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  2. Energy iCAP Team March Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy iCAP Team
    Building-Level Energy Efficiency
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    The Energy iCAP team met on 3/30/2022 to discuss efforts to increase energy efficiency on campus. The primary topic of conversation was a recommendation that some educational program be created for students to learn about the building design process and advocate for energy efficiency in buildings.

    Attached Files: 

  3. iWG Meeting Minutes 3-29-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Energy iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team Recommendations Summary
    Zero Waste Recommendations Summary
    Sustainability Council

    The iWG met on 3-29-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached. 

    1. Review from last meeting
      1. Energy008 – will be returned pending completion of planning doc
      2. Energy009 – update from Qu?
    2. New recommendations
      1. ZW005 Water Bottle Survey
      2. ZW006 Water Filter System Tracking
    3. Overview of Sub-Council Agenda
    4. Round the table - updates
    Attached Files: 

  4. iWG Meeting Minutes 2-25-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Energy iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team Recommendations Summary
    Transportation iCAP Team Recommendations Summary
    Zero Waste Recommendations Summary
    Achieve Zero Waste

    The iWG met on 2-25-22 and discussed the Energy008 and Energy009 recommendations, Trans014, and plastic reduction initiatives. Andy Stumpf and Bill Rose, the Energy iCAP Team chairs, joined the meeting to discuss the two Energy recommendations. The meeting minutes are attached. 

    Attached Files: 

  5. Stable-to-Soil Enhancer

    Associated Project(s): 
    Compost at Illini Union
    Reduce Foodwaste

    Landscape Recycling Center sells the product described below:

    Stable-To-Soil Enhancer
     (Formerly Mushroom Compost)
    Up to 35-Gallon Bags/Containers: $7.25 | Bulk: $36/cubic yd



    Light brown and very fine textured material that can retain manure odor for several weeks



    Made from: Hardwood bark, straw material and horse manure from local stables that is composted into a high-quality finished product.



    Applications: Natural fertilizer for non-food crop landscapes. Excellent source of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In addition, manure returns organic matter and other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and sulfur to the soil, building soil fertility and quality.
     

  6. March 25, 2022 Illini Lights Out Data

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out

    At the March 25 Illini Lights Out event,  4,077 light bulbs were shut off, saving $591.46 in energy costs. This also prevented 4.98 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 82.4 tree seedlings grown for ten years. That's a big impact!

    Illini Lights Out is a certified Green Event! Click this link to learn how to green-certify your own event.

    The next Illini Lights Out of the semester is Friday, April 8th, at 5:30 pm, and you can sign up for that event using this link if you haven't done so already. Earth Month is also right around the corner! Browse all of iSEE's events on this calendar, such as the Trash Pick-up on April 8th, 3:00-4:30 pm. 

  7. Bike Day presentation at National Bike Summit

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Sarthak Prasad presented the findings from Bike Day 2021 event to the National Bike Summit on March 29, 2022! Bike Day 2021 was organized on September 14, 2021, with the Bike to Work Day event in the morning from 7-10 am and Light the Night event in the late afternoon/evening from 4-7 pm. Please see attached the presentation.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Interview with Cynthia Klein-Banai (Director of Sustainability at UIC)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Energy Plan

    A document containing the notes from this interview is attached below.

     

    Summary of the Clean Energy Transition Plan Interview:

    Cynthia Klein-Banai - Director of Sustainability at UIC

    On 3/28/22, the team corresponded through email with Dr. Cynthia Klein-Banai, who is the Director of Sustainability at UIC. We inquired about the plans for the energy transition at UIC and she provided us with valuable insight on the University’s current initiatives. While the energy situations at UIUC and UIC are different, there is crossover between many aspects.

    Attached Files: 

  9. Competition Review Period Begins

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Race to Zero Waste

    Hello 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste participants,

     

    I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Thank you for participating in the 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste; the competition ended this past Saturday, March 26. And the Review Period has begun!

     

    The Review Period is two weeks and will end on Monday, April 11 (end of day).

     

    Please take this two-week period to review your ReTRAC data, update your placeholder data, and make any necessary changes by the April 11 deadline.

     

    IF YOU NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES PLEASE EMAIL CR2ZW@NWF.ORG (or simply respond to this email) AND REQUEST THAT YOUR REPORTS BE RETURNED TO DRAFT.

     

    Once the review period closes, the CR2ZW team will being vetting the top-ranking campuses for each category. If your campus is among the top ranked for a category, please be ready to share your data documentation. The unofficial category reports will be posted online by April 15 (in time for Earth Day), and final announcements will be made by April 28, celebrating the winners, all competition participants, and the overall impact of the competition in waste reduction. Communication of the final results of the competition will include: national press release, blog, template press release for schools to use, email blasts, and social media.

     

    Please reach out with any questions.

     

    Thanks, take care,

    Kristy

  10. Pouring Operations Clarification

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Council

    Jennifer Fraterrigo reached out to Alexa Smith and Aaron Finder asking to have "pouring operations" defined in preparation for her presentation about plastics at the Sustainability Sub-council. Aaron Finder replied explaining that "pouring operations encompass everything outside of the campus vending machine program. This includes but is not limited to Athletics, Housing's dining, catering, and retail locations, Illini Union''s retail locations, and the conference center at the i-Hotel. 

     

  12. This Week in Research

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste

    Damien Guironnet is part of a team that is working to "develop plastic that can be recycled perpetually, reducing waste and pollution from single-use plastics." The public-private partnership is one of seven DOE-funded projects to combat plastic waste.

  15. New iSEE Greener Campus Certifications

    Associated Project(s): 
    Certified Greener Campus Programs
    Certified Green Event Program
    Certified Green Chapter Program
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)

    Congratulations to the newest recipients of our Greener Campus Certification Programs!

     

    Green Chapter: Alpha Phi, Gold-Certified March 2022 

     

    Green Office: The (In)Secure Landscapes Lab, Gold-Certified February 2022

     

    Green Events: 

    -University of Illinois Foundation -- Board and Donor Relations UIUC London Dinner, Certified March 2022

    -Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club Young Olympians, Certified March 2022

     

    Keep up the great work!

  16. Engagement iCAP Team Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability iCAP Portal
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    The Engagement iCAP Team met on Friday, March 25 with Morgan White and Michael McKelvey to discuss the strengths and opportunities for updating the iCAP Portal. Potential recommendations will be clarified at their next meeting, including a How-To page, aesthetic changes, and utilizing analytics. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  17. Departmental and Unit Funding Available for Utility Conservation Projects

    Associated Project(s): 
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    Departmental or Unit Funding Available for Utility Conservation Projects


    The RLF application form includes step-by-step instructions and examples.
    F&S is accepting new Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) applications for utility conservation projects envisioned by academic, auxiliary, and administrative units. Since 2011, the RLF has supported over $7.5M in transformative projects, allowing colleges, departments, and institutes to modernize their spaces through the following work:

    • LED lighting upgrades
    • Occupancy sensor installations
    • HVAC enhancements
    • Chilled water and steam mechanical system improvements
    • Direct Digital Control transitions 2
    • Building envelope repairs

    To request similar projects or propose other concepts, download the 2022 application form at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/RLF. The file includes step-by-step instructions and additional information. The deadline to submit projects is April 25, and the RLF Committee will begin evaluating proposals in May 2022.

    Project selection will be based on payback period, reduction of greenhouse gases, fund size impact, project coordination, and visibility. Successful RLF projects have nearly doubled the fund to more than $4M through targeted, strategic investments that use the projected savings to deliver annual payback. Approximately $1M in funding is available for this project selection cycle.


    For questions, contact Engineering Specialist Amber Perfetti at fandsrevloanfund@mx.uillinois.edu or 217-244-7708.

  18. Workshop Registration

    Associated Project(s): 
    It's Your MTD Too!

    From: Prasad, Sarthak
    Sent: Friday, March 25, 2022 10:01 AM
    To: Jenvey, Timothy M; Rigdon, Susan Marie; Berg, Mark A; Padfield Narayan, Abigail; Hill, Tori; Tyner, Kaila
    Cc: DeLorenzo, Stacey; White, Morgan; Evan Alvarez; Allison Haines; Puddicombe, Nicholas; Bralts, Elisabeth Jane
    Subject: It's Your MTD Too workshop

    Hello all,

    Thank you so much for registering to attend the “It’s Your MTD Too” workshop! This is just a reminder that the event is today from 12 – 1:30 pm in the room 0060 (in the lower level) at the Siebel Center for Design (1208 S. Fourth St., Champaign, IL).

    We will start off the a short survey and then a presentation, followed by a quick bus ride! I hope to see you all today at the event and I hope this will be a learning experience for you all!

    Thank you so much,
    Sarthak


    Sarthak Prasad
    Sustainable Transportation Assistant
    Facilities & Services
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Phone: 217-300-9575
    Email: sprasad9@illinois.edu

  19. Week 8 Reporting, Review Period, Upcoming Webinars and Events

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Race to Zero Waste

    From: CR2ZW <CR2ZW@nwf.org>
    Sent: Friday, March 25, 2022 11:28 AM
    To: CR2ZW
    Subject: Week 8 Reporting, Review Period, Upcoming Webinars and Events

    Hello Campus Race to Zero Waste 2022 Participants,

    Congratulations for crossing the finish line for the 2022 Campus Race to Zero Waste competition! Please see below for details on reporting for the final week (week 8) of the competition, as well as the review period, March 27 through April 11.

    FEATURED INFO IN THIS EMAIL: (more details bellow)

    • Review Period, March 27 through April 11, 2022
    • Share VIDEOS AND PHOTOS from your competitions, use #CR2ZW2022
    • Week 8 ends tomorrow, Saturday, March 26, 2022
    • April 5 Webinar: New PLASTICS REDUCTION PARTNER CERTIFICATION Program
    • EcoCareers 2022 – April 6-7, Register Today
    • Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunities ($6,000 Fellowship Stipend)

    UPCOMING DEADLINES, AND OTHER KEY INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:

    • The Review Period for all competition participants begins Sunday, March 27 through Monday, April 11 (end of day). Please take this two-week period to review your ReTRAC data, update your placeholder data, and make any necessary changes. IF YOU NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES PLEASE EMAIL CR2ZW@NWF.ORG AND REQUEST THAT YOUR REPORTS BE RETURNED TO DRAFT. Once the review period closes, the CR2ZW team will being vetting the top-ranking campuses for each category. If your campus is among the top ranked for a category, please be ready to share your data documentation. Please reach out with any questions.
    • Share VIDEOS AND PHOTOS from your competitions! Use hashtag #CR2ZW2022 when posting your photos and videos to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok.
    • Week 8 reporting is due Wednesday, March 30. Check out the 2021-2022 calendar for upcoming deadlines. To report for Week 8, go to ReTRAC log-in at https://connect.re-trac.com/login and click on Week report. Be sure to click Complete and Save at the bottom of the report.
    • Zero Waste M8ain Category Participants – There are separate reports in ReTRAC to complete if you are participating in the main, 8-week Zero Waste category (tracking trash, recycling, food organics and materials for reuse); This category doesn’t not have a real-time weekly ranking report due to the “materials for reuse reporting.”
      • Step 1: Fill out “Zero Waste Building Description and Identification Survey” to share information about the three buildings that are participating.
      • Step 2: There are weekly Zero Waste reports (similar to the weekly reports for Diversion, Per Capita Recycling and Food Organics) to be filled out each week.
      • Step 3: The “Zero Waste Building Waste Audit/Waste Minimization Survey” should be completed by the end of the competition/review period. The waste audit has been waived for 2022, so please do not complete that section of the survey. Please complete the “Waste Minimization Activities” section only.

    Note: The guidance above is for the main, 8-week Zero Waste category only. The Race to Zero Waste

    – One Building Challenge is a special category, requiring one-month tracking; reporting due by end
    of the competition/review period.

     

    • April 5 Webinar – Learn about New Plastics Reduction Partner Certification Program – The National Wildlife Federation and the Campus Race to Zero Waste are excited to announce the launch of a new certification program for colleges and universities taking action to reduce the purchase and use of plastics on campus. There are three levels of certification available: Bronze, Silver and Green. Campuses will be asked to report on actions in the following categories: Building Awareness, Support Behavior Change, Assess and Implement Operational Change and Demonstrate Institutional Leadership. This is a FREE program to participate in. Participation in this program is eligible for AASHE STARS innovation credit. Learn more at Plastics Reduction Partner. National Wildlife Federation is a proud member of the #BreakFreeFromPlastic Movement. Register for April 5 Webinar to learn more about this new program.
    • EcoCareers 2022, April 6-7 - The 2022 EcoCareers Conference will feature keynotes and panels about academic pathways and careers in health and wellness, environmental justice, urban planning, environmental education, and more. On top of that, NWF will have interactive project and career planning workshops for students of all levels on both days of the conference. Please join us for this two-day online event on April 6th and 7th, 2022 to hear from leading sustainability sector experts! These professionals will be sharing their insights, advice, and inspirational stories and represent industry and business leaders, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and successful entrepreneurs. Register for the 2022 EcoCareers Conference as an individual student, faculty or staff. Registration is FREE for members of the NWF EcoLeaders Online Community (joining EcoLeaders is also FREE).
    • Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunities ($6,000 Stipend): PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR CAMPUS NETWORK - National Wildlife Federation Graduate Student Fellows help to inform and strengthen NWF Education and Engagement programs through dedicated research projects. Monetary fellowship grants are awarded to graduate students working with NWF staff on research that helps to expand the content and development of a variety of efforts across NWF's Education and Engagement programs. Fellows join a national network of current and alumni fellows, many of whom have gone on to lead new businesses, agencies, and programs for sustainability all across the U.S. NWF is currently accepting applications for the six graduate student Fellowship Positions. Learn more and share this opportunity with your network. Applications are due April 22, 2022.

    Please contact me with any questions.

    Thanks, take care,
    Kristy

    ---------
    Kristy Jones
    Director, Higher Education Programs
    Campus Race to Zero Waste Manager, www.CampusRacetoZeroWaste.org
    National Wildlife Federation
    703-438-6262
    www.nwf.org
    Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world

  20. Video Case Studies of Sustainable UIUC Campus Buildings

    Associated Project(s): 
    Advance Student Sustainability Outreach Efforts
    Independent Student Projects

    From: Shanmugam Narayan, Vinothni

    To: White, Morgan

    Recipients: mbwhite at illinois.edu

     

    Hello Morgan,

     

    I have shared the NCEL & HSL plans, newsletter, and Earth month schedule with my team. Thank you so much for sharing those.

     

    I have also attached a link for case study videos that my concept team students created for one of the activities I planned last semester.

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KRaWCbD2WYsWEA9bR0JUx9a_ELMov0v9?usp=sharing

     

    Thanks for initiating to include their work on the website.  Have a nice day!

     

    Sincerely,

    Vinothni Narayan Icon</p> <p>Description automatically generated

    Graduate – Masters | Class of Dec 2022

    Civil and Environmental Engineering | Construction Engineering and Management

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

    vs37@illinois.edu  | +1 (217)-200-2817

     

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