RailSplitter Wind Farm provided the November 2017 Buyer's Share amounts by hour, see attached file.

Letters of Support for an ITEP grant for a bikeway along First Street from Windsor Road to Curtis Road.

The Purchasing, Waste, and Recycling SWATeam met to discuss a variety of updates and challenges regarding recycling on campus. The group discussed progress on the rearrangement of outdoor dual bins on the North Quad and standards for the placements of bins inside of buildings. The group also discussed their long-term vision for trash and recycling operations on campus and brainstormed various methods for increasing recycling at the Waste Transfer Station. An update was also given on the status of SmartWay certification on campus.

FOR RELEASE

Contact: Peter Murphy, MREA Solar Program Manager, peterm@midwestrenew.org

Solar Urbana-Champaign Bulk Solar Purchase Program Finishes Strong

Urbana, IL– November 20, 2017. Claire Johnson and Jill Houser have just finished installing solar panels on Andy Robinson’s roof as part of the Solar Urbana-Champaign 2.0 program. They are  members of New Prairie Construction’s solar installation team, and part of a mostly female crew. They and other teams from New Prairie Construction will be installing 446.95 kilowatts of solar on 58 properties across Champaign County as a result of the program, which helped people save on solar through volume purchasing. Robinson not only went solar through the program, he also helped to lead it.

Please find the full story below, along with installation photos of Andy Robinson's system. Photo credit Andy Robinson.

Kaitlyn Kohl

Communications Coordinator

kaitlynk@midwestrenew.org

Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)

7558 Deer Road, Custer, WI 54423

www.midwestrenew.org

Learn from the leaders in our year-round, professional courses.

Become a proud member of the MREA! 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 20, 2017

Contact: Peter Murphy, MREA Solar Program Manager, peterm@midwestrenew.org

Solar Urbana-Champaign Bulk Solar Purchase Program Finishes Strong

Claire Johnson and Jill Houser have just finished installing solar panels on Andy Robinson’s roof as part of the Solar Urbana-Champaign 2.0 program. They are  members of New Prairie Construction’s solar installation team, and part of a mostly female crew. They and other teams from New Prairie Construction will be installing 446.95 kilowatts of solar on 58 properties across Champaign County as a result of the program, which helped people save on solar through volume purchasing. Robinson not only went solar through the program, he also helped to lead it.

“I’ve thought solar was a cool way to reduce our carbon footprint ever since seeing the 2007 UI solar decathlon house in DC, but it also needed to make financial sense for our family,” said Robinson, who was hired by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) to facilitate the education sessions, called “Solar Power Hours,” for the program. “Now we will offset nearly all of our electric use and it was a good financial investment.  New Prairie laid out the panels on the front and back roof in a way that looks like it is a part of the design of our 1920 house. We were especially happy to meet the diverse install crew of local women and men, and a highly qualified refugee.”

“In the 1980’s, Jill and I got our start in construction through the woman-owned company Working Women Construction,” said Julie Birdwell, owner of New Prairie Construction. “When we started New Prairie Construction, we made a commitment to providing opportunities for women. We never regretted it. Our New Prairie women contribute more than just diversity. They help contribute to a positive work culture and maintain a high level of attention to detail and craftsmanship.”

“When we think about the benefits of solar energy, we often picture environmental benefits, of which there are of course many,” said Peter Murphy, Solar Program Manager at Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). “But what often gets overlooked is the growing number of solar jobs, which are local and by nature cannot be outsourced.”

“One out of every 50 new jobs added in the United States in 2016 was created by the solar industry, representing 2% percent of all new jobs,” according to The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit organization that conducts a national solar jobs census.

“We recently had an opportunity to hire an Afghan national who worked in construction for the US military in Afghanistan,” said Birdwell. “Hiring such a refugee is a way of acknowledging the risks and sacrifices he and his family have made to support our country. In addition, he and our other employees from different cultures and countries provide positive contributions to our work culture, and we feel, our overall product.”

“In the first day of solar production, our kids said that we were vacuuming with sunshine,” said Robinson. “And they are right.”

“The electricity produced by the 446 kW of solar the program has contracted will offset around 639,035 lbs of CO2 being released into atmosphere in the first year alone,” said Scott Tess, Environmental Sustainability Manager at the City of Urbana. “That amount of solar energy will also save almost 10 million gallons of water from use in thermoelectric power plants that run on coal or natural gas.”

The program was administered by the MREA at no cost to the city or the county. MREA has successfully implemented similar programs in other jurisdictions in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin as seen in Milwaukee, Cedar Rapids, Bloomington-Normal, and elsewhere. Solarize programs have taken place all over the country, from California to Maine.

"The solar branch of New Prairie Construction Co. is a natural extension of our commitment to providing high quality, environmentally responsible solutions for homes and businesses," says Julie Birdwell, co-owner of New Prairie. "Solar Urbana-Champaign 2.0 provides an excellent opportunity for our community to use the power of bulk purchasing to get premium quality installations for a great price.  We are excited to work with our neighbors to help increase sustainability and energy independence in Champaign County."

MREA issued a request for proposals to solar installers in January. A local advisory committee reviewed proposals based on professional certification, experience, and cost. They selected New Prairie Construction Co., based in Urbana. They were chosen as the solar installer for the second Solar Group Buy because of their high-quality solar installations, building science expertise, and emphasis on customer service.

###

The MREA was incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit shortly after the first Energy Fair in 1990. MREA’s mission is to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration. To learn more, call 715-592-6595 or visit www.TheEnergyFair.org or www.midwestrenew.org.

Red Oak Rain Garden 2.0 restores the original Red Oak Rain Garden that was established 10 years ago to address the flooding issue between McKinley Health Center and Allen Hall. Students will work alongside faculty, staff, and community members to plant specific plants that provide multi-season flooding protection. This project aims to increase awareness surrounding horticulture and natural flooding management while addressing an infrastructural issue on campus.

The Student Sustainability Committee provides financial support to purchase plants, signage, training materials, and hardscape. The plant species are specifically chosen for maximum efficiency and learning. Likewise, the signage will allow the passerby to identify native species. University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners will support the garden while students are on academic breaks and provide Red Bison, a student-led organization, with rain garden training.

Stay Glassy looks to target glass bottles, an abundant and unused resource in the Champaign-Urbana community, to create a product that will benefit the community. By working with underserved members of our community to create a viable marketplace product, Stay Glassy achieves two goals: reduce glass waste and create meaningful employment in Champaign-Urbana. This semester, the project is changing scope from educating the community through "at home'' glass up-cycling workshops to focusing on a glass repurposing business. Project associates should expect to work on aspects of business development and product innovation.

The Student Sustainability Committee funded project supplies and workspace.

The ECBS SWATeam submitted a recommendation to the iWG stating, "We recommend the following actions and funds to implement critical projects key to energy conservation efforts at UIUC. Total funds needed: $3.55M

1) RESTORE funding of ~ $1.5M in FY19, compensating for loss of DCEO grants (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity), to continue the Retro-commissioning (RCx) work. Retro-commissioning = Identifying and implementing operational and maintenance improvements to existing buildings (first pass) to ensure continued optimal performance over time.

2) INCREASE the Recommissioning (REx) and Preventive Maintenance (PM) teams. Re-commissioning = Building operating and maintenance systems are examined, parts may be fixed or replaced, and systems reset as if they were being installed new. REx is usually performed about 5 years after RCx has passed thru a building and reoccurs about every 5 years going forward. Preventive Maintenance = actions to preserve life of equipment and prevent breakdowns (cleaning of coils, review of air handling unit systems, review of hydronic systems.) Occurs before re-commissioning. The PM group reports to the maintenance side of the organization whereas the RCx and REx teams report to Utilities and Energy Services. In terms of priority:

• Change the 5th recommissioning team that is temporary for FY18 to make it permanent in FY19 ($350K/year)
• Increase Building Maintenance and Preventive Maintenance teams from 1 to 2 for FY19. ($350K for 2nd team)
• Implement systematic building control upgrades to enhance further energy conservation and/or replace outdated equipment (IT audit item) ($1M/year).
• Increase Recommissioning teams from 5 to 6 for FY2019 ($350K for 6th team)."

See attached the SWATeam recommendation ECONS006 Conservation Budget Funding 2017 complete with comments from all the ECBS SWATeam members.

The Student Sustainability Committee funded Local Grains and Locally Processed Foods for Dining Services in October 2017.

This project aims at developing methods that promote locally processed grains for U of I students. This project connects to the Vegetable Crop Farm, FSHN Pilot Plant, and Sustainable Student Farm, offering the final puzzle piece required to offer campus grown grains to UIUC community members. This project will purchase reusable containers to transport grains, and other campus products, between campus farms and campus processing facilities. Moreover, project leaders will analyze both taste and nutrients for Vegetable Crop Farm product.

The SSC funding will go directly towards:

1. Reusable storage containers
2. Analysis equipment