The Energy iCAP Team made the following recommendation on 6/8/21. The Energy006 Integrate iCAP Goals into Research/Learning Labs recommendation is attached along with a report prepared by Energy student, Brinn McDowell, and the data used in her report. 

We recommend forming a committee to oversee integration of iCAP objectives into research/learning labs and to actively engage researchers to adopt sustainable lab policies. The committee should consist of a diverse range of stakeholders associated with sustainability and/or research on campus, such as F&S, iSEE, DRS, OVCR, OSHA, and Energy/Engagement iCAP Sustainability Working Team representatives. Outcomes from the committee should include, but is not limited to, a toolkit for sustainable and safe lab policies, training modules for those policies, a green purchasing guide, and inventory of equipment/spaces. The training modules should be part of onboarding and a required component of the lab safety training modules.

Following the completion of iWG assessment for Energy004 Energy Conservation Funding, the recommendation was transmitted to the Sustainability Council. The recommendation was discussed on 4/28/21. 

See iWG assessment of Energy004 Energy Conservation Funding attached.

See SWATeam Recommendation Energy004 Energy Conservation Funding here.

The Energy iCAP Team met on April 14th, 2021 with Brian Bundren, a member of the Illinois Space Advisory Committee, about to learn more about how campus space can be managed more efficiently as a way to reduce energy consumption. The University moving from hybrid learning to more in-person instruction and the new IVCB budget model that assigns bills individual colleges for their energy use will have significant impacts on space usage. The team also discussed our recommendation for Green Labs, or ways to integrate sustainability in research labs and reduce their energy consumption. We will also be moving forward with recommending an Energy Planning document to outline steps towards carbon neutrality by 2050. 

Meeting minutes and agenda are attached!

The Energy iCAP Team met on March 10th, 2021 to discuss next steps on a recommendation for a Comprehensive Energy Master Plan after F&S has published their Energy Management Plan that aims for a 50% reduction in energy utilization by 2026. The team also discussed recommendations for a Green Labs Program and ways to manage space usage on campus. Given how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed in-person activites and created a hybrid workforce, the team believes it will be important to study underused spaces on campus to reduce building-level energy use. 

Meeting minutes, agenda, and chat log are attached!

The Energy iCAP team made the following recommendation on 2/11/21. The Energy005 Modeling for Energy Code Compliance recommendation is attached. 

The aim of this recommendation is to ensure compliance of current and recent projects with State of Illinois Energy Codes and Facilities Standards

1. F&S will identify a contractor—which may be a student group or include a student group—capable of creating 25 models of building whole energy use in campus buildings. F&S will contract to provide electronic files so they can be run on a common platform such as Trane700, Energyplus, eQuest, DOE-2 or BLAST. Preference will be given to contractors who make maximum use of student effort.
2. F&S will identify five buildings completed recently but prior to 2019 for which breakdown meter energy use data is available, and five campus buildings currently under construction. F&S may identify buildings for which the required requested model energy files are available, at a cost saving on the project.
3. The contractor – in collaboration with a student group -- will complete for each of the ten buildings
   
   1. a model file of the building which follows the Energy Code prescriptive requirements (baseline energy model) in use at the time of construction in order to determine an Energy Cost Budget, (10 files)
   2. a model file of the building as constructed (10 files), and
   3. a determination of the level of compliance with Energy Codes and Facilities Standards in terms of design and construction.
4. For the five already-completed buildings, the contractor will calibrate the as-constructed model to fit the measured energy consumption data, using historical weather data. The calibrated model (5 files) should replicate actual energy use for a minimum of one year within 5% on a monthly basis and within 20% on a daily basis.
5. If energy modeling files are available in project files on a common platform listed above, and may be distributed, then this may be considered one of the deliverables, and the work need not be redone, at a cost saving for the project.
6. The contractor will provide a final report that describes the level of compliance in the ten buildings with the State of Illinois Energy Code (in use at the time of design and construction, as applicable) and Facilities Standards. The energy model files will be made available publicly, and primarily to students and faculty in engineering and architecture for their study.

The Energy iCAP Team had their first meeting of the Spring semester on January 21st, 2021. The meeting focused on obtaining supporting materials for a recommendation to start the Comprehensive Energy Plan, which will serve as an university-wide guide on energy conservation. A recommendation to model buildings for energy code compliance will likely be ready next month. Future discussions are planned with F&S representatives. A subcommittee of Energy team members will brainstorm concrete actions on energy efficiency in labs and residence halls. The agenda and meeting minutes are attached.