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Projects Updates for Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

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  2. Professional Science Masters student projects underway

    Associated Project(s): 
    Independent Student Projects
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    Two students from the Professional Science Masters (PSM) program are working with sustainability staff this summer.  Chandana Konidala is working with the City of Urbana's Environmental Sustainability Manager Scott Tess to promote the Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge.  Sarthak Prasad is working on developing a Standard Operating Procedure for entering information in the iCAP Portal.

  3. Goals have been surpassed!!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    The original goals for the Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge were to get 50 buildings registered in the challenge and 25 buildings benchmarked.  As of today, there are 68 buildings registered in the U-C Energy Star Challenge and 41 benchmark reports (called SEPs) submitted. 

    There was a news article about surpassing the goals in July in the News-Gazette, with a voice recording of an interview with Scott Tess, City of Urbana Sustainability Manager.

     

     

  5. Surpassed first goal!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    The Urbana-Champaign ENERGY STAR Challenge has surpassed it's first goal to register 50 buildings in the Challenge, reaching 51 buildings in total last week!

    The second goal is to get at least 25 buildings to submit their 2013 baseline energy performance.  So far 22 buildings have submitted.

    Help the Challenge get to 25 this month by submitting your building's Statement of Energy Performance (SEP) through our website or by email.  Don't know what we're talking about?  Call us now and ask!  217-384-2381.

    Need help getting your data in on time?  Don't wait, call today:  217-384-2381
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    About Portfolio Manager
    Tim Short with Champaign County Head Start says "it's so easy to use, I'm going to put all my buildings in it."

    Portfolio Manager is an interactive resource management tool that enables you to track and assess energy and water use across your entire portfolio of buildings … all in a secure online environment.

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  6. Meeting with Morgan and Nishant

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    Morgan Johnston and Nishant Makhijani met today to discuss entering campus buildings in the U-C Energy Star Challenge competition.  Each building entered into the system will take 30-60 minutes to enter the data.  We are going to start with Nishant entering the data for the following buildings:

    1. Admissions and Records
    2. David Kinley Hall
    3. Turner Student Services
    4. Wholers Hall
    5. Engineering Hall
    6. Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
    7. Illini Union
    8. Physical Plant Services Building
    9. National Soybean Research Center
    10. Natural Resources Building
    Attached Files: 

  7. Challenge Check-In

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    There are 48 buildings signed up.  There will be a luncheon on April 21 during Earth Week on campus.  The lunch is for celebrating the participants, and for them to invite potential participants to join us and help expand the program.

  8. Lunch and Learn planned for 1/29/14

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge
    U-C ENERGY STAR Challenge Launch Party and Lunch & Learn 1/29/13

    Learn about the launch of the Urbana-Champaign ENERGY STAR Challenge and meet others taking the Challenge.  RSVP here.  This effort invites building owners and managers to benchmark their buildings' 2013 energy use on the free ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and then track and improve their energy performance though 2014.

    Buildings will compete against one another to see who can achieve the greatest energy use reduction in 2014 with awards to follow in early 2015.

    Participants can access free in-person assistance using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, get connected with financial incentives to move their projects forward, and have access to technical support to help pinpoint building energy savings.

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    Lunch & Learn

    Join other building owners and managers who are benchmarking, tracking, and improving their building energy performance with the free, web-based ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool.  

    This free training will demonstrate the basic functions of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and show you how to get your building ENERGY STAR Certified.  RSVP now.
     

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    About Portfolio Manager

    Portfolio Manager is an interactive resource management tool that enables you to track and assess energy and water use across your entire portfolio of buildings … all in a secure online environment.

    More importantly, it can help you implement every step of your energy management program, from setting a baseline and identifying which buildings to target to setting goals and tracking improvements. It’s also the tool for getting recognition from EPA for your efforts.

    Use it to help you save energy, save money … and save the environment.

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    Details

    Date
    Wednesday January 29th

    Time
    Noon to 1:30pm

    Location
    Champaign County EDC
    1817 S Neil St. Suite 100
    Champaign, IL

    Admission & Lunch
    Free.  RSVP required.  
    Sponsored by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation
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  9. Energy Star Challenge email sent out

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    Take the U-C ENERGY STAR Challenge!

    View this email in your browser
     

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    Take the U-C Energy STAR CHALLENGE!

    Benchmark.  Track. Improve.
     

    The Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge invites building owners and managers to benchmark their 2013 energy use, then track and improve energy use throughout 2014, all with US EPA’s free online tool, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

     

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    Energy savings are cost savings!  You can’t manage what you don’t measure!  Sign up today and start tracking and improving your building’s energy performance!

     

    To learn more, contact:

    Scott R. Tess

    P: 217-384-2381
    srtess@urbanaillinois.us

    Buildings will compete against one another to see who can achieve the greatest energy use reduction in 2014 with awards following in early 2015.

     

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    Participants can access free in-person assistance using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager program to manage their building’s energy use.  Additionally, participants will be connected with financial incentives to move their projects forward and technical support to help pinpoint building energy savings.
     
     
     

     

  10. Call for students!!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    The cities of Urbana and Champaign along with several partners are preparing to launch the Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge.  The Challenge is designed to engage businesses in our community to reduce energy consumption in their buildings. The local business will be using a web application to benchmark and track their energy use.  The CSE is seeking student volunteers to help businesses in this endeavor.  Volunteers will be trained to use the app, and will then assist local businesses in the process of using the web application for the Challenge.  Training is expected to occur before Thanksgiving Break.  If you are someone who would like to connect with others in the community and especially local businesses, we want you!  To sign up for this opportunity, please fill out the registration form.

  11. Urbana Sustainability Manager, Scott Tess, provides overview of program

    Associated Project(s): 
    Urbana-Champaign Energy Star Challenge

    The Urbana Climate Action Plan’s Goal 1: Action 1 calls for creating “programs to encourage businesses to retrofit existing buildings.”  The U-C Kilowatt Crackdown will challenge businesses and property managers to benchmark their buildings’ 2013 energy performance on the free Energy Star Portfolio Manager and then track and improve their energy performance for 2014.  This program may be replicable the following year dependent on participation and future interest.

    Key Phrases

    • • Challenge yourself to cut costs and improve performance.
    • • Fun, easy, convenient, popular.
    • • Pledge today to cut costs and avoid waste.
    • • Leading businesses are joining the Kilowatt Crackdown
    • • Benchmark,  improve, awards

    Driving Participation

    • • Registration/Pledge may be conducted with an online webform and through a postcard mailed back to the City.  Participants could be listed on a website serving as a public commitment.
      • o Building name, address, contact name, phone, and email
    • • Opinion makers may be invited to offer a quote or appear in a video to establish participation as a social norm.
      • o Newscaster, football coach, leading business person
    • • Interns may be trained to provide Energy Star Portfolio Manager support for participants to increase program convenience and actively seek out participants.
    • • Awards for top performers may follow in early 2015.
      • o Certificate for all who submit SEP
      • o Buildings achieving 10 or 20% reduction in EUI
      • o Energy Star Certified
      • o Greatest Percentage EUI reduction
      • o City Bragging Rights Award for most new Energy Star Buildings per capita

    Inputs

    • • ES Div. staff time
    • • Planning Div. staff time
    • • Urbana $2,000 for advertising, printing, awards
    • • Champaign $2,000 for advertising, printing, awards
    • • CCRPC website and registration management
    • • Partner Service Providers’ staff time
      • o IGBA for small and large businesses
    • • Provide basic energy efficiency installations (CFLs, Faucet Aerators, LED Exit Signs, Pre-rinse spray valves) and help businesses attain more incentive dollars and installations through ActOnEnergy programs.
    • • Recruit ‘Energy Specialist’ interns to assist buildings with benchmarking
      • o SEDAC for large businesses
    • • Perform benchmarking for buildings and provide recommendations for improvements
    • • Consider amending qualifying square footage for participating buildings
    • • Recruit ‘Energy Specialist’ interns to assist buildings with benchmarking
      • o Ameren
    • • Business Energy Assessments and Incentives
    • • Funding
    • • Branding
      • o DCEO
    • • Andrea Rice
    • • Promotional Partners
      • o Chamber
      • o UBA
      • o City of Urbana
      • o City of Champaign
      • o News media
      • o EDC

    Outputs

    • • Handbills, advertisements, awards
    • • 25 commercial buildings benchmarked
    • • 15 commercial buildings reduce energy consumption
    • • UPTV video, Smile Politely ad, News-Gazette ad, Facebook promotion
    • • Promotional speaking opportunities with Chamber, UBA, Developer’s Luncheon, CCNet, Green Drinks
    • • 5 earned media in print, web, radio, tv
    • • SEPs and awards

    Outcomes

    • • 15 buildings reduce GHG by an average of 20%

    Timeline

    • • July 2013 Determine Ameren role
    • • July 2013 Firm up partner roles, process, and website plan
    • • Aug. 2013 Agree partner roles and process
    • • Sept. 2013 Finish website and printed piece
    • • Sept. 2013 Work with Marketing meeting to promote
    • • Oct. 2013 Invites to Benchmark
    • • Oct. 2013 Invites to lunch and learn
    • • Nov. 2013 Lunch and learn with recorded ESPM 101
    • • Dec. 2013 Lunch and learn with recorded ESPM 201
    • • 2014 Check-ins
    • • Jul. 2014  Data check in
    • • Dec. 2014 Share media advisory templates
    • • Jan. 2015 Invites to share SEPs
    • • Feb. 2015 Invites to awards
    • • Mar. 2015 Awards
    • • Apr. 2015 Follow up with participants on interest