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Projects Updates for theme: all

  1. funding from RLF

    Associated Project(s): 
    TBH Lighting Project

    The Green revolving loan fund is committed to provide $32,000 of funding for the TBH project.  Please add a supplemental account on to the work order to fund up to $32,000 of the bill for the lighting retrofit.  The revolving loan account is MY862-Revolving Loan Fund (1-303630-862004-862013.) 

  2. SSC funds available

    Associated Project(s): 
    Recycling for the Quad

    Congratulations,

    You now have access to the SSC funding that was granted to you for your Recycling on the Quad project. Attached is a copy of the SSC funding agreement that you signed along with other parties. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

    Best Wishes,

    Marques Burris

    SSC Program Advisor

  3. Notes from meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike Sharing at Sustainability Living Learning Community

    I took some notes from my conversation with Jennifer Bechtel the Program Director from the Innovation and Sustainability LLC who wants to start a bike share.  Here are the notes as I took them.  I hope this will help you to understand what is going on.

    • Wants to have 6 or so bikes for bike share 120 students 10-15 using and helping to repair.
    • Wants to bring students over here to learn how to fix bikes 1 x per month or semester depending on maintenance rates and usage.
    • Would like to explore a possible group membership for her resident hall or their bike share.
    • The idea is there are so many students who don't know anything about bikes.  She wants to use it to help students get feet wet with bikes learn how useful they are and encourage private ownership.
    • This would be a pilot program for this housing dept and may want to expand.
    • Wants quality bikes that can be maintained on our model of teaching people how to fix them.
    • Wants students to be involved in keeping bikes running.
    • Jennifer wants to learn herself so she can be the consistent person for the bike share because of the turn over with the students and staff.
    • They are installing a outdoor fix-it station outside their building.
    • She would want to use us our facilities and model to have students fix the bikes.
    • Wants students to end up buying a bike.
    • Looking for a place to store the bikes in the winter if no one is willing to ride/maintain the bikes.


    From the Campus Bike Center,
    James Roedl
     

  4. Recommendation: Wind PPA

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

    Here is the first recommendation from the Energy Generation SWATeam.

    "We strongly endorse obtaining Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with one or more Wind Farms as soon as possible.  It is unlikely that a better opportunity to purchase renewable energy will present itself in the foreseeable future."

    Attached Files: 

  5. Introductory meeting with James and Jennifer

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike Sharing at Sustainability Living Learning Community

    Jennifer from the Innovation and Sustainablility LLC came by to talk about a very small bike share pilot where the students learn to maintain bikes and are encouraged to become bike owning commuters.  We discussed the matter and she has a lot of great ideas and would like to meet with us to discuss them.  She has questions about maintenance, what bikes to get (she wants quality and ease of maintenance), how to maintain consistency with student turn over, a possible LLC membership or bike share membership with TBP, and many other things.  I took notes on our conversation and she is going to try to make an overview of her ideas we can discuss it and find something that can work in the long term.  This sounds like something we want to be a part of. 

    From the Campus Bike Center,
    James Roedl

  6. update from Paul Foote

    Associated Project(s): 
    Steam Traps/Boilers/Pipe Insulation [ARCHIVED]

    Steam traps are not being included in this grant application.  Roger Bensyl said that the tracking of the part numbers and serial numbers for the steam traps is impractical to meet the requirements for this DCEO grant.  This was regarding steam traps completed in the past, but the discussion about potentially getting grant funding for steam traps in the future is still needed.

    Paul has a spreadsheet of the pipe insulation work completed from the past, through sometime in FY14.  Brian Kattamay (sp?) said we can submit the efficiency savings information to him starting in June 2014.  Brian will do the calculations and let us know how this can be possibly funded through the FY15 grant program.  Paul will send that information to Brian on June 2.

    Paul will also talk to Roger about integrating the tracking system for the grant money into the operational system.

     

     

  7. Bikes On Campus Day

    Associated Project(s): 
    Incentives for Biking

    Facilities & Services used funding from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) in Spring 2014 t0 purchase incentives to increase bicycle usage. On Bikes on Campus Day, students were given free leg wraps, educational materials, bike maps, and pins if they stopped by the table. In addition, any bikes that were registered were given free bike lights or bike bell. There was also a raffle for those who brought a friend that normally does not bike to win either a free bike pump or bike lock.

  8. Bicycle Ambassador Spoke Cards

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Ambassador Program

    Bicycles Ambassadors have decided to use "Hello, I'm a Bike Ambassador" spoke cards to be idenitfied on campus. These cards are being used as a point of reference for individuals to idenitify fellow bike ambassadors but to help those who may have bicycling questions. These cards represent those who believe in the power of bicycles and want to encourage others to use one as well. Look out for these cards around the CU area!

  9. emissions from waste question

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste iCAP Team

    Hello SWATeam,

    Can we talk about the GHG emissions from waste being sent to the landfill(s) please?  Take a look at this complicated emissions calculator.

    The Input screen shows that the landfilled waste is going to a methane capture landfill (“Brickyard”).  The “ACUPCC Reporting” screen shows that emissions from solid waste is NEGATIVE 172 MT CO2e. 

    I wonder.  How much of the methane is actually collected at that landfill?

    Thanks,

    Morgan

    Attached Files: 

  11. status update on real-time meter installations

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Dashboard Project

    Robby Bauer, Dave Green, and Morgan Johnston discussed the status of the real-time energy meeter installations, from the SSC funded project.  All of the Housing electrical meters have been installed, but the issue is about steam meters.  Robby talked with the Housing plumber about the steam load.  the water is a constant volume pump, and there is no control system available (other than opening and closing windows).  with a constant flow pump, and without controls in every room, there is no way for students to have control over it. 

    If we choose to not put funds into real time steam meters in those buildings, where the students cannot influence the energy demand, we can get real-time electricity meters on all the buildings in the original prioritized list from the SSC. 

  12. Crop Sciences and IDOT award application

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award [ARCHIVED]
    University of Illinois Research Programs/Opportunities

    IDOT submitted an application for the Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award in 2014, for work completed in collaboration with the University of Illinois Crop Sciences department. 

    This project involved collaboration and coordination between UIUC Department of Crop Sciences, the IDOT sustainability manager, and IDOT roadway maintenance field staff.  The Illinois Department of Transportation is interested in utilizing suitable areas of Right-of-Ways to produce cellulosic grasses for ethanol and biomass energy. The goal of this study is to investigate the use of Illinois highway right-of-ways for energy crop production to generate additional revenue to defray the cost of road maintenance and improve the environment.

    Attached Files: 

  13. student reports

    Associated Project(s): 
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

         In March through May 2014, ten undergrads in NRES 285 chose to evaluate a variety of UIUC sustainability projects.  All of the projects selected were supported by financing from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC).

    1. Solar photovoltaic system on BIF
    2. Solar thermal system on ARC
    3. Solar photovoltaic system and electric vehicles at Sustainable Student Farm (SSF)
    4. Wood-burning furnace at Allerton Park
    5. LEDs at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
    6. Green roof on Art & Design
    7. Vermicomposting at SSF
    8. Red Oak rain garden
    9. Prairie garden at Vet Med
    10. Bike shop

         The students were guided to ask questions about the effectiveness of the projects.  The objective was to develop evaluations of how well the projects achieved the relevant goals and what could be learned from these actions.

    Attached Files: 

  14. The Sustainability of the Photovoltaic Solar Panels on the Roof of Business Instructional Facility

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    The photovoltaic panels on LEED Platinum certified Business Instructional Facility (BIF) rooftop harvests solar radiation as a clean renewable energy source for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign facility. The solar system has a combined maximum output of 40 kilowatt per hour (kWh), and has an annual production of 60,000 kWh. The system is expected to produce approximately eight percent of the building’s total electricity demand. However, solar panels require unobstructed access to solar radiation for most or all of the day to be effective

    Attached Files: 

  15. Sustainability Assessment of small-scale Outdoor Wood Burning Appliances

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Allerton Wood-fired Boiler
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    In this case study, an Outdoor Wood Burning appliance was installed in central Illinois as a biomass substitute for existing natural gas heating.  The location is owned by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is operated under the name Allerton Park.  Allerton Park is a 1,500 acre estate with numerous woodland, riparian, and prairie areas.   This location was selected by the University’s Student Sustainability Committee which disperses student fees allocated for sustainability improvements.  The visitor center and several workshops at Allerton Park used a 1960 boiler/heating unit that was expensive to run and produced excessive CO2 emissions.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Sustainability Analysis of the Campus Bike Center

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    The Campus Bike Center opened for business in May 2010, funded by The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign, a grant from the Student Sustainability Committee, the Center for a Sustainable Environment, and supplementary funding from the Facilities and Services Department at UIUC[1]. The Center offers a hands-on, educational space in which students and community members can have access to knowledge and experience in maintaining and fixing bicycles, as well as all of the necessary tools and products to do so. The Center’s outlined mission is to teach bicycle maintenance, providing access to affordable equipment, support overall safety education, and participate in campus bicycle community outreach2. The Center also has described goals for sustainability; to contribute towards the ICAP goal to reduce transportation emissions by 50% in 2025, support those who use bicycles for transportation, to make bikes a more feasible alternative to motor vehicles on this campus, and to expand these efforts even more through increased outreach and publicity efforts, increased staff capacity, more events outside of the shop to reach new audiences, more refurbished bikes to sell to students, and more courses, workshops, and demonstrations to educate the campus about bikes2.



    [1] Neptune, Amelia. Bike Shop Student Sustainability Committee Application. UIUC ICAP Portal. http://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project-updates/102. 11 Nov 2012. Accessed 8 May 2014.

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  17. GreenLink Project Assessment

    Associated Project(s): 
    Green Roof on Art & Design Link Gallery
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    The University of Illinois is an educational institution that strives for excellence in sustainability. Under this new goal, many projects have been funded such as the green roof over the Link Gallery. The Link Gallery is a space used to exhibit student work and is wedged between the Art and Design Building and the Krannert Art Museum. The project, titled GreenLink, was proposed by Nan Goggins, the Director of the School of Art and Design, and David Akins, the Director of Art and Design Facilities in 2008[1]. The goal of this project was to make visible the concerns and interests of Fine and Applied Arts students and faculty in working collaboratively on “greening the art campus”. They also had the goals of lowering the heating and cooling costs for the Link space, as well as collecting and storing rainwater to water the gardens on either side of the Link Gallery.



    [1] The original GreenLink Proposal can be found via the iCAP portal.

     

    Attached Files: 

  18. KCPA LED Lobby Lighting

    Associated Project(s): 
    KCPA Lobby Lighting
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    In the words of Valerie Oliveiro, Assistant to the Senior Associate Director of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, KCPA is “dedicated to the advancement of the education, research, and public engagement mission of the University of Illinois through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts.”[1] These words exemplify the importance of KCPA to the campus community. A hub of social interaction and innovation, Krannert has a unique role as a leader and innovator in sustainability initiatives at the University of Illinois. This unique importance is what drove KCPA to the idea of implementing LED lighting in its lobby. After more than two years of research and experimentation, consideration to the developing goals of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) and joint funding from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, KCPA finally decided to pull the trigger on The University’s largest LED lighting project.



    [1] Oliveiro, Valerie. ICECF Funding Proposal for the KCPA LED Lobby Lighting Retrofit Project. Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois, September 17th, 2009

     

    Attached Files: 

  19. Red Oak Rain Garden Project Assessment

    Associated Project(s): 
    Red Oak Rain Garden
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    The major goal of this report is to quantify and qualify the impacts of Campus Red Oak Rain Garden project from University of Illinois on various metrics, including environmental, economic and educational contexts and to make suggestions for plan implementations of future projects. However, due to limited quantitative information, suggested impacts analysis is primarily based on literature reviews.

    Attached Files: 

  20. Examining the Solar Thermal Panels at the Activities and Recreation Center

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Thermal at ARC
    NRES 285: Sustainability Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

    from student paper: "For the Spring 2014 semester, I am enrolled in NRES 285 – a field course entitled Performance Metrics and Assessment Techniques for Sustainability Projects. This course utilizes experiential learning in order to gain hands-on experience with sustainability projects on the UIUC campus. In order to assess these initiatives it is necessary to evaluate effectiveness of the project, means of improvement, methods of communicating results, and suggestions for the future. In particular, a project I found particularly appealing is the solar thermal system at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) used to heat the indoor and outdoor pools...."

    Attached Files: 

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