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Projects Updates for theme: all

  1. University of Illinois award application for continuous improvement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award [ARCHIVED]
    Illinois: A Climate Action Plan (2010 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was submitted (and later recognized) in the continuous improvement category for the Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award in 2013.  It is clear that this campus is serious about meeting our commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050.  This was emphasized this year, when “Energy, Environment, and Sustainability” was identified as a top priority for the Urbana-Champaign campus.  Through the many iCAP projects completed and in progress, the campus is becoming a better steward of our financial, human, and natural resources.  Our goal is to be the model of sustainability for campuses across the globe.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Decaying Water Main Infrastructure

    Associated Project(s): 
    Pipe Leakage Assessment

    According to the EPA, about 30 percent of the pipes the United States water infrastructure are between 40 to 80 years old. The aging water system is dangerous to public health and often causes property loss and inconvenience. The University's pipe survey, which looked at the pipe system on campus property to find leaks, will help to combat this national problem at the university level.


    http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/20/water.main.infrastructure/index.html

  3. Bike fix-it station update

    Associated Project(s): 
    FY12 SSC Bike Parking Upgrades [ARCHIVED]

    From: Neptune, Amelia
    Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 12:27 PM
    To: Ortiz, Benita Vonne
    Cc: Johnston, Morgan B
    Subject: Bicycle Repair Station outside of Allen Hall

    Hi Vonne,

    As you may recall, earlier in the school year we had discussed that there is some funding for a new bicycle repair station near Allen Hall/CRCE. The original location we proposed near Gregory Drive in front of CRCE was rejected by the Architecture Review Committee, and they have proposed a better location near the bike parking area in front of Allen Hall. I would like to get your OK on this location before we move forward.

    The first attached PDF shows the location proposed by the Architecture Review Committee. As you’ll see in the photos on pages 2 and 3, it is on existing pavement, close to the bike parking, but not blocking a walkway, which I think is ideal.

    The second PDF shows the specifications of the newly designed repair stations so you know what it would look like. The new design is much smaller and (in my opinion) more attractive than the existing repair stations we have elsewhere on campus. The blue color of the existing stations is no longer available, so our plan is to match the color of the adjacent bike parking, in this case black.

    Please let me know if Housing has any objections to this location, or would like to meet there in person to discuss it further. Once I have your approval, we’ll move forward placing the order and installing this summer.  Please let me know if there are any questions.

    Thank you,

    Amelia  

    =========================================

    Amelia Neptune

    Campus Bicycle Coordinator

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    1501 S. Oak, Champaign, IL 61820

    aneptune@illinois.edu

    217-300-1316

    Attached Files: 

  4. herbicide to be sprayed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Prairie Restoration at Florida & Orchard

    From: Marlin, John C
    Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 4:37 PM
    To: Welch, Ryan B
    Cc: Johnston, Morgan B
    Subject: Grass herbicide for Florida Orchard

    A container of Assure II is now at the S. Lincoln grounds Barn.  I left it with Eric who put it in the location with the chemicals.  There is a note taped to the top with my name on it and saying it is for Ryan Welch for Florida—Orchard.

    I am supposed to mention that the herbicide needs to have a little crop oil mixed in as per the label.  Also the person who sprayed last time said to make sure your guy knows there are a couple ground hog holes in the field.

    The targeted grass is quackgrass.   The prime target areas are fairly obvious and need the most attention.  The worst area is just south of the mulched area and extends quite a way up the hill.  It should probably be done first in case we run out of mix.   Then there is a large swath just to the west of the trees going most of the way up the field. 

    Attached is a copy of the Assure II label. 

    I will need a little warning in order to remove some marker flags from the field.   Use my cell as well as email, as I do not always see my email in a timely manner.   We can be ready about any time you can schedule it.    

    The spray can come a couple feet  into the edge of the mulched area.   I will put pink flags along the edge.  If possible use a machine with some extended spray arms to minimize the number of prairie plants that will be ridden over by wheels.   The bar on the sprayer that did the roundup last year had wide wheels and the spray bar was only as wide as the machine.

    The weather channel predicts next Tue and Wed as 10% chance of rain.

    Thanks,

    John

    Attached Files: 

  5. The Illinois Energy Enterprise

    Associated Project(s): 
    Reduce Emissions from Energy Consumption

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking to the future and developing a strategy to meet the evolving energy needs of the campus. After several years of addressing deficiencies in utility production, distribution, and monitoring, the campus is proactively shaping its energy enterprise. The university is uniquely positioned to serve as a large-scale laboratory to test theories and potential technological advancements through collaboration with faculty members, researchers, and industry partners.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Funding request submitted to SSC for FY14

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    F&S requested $30,266 funding from the SSC for the Campus Bicycle Shop for fiscal year 2014.  The funding was awarded, contingent on not requesting additional funding in future years.

    According to the funding award letter, "Because SSC grants are intended as seed or bridge funding, this grant was approved with the understanding that this project will not seek SSC funding in future years."

    Attached Files: 

  10. Traffic Skills 101 Course to be Offered on May 4, 2013

    Associated Project(s): 
    League of American Bicyclists Courses

    Traffic Skills 101 (TS101) will be offered May 4 from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. at the C-U Mass Transit District, 1101 E. University, Urbana. The course is designed to give cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills, and crash avoidance techniques will be covered. The curriculum is fast-paced and prepares cyclists for a full understanding of vehicular cycling. It is recommended for children and adults over the age of 14.

    Pre-registration is required. Contact Cynthia Hoyle at choyle@cumtd.com or (217)278-9059.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Free Cycling Savvy Course to be Offered April 25, 2013

    Associated Project(s): 
    Cycling Savvy Courses

    Another Cycling Savvy course will be offered April 25. The course will take place in the Natural Resources Building, Room 101, 615 E. Peabody, Champaign, IL. There’s no charge for Cycling Savvy, which is open to anyone 15 years and older. No amount of cycling experience is required.

    Cycling Savvy will use a guided discussion, photos, illustrations, animations, and videos to educate attendees about safe and effective biking. The course will be divided into three sections: Knowledge of the Law, Knowledge of Bicycling Safety, and Knowledge of Traffic Cycling Problem Solving. Knowledge of the Law will cover the legal rights and responsibilities of cyclists. Knowledge of Bicycling Safety will discuss the causes of bicycle crashes and how to avoid them. This portion will also show that cycling is safe. The third portion, Knowledge of Traffic Cycling Problem Solving, will assess several traffic cycling situations and how a savvy cyclist negotiates such situations.

    More information is available at https://docs.google.com/a/illinois.edu/document/d/1P2umXx0QhfWODK0jFhZ4B4pwp60bf03a5Idqj2WhwI0/edit.

    Register for the course at https://docs.google.com/a/illinois.edu/forms/d/1SMNljDSM33Ps420aPNx9ZNroRuKiTSNYzkcmtgiA9b8/viewform.

  13. suggestion for community gardens

    Associated Project(s): 
    Orchard Downs Community Gardens

    In 2013, the Student Sustainability Committee received this project suggestion: "Community gardens built on the farmlands at Orchard Downs would benefit direct participants, households, and the community. Main participants in the project would be university students, local residents, and children from an after-school program nearby. The participants would not only benefit from the food produced, but the agricultural knowledge, environmental consciousness, and community interaction associate with working on a community farm.

    The gardens will be designed in a biointensive way, meaning they will be organic agricultural plots that focus on yielding maximal produce on a small plot and maintaining the quality of the soil. The gardens may be implemented in greenhouses, hoop houses, or outdoors depending on the seasonal limitations decided upon in the final designs of the garden.

    Students can register to do volunteer work at the community garden that would be counted toward course credit. Students and their relatives can also request plot to farm on, from which they can use  the produce themselves or sell it to school organizer of the program."

    Housing Services has already established community gardens, which have been in effect since at least the 1990s.

  15. Chapter Initiatives 2013

    Associated Project(s): 
    Teens Turning Green

    On Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9 the Teens Turning Green University of Illinois chapter hosted several events as part of the Teens Turning Green (TTG) Organization's College Road Tour. On April 8 TTG has samples of green products on the quad from 2-4 pm and a Town Hall Meeting in LAR's Main Lounge from 6- 8:30 pm. A Conscious Information Station was set up on the Quad from 10 am- 2 pm on April 9. TTG estimates they readed out to about 200 people over the course of these events.

  17. IBI team considering trailer for equipment location

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI)

    Amanda Lietz met with Stephanie Lage and Morgan Johnston to discuss the next steps for the Illinois Biodiesel Initiative (IBI).  They are looking into the possibility of purchasing an all-inclusive bioreactor trailer which would handle the entire reaction needed to change the waste vegetable oil into biodiesel and soap.  The IBI students are going to identify the exact trailer specifications they are looking for and work with F&S to identify an appropriate location for the trailer.

  18. Building Priorities

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Dashboard Project

    The ECI and SSC identified the following list as the building priorities for the metter upgrades.

    1)      Residence Halls: Allen/LAR, FAR/PAR, ISR, SDRP

    2)      Illini Union

    3)      ARC

    4)      CRCE

    5)      Siebel Center

    6)      BIF

    7)      Loomis Lab

    8)      English

    9)      Psychology

  19. InStep Licensing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Dashboard Project

    We received the invoice for the software and license for the Energy Dashboard project through August 31. The next licensing period will be from September 1 through December 31. Beginning January 1, 2013 licensing will be on an annual track. The software for the Energy Dashboard from Instep will cost $40,000, with the discount given to the University. The annual support for the Dashboard will be $6,750.

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