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  1. Biogasification power plant talk

    Associated Project(s): 
    Biomass use on Campus

    F&S met with representatives from the Center for Neighborhood Sustainability to continue discussion of potentially building a biogasification power plant off campus for production of biogas as an alternative fuel for power generation for campus.

  3. EcoCAT documentation initiated

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    IDNR staff will review the project because the Franklin's Ground Squirrel may reside there. They state they will require thirty days of review. The Franklin’s Ground Squirrel resides in culverts and areas with low shrubs and prairie grasses and not in cultivated farm areas. Most of the Solar Farm area has been farmed for years.

  4. Climate Leadership Video is Created

    Associated Project(s): 
    Second Nature Climate Leadership Award

    The Office of Sustainability collaborated with Public Affairs to develop and create a Climate Leadership Video.  The video included Chancellor Phyllis Wise, Professor Madhu Viswanathan, F&S Waste Management Coordinator Tracy Osby, and Student Sustainability Committee member Emily Cross.  This video highlights some of the key campus achievements related to sustainability.

  5. The SSC develops new process for facilitating discussions by committee

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The SSC developed a new process for facilitating detailed discussions by the committee.  They formed groups to cover standing topics, ad hoc topics, and project topics.  The groups are: Executive, Finance, Bylaws, Marketing, Funding Guidelines, Strategic Plan, Ethics/Code of conduct, F&S/SSC Process, Energy, Food/Waste, Water, Land, Education, and Transportation.  OS staff are represented on eight of these subgroups.

  6. RFP released and notices sent to community

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    From: Jack Dempsey Subject: Solar Farm letter ready to go In the interest of keeping an open dialogue with our neighbors, I would like to inform you that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is pursuing the development of a 28.5-acre solar farm on the campus’s South Farms. The attached fact sheet describes the details of the project, including specifics of the proposal, expected timeline, and frequently asked questions about solar farms. This information will be sent to the residents on First Street near the proposed site, with the attached letter. I’m also including the full RFP here in case you are interested. This is expected to go live tomorrow. If you have any questions or suggestions as we move forward with this project, please contact Morgan Johnston, our Sustainability Coordinator copied here. Thanks, Jack RFP and subsequent amendments are online at http://www.procure.stateuniv.state.il.us/dsp_notice.cfm?Uni=UIUC&PN=1KSP....

    Attached Files: 

  11. MTD Contract Renewal and Car Sharing Promotions

    Associated Project(s): 
    Encourage Active Transportation

    Continued contract renewal work for the University and MTD three-year contract form FY13-FY15.  The students approved recommended transportation fees which will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees this spring. 

    Staff held weekly conference calls with Zipcar about promoting car-sharing on campus, and provided input to the University of Iowa and Eastern Illinois University regarding their car sharing plans.

  14. Bike to Work Day and Campus Bike Project Make Progress

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Bicycle Use

    Bike to Work Day (BTWD) planning is underway. Staff raised $1,250 in February from sponsors, which goes to Champaign County Bikes for the event.  Three on-campus Bike Station locations were organized, in addition to several off-campus Bike Stations.  University Housing graciously agreed to provide food and drinks for the on-campus Bike Stations, as they did last year.

    The Bike Sharing key staff members met with project champion, Mike Lyon from AITS, to provide a status update on the bike sharing feasibility study.  The bike sharing intern developed a presentation about departmental bike sharing, which will be taken to Legal Counsel and Purchasing contacts for final approval.  Then Colleges will be contacted before departments are approached to encourage departmental bike sharing implementation.  

    F&S Planning staff interviewed firms to engineer road improvements, including Fourth Street bike lanes from Armory Avenue to Kirby Avenue, and Sixth Street bike lanes from Armory Avenue to Gregory Drive.

    The bike parking intern completed and submitted a proposal to the SSC to replace existing “donut-hole” racks with campus standard racks.  He also met with staff at Christopher Hall and the Illini Union about upgrading their bike parking areas.  Additionally, staff worked with a representative from Champaign County Bikes to arrange a pilot test of an alternative bike parking rack, the Varsity Rack.

    The Campus Area Transportation Study (CATS) agencies met in February and agreed that the Campus Bike Plan document should be for University-owned pathways, and it should be in agreement with the City of Urbana Bike Plan, the Champaign Transportation Plan, and the County Greenways and Trails Plan.

    The Campus Bike Project submitted a proposal to the SSC for expanded open hours with student assistants.

    Plans are underway for a bike race on May 5 in the Research Park.  About 300-400 race participants are anticipated.  There will be a community ride that morning, as well as a race in the City of Urbana on May 6.

  15. EMC^2 Proposal, F&S Steam Reduction, Virtualization

    Associated Project(s): 
    Centralized Energy Efficiency Efforts

    Staff further developed the Energy Management and Control Center (EMC^2) proposal for Chancellor Wise to share with potential donors/partners.  This process included preliminary documentation of the existing energy distribution and tracking computer programs.

    F&S staff started discussions about a steam reduction project at the Main Library, which includes repairing steam traps, replacing Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV), and repairing or replacing other valves.

    F&S is moving towards virtualization for their IT servers.  That will let F&S move to a single server, which will reduce the cooling load and energy demand.  This project can be replicated in other departments for additional energy savings.

  16. Solar Farm Proposal Approved

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    The proposed Solar Farm was taken through the formal Site Selection process for campus, and approved by the Chancellor’s Capital Review Committee (CCRC).  Then the Request for Proposal (RFP) was published and over 30 vendors downloaded the RFP.  A Fact Sheet and Q&A were sent with introductory letters to the community leaders and Solar Farm site neighbors on First Street.

     

  19. F&S Energy Services kicked off development project

    F&S Energy Services kicked off their Energy Utility Production and Distribution Master Plan development project.  This will identify key projects to reach the iCAP goals, including getting off coal by 2017 and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.  Over 40 people were in attendance for the kick-off introductory meeting, including OS staff.

  20. Partnerships, Engagement in Local Efforts

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach

    On February 16, CCNet hosted Angela Adams, the Recycling Coordinator at the City of Champaign, to explain the proposed bag ban in the city; Pattsi Petrie, a Champaign County Board Member, to discuss local foods; Mike Monson, the Urbana Chief of Staff, to explain the Electrical Aggregation proposal; and Marya Ryan, from the Urbana Sustainability Advisory Commission to review the City of Urbana’s Climate Action Plan.

    Staff facilitated meetings with students and staff about potential letters of support for the City of Champaign Single Use Disposable Paper and Plastic Bags study item.

    In an effort to standardize emissions calculations throughout the community and county, staff met with transportation planners from the Regional Planning Commission to share information about calculating transportation emissions.

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