an infographic on "Why Bikes" that details the benefits of cycling on campus. I am hoping this can be passed around with other bicycle fleet documentation we send out. There are a couple drafts still and they are attached to this update as a private file. 

     

     

  12. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, this past week was comfortably  slow. We totaled 49 visitors and were closed on Tuesday due to staff illness. We grossed $319; sold one membership for $30; sold zero build-a-bikes and zero for-sale bikes. Of note is the sale of winter biking gloves: I sold 3 pairs already and it hasn’t even gotten that  cold.

    With the shop closed on Tuesday I made about six trips back and forth to the warehouse on the trailer bike, filling up the shop with as many bikes as I can comfortably stuff in here. On Friday afternoon I noticed a slow leak in a water pipe and alerted the service office. They assessed it before I arrived this morning and will return later, according to an employee in the adjacent garage.

    This week I will be coordinating with Working Bikes to deal with the scrap bikes from the warehouse that were deemed untenable for that specific shipment. I will continue to build bikes and strategize for streamlining some more of the organization and layout of the space, specifically the accessibility of the tool wall. As is, it is very difficult to find things if you are unfamiliar with what the tools look like or what they are used for.

    Regards,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  13. FY 16 RCx Progress Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Retrocommissioning (RCx)

    The Retrocommissioning (RCx) team has completed nine years of operation on campus in more than 60 campus buildings covering over 8 million square ft. of campus space, having begun our work in Aug. 2007. We have avoided utility costs of over $47M considering the campus fully loaded utility rate or $39M considering the campus variable utility rate. We have also secured millions of dollars in DCEO grants in the past years, including $1.5 million in FY16. We continue to accrue and maintain significant energy usage reductions (average of 27%) on our retrocommissioned buildings. This rate of energy reductions has been generally maintained for 8+ years. More investment in larger projects will be needed going forward to achieve larger energy conservation results.

    Attached Files: 

  14. EGEN SWATeam Meeting (11.9.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    PPA for National Petascale Computing Facility
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Geothermal on Campus

    The EGEN SWATeam held their fourth meeting for the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Guest presentation by Yu-Feng Forrest Lin to discuss his work on investigating campus geothermal properties
    • View draft recommendation for Petascale offsets
    • Review draft recommendation for on-campus solar
    Attached Files: 

  15. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam [ARCHIVED]
    Illini Lights Out
    Green Lab Program

    At the ECBS SWATeam meeting on November 9, "Illini Lights Out" project, occuring on November 17, was discussed. The building level energy consumption report, which will be about behaviour change messaging, is expected by May 2017. "Green Labs" project progress was discussed. The need for high visibility of energy usage was considered. Next generation energy saving devices, which are present in some buildings on the campus, were discussed.

    Attached Files: 

  16. PWR SWATeam Meeting Minutes and Agenda for 11.9.2016

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team

    At the meeting, we discussed the Illini Gadget Garage and if there were any ways the SWATeam could promote it more. The grand opening is scheduled for November 12, 2016. The team would also like to propose a campus wide paper policy recommendation but more information needs to be gathered to ensure it will get passed. Campus recycling of batteries is a topic that has come up in the past and now it's possible that the Illini Gadget Garage could be in charge of collecting batteries to later recycle them in Urbana. 

    Attached Files: 

  17. Urban Legend - debunked

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    Solar Power on Campus

    "As the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign considers installing more solar photovoltaic modules on the roofs of buildings, the discussion turns to the type of mounting systems to consider. This discussion often elicits the tale of the modules that were originally installed on the roof of the Business Instructional Facility (BIF) using a ballast-mounted system, that is, a mounting system held down using heavy weights such as concrete blocks. The story goes that a few of the PV modules blew off the roof of the building, and this subsequently led to the modules being installed with a racking system attached to the roof of the building.

    This story is an urban legend..."

    Read file for more information and photos.

     

    Attached Files: 

  20. Connecting F&S, TDM, and Wellness through student engagement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Encourage Active Transportation

    The UIUC Wellness Director Michelle Guerra, the Active Transportation Coordinator Lily Wilcock, and the F&S Director of Sustainability Morgan Johnston, are planning to identify a student to engage in the cross-section of the sustainability, wellness, and transportation efforts for this campus.  There are several aspects of these efforts that overlap, yet it is difficult to find time to keep each other informed.  The student could provide an important connection between these areas, while also learning of the inherently interdisciplinary aspects of sustainability, wellness, and transportation.

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