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  1. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bicycle Education

    All, last week we had 114 visitors. We grossed $997.25. We sold two bikes for $210 and six memberships for $180. The new hires are coming along, with only minor hiccups here and there.

    Last week Lily and I assisted with the University High School Agora Days class that a Bike Project member was leading.  For Four days last week we went over various bike repair basics, focusing on tires/tubes, minor brake adjustments, chains, and a how-to on bike fitting. The kids were genuinely interested and engaged, and no one minded getting a little dirty. The only downside was the one-hour limit on each day’s class.

    Lily and I also met to discuss the implementation of some bike classes for which she so adeptly secured funding.

    This week I will get a job posting up for more student workers, as one new hire is MIA and a few others are graduating. I will continue to work on the departmental bike share bikes for F&S as well as bikes for sale here, as our stock isn’t quite as robust as I would like pre-spring rush.

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  2. Campus Tree Inventory Recommendation - assessment with comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Tree Inventory
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Utilize Carbon Credits
    ALUFS Recommendations Summary

    The iCAP WOrking Group (iWG) met on February 23rd, 2017, to discuss and start the assessment of SWATeam recommendation ALUFS002 Campus Tree Inventory. Their official comment on this recommendation was:

    "The iCAP Working Group supports the use of the Carbon Credit funds for a tree inventory update."

    See attached the iWG assessment complete with official comments from all the iWG members.

    See SWATeam ALUFS002 Recommendation.

    Attached Files: 

  3. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out
    Green Lab Program
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Earth Week

    On the agenda at the ECBS SWATeam meeting:

    1) Discuss and comment on attached recommendation for institutionalizing Illini Lights Out;

    2) Illini Lights Out final planning for 24th of February;

    3) Participation in Earth Hour activities on campus;

    4) Discussion on what else to accomplish this year.

    Attached Files: 

  4. Water & Stormwater SWAT Meeting Minutes 2/23/2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    BIF Greywater Pipe System
    Water Conservation [ARCHIVED]
    Reduce Potable Water Usage
    Energy Dashboard Project
    Water and Stormwater SWATeam
    Obtain and Publicize Water Data

    Updates on BIF Greywater Meter, Increase Cooling Tower COC, and Design Center Greywater Piping recommendations. Discussion on the development of water use dashboard. 

    Attached Files: 

  5. GRITS update

    Associated Project(s): 
    EPA Green Power Partner

    Greetings from all of us at SEI! We're excited to share that our GRITS Library has surpassed 2,000 projects! We're also happy to announce our new web site, GoGRITS.org, and highlight the new features of GRITS 1.7. We hope many of you can join us for a March 15 GRITS 1.7 Walkthrough webinar.

    THE GRITS LIBRARY HITS 2,000 PROJECTS
    This week, the GRITS Library surpassed 2,000 projects! The Library is full of completed projects that allow users to learn from one another and get inspired to do more. Collectively, these projects have achieved impressive results:

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    NEW GOGRITS.ORG WEB SITE!  
    We’re excited to announce the launch of GoGRITS.org, a website devoted to SEI’s powerful, time-saving platform for planning, tracking, and sharing data from all of your energy, financial, and carbon-saving projects. The new website profiles the benefits and features of GRITS and provides easy access to free trials, GRITS videos, guides, and more. We hope you'll take a minute to visit GoGRITS.org.
     

  8. PWR SWATeam Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Recycled-Content Paper Policy in CAM
    Illini Gadget Garage [ARCHIVED]
    Recycled-Content Paper Policy in CAM

    At the PWR SWATeam meeting on Feb. 22nd, the team discussed the current campus paper policy. The team will work on reviewing and improving the paper policy to ensure all departments are meeting standards for recycled paper content and identifying reasons for lack of participation. 

    Attached Files: 

  10. Building Level Energy Consumption Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Building-Level Energy Usage Report

    1) We used total energy use by year in MMBTU (FY08-FY2016) and created a bar chart. Then we converted the MMBTU to BTU, and divided the number by GSF to get the energy use intensity (EUI). We used both bar charts and added them to the presentation for the Lincoln Hall.

    2) We made a research to find out what Notable Energy Events occured in the Lincoln Hall:

    • FY09 T-12 to T-8 Lighting Retrofit;
    • FY11-12 LEED Platinum Renovation;
    • FY14 Retrocommissioning;
    • FY15 ECIP winner;
    • FY16 Illini Lights Out pilot.

    3) iCAP Portal projects at Lincoln Hall: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/place/lincoln-hall

     

  11. Requesting approval as Master Naturalist volunteer site

    Associated Project(s): 
    Red Oak Rain Garden

    The ECIMN Advisory Board meets on the third Monday of the month from 3-5 pm.  Karen Folk and Eliana Brown will present the Red Oak Rain Garden as a requested site for approval as an official volunteer location for the Master Naturalists.  Once Board approval is granted, Maddy Kangas will work to complete the MOU with F&S, similar to the Idea Garden agreement.

    The effort could be set up in three phases: 1. Assessment 2. Renovation 3. Maintenance.

  13. Carbon Credit funding approved for Virtual Storeroom

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

    The estimated cost of $2-3/Carbon Credit has been approved by Director of iSEE Evan DeLucia and Interim Executive Director of F&S Helen Coleman for buying 10,000 additional carbon offsets, when purchasing the 103,000 replacement offsets from the carbon credits sold from 2015.  The additional carbon offsets will be used as the initial inventory for a new Virtual Storeroom for carbon offsets being developed by iSEE for on campus users.

    An email of approval is attached below.

    Attached Files: 

  14. Meeting to initiate the work order

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    F&S staff met to discuss the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building Rooftop Solar PVs project.  Managing Engineer Kristine Chalifoux and Electrical Engineer Brian Finet will take the lead on the design.  The design will use a ballast mounting system, real time energy meters, and an online solar dashboard.

  15. Arbor Day Celebration planned for April 28, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education

    Five trees will be planted on the South Quad of campus, for the Arbor Day Celebration, on April 28, 2017. The agenda includes a welcome, a reading of the proclamation, an educational speech, the tree planting, and a trivia game.  Attendees will each be invited to add a shovel of soil to the newly planted trees.

  17. Inaugural Stormwater Public Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water and Stormwater SWATeam
    Rainwater Management

    Keith Erickson, Morgan Johnston, Jason Jones, and Stephanie Cash attended the first annual Urbana Stormwater Public Meeting on February 15th, 2017. The City of Urbana Engineering Staff led a discussion with community members on the stormwater management practices required for the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The City of Urbana owns and operates a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) which is required by the US Environmental Protection Agency to implement minimum control measures to target and improve stormwater quality. The minimum control measures include public outreach and education, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction runoff control, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping.

    For more information: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/departments/public-works/StormwaterManagement

  19. MAster Naturalist intern notes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Red Oak Rain Garden

    "I walk by that rain garden almost every day and have been picking up trash, etc.  It would be great if we could get the original plan from Dr. Tony Endress that shows what was planted.  From my observations, the rocks need replenished, possibly removal of fabric underlayment, and, if we had the plan, we could do a census of surviving plants.  The Native Plant sale is coming up in May and if we had a plan by then, we could buy and plant replacements.  I am willing to monitor when students aren't available and work with them in whatever capacity they are anticipating.

    Karen Folk"

  20. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, last week we grossed $506.80. We sold one build-a-bike for $35 and two memberships for $60. We had 60 visitors to the shop.

    We were inundated this past week with volunteers, which isn’t a bad thing but is difficult to come up with enough unskilled jobs in a very skill-demanding environment. Thankfully, the organizing never ends! I made some good progress on the wheel storage rack in the back corner of the CBC and it will be completed by the end of the day today. While not the best built thing out there, it will get the job done and allow us to store more wheels safely out of the way and off the ground.

    This week will be truncated since I was sick over the weekend and did not work on Monday or Tuesday. But good news: Lily has secured funding for some basic maintenance classes for the spring! Way to go Lily! I will meet with her next week and discuss the details. This week I will start recruiting again for more hires since four of the current CBC staff are graduating in May and at least one more will not be around to help in the summer.

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

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