Dear Partner Institutions, We hope this email finds you well. We’re writing with updates about several ongoing/upcoming projects:

1. RSVP for the Smart and Sustainable Conferences Meet-up: On Sunday, April 3rd from 5-7 PM we’ll hold our semi-annual Big Ten and Friends Sustainability Group (BTFSG) meeting at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore to discuss our governance structure and the Big Ten Prospectus, among other topics. As in Minneapolis, we plan to meet for dinner afterward as well. Please RSVP here. If you have a topic for discussion, please email Michael (mgulich@purdue.edu).
2. Progress Toward Governance Structure: Michael, Erik Foley, and Leanne Bilodeau are reengaging the Governance Working Group to discuss potential structures and the development of a BTFSG charter. They will be reaching out this spring to collect feedback from BTFSG partner institutions. If you’re interested in participating in this discussion, email Michael (mgulich@purdue.edu).
3. Big Ten Prospectus Update: The Planning Team has synthesized the feedback from the pre-AASHE meeting in Minneapolis and significantly narrowed down the outcome/metrics set for each priority area. On Monday, February 15th we met with the MWG to discuss their feedback on the outcomes and metrics, and this week the Planning Team is pulling together a final set of metrics for data collection. After considering the potential burden on partners, we hope to limit the request to no more than one metric per priority area (six total). Please look for a detailed project completion schedule with the data/feedback request next Wednesday, March 9th. No action is required at this time. For those of you interested, we’re sharing the draft resources compiled for the MWG to aid them in reviewing the narrowed outcome/metric sets. Please keep in mind that the draft resources presented here ask the MWG to narrow the bundle to a set of metrics for collection—again, since our conversation with the MWG, we have decided that only a few of these will be sent out for collection.
   • Process background and instructions: This two-pager explains the steps the Planning Team followed in synthesizing feedback and narrowing down the metrics set after the pre-AASHE meeting. It also provides review guidelines for the MWG. This (very roughly produced!) video also provides instructions. 
   • Priority area narratives: These six draft narratives provide: 1) rough background summarizing feedback collected during the pre-AASHE meeting, and 2) informal explanations of the narrowed set of outcomes and metrics, including areas where the Planning Team expressed reservations about a selection and needs specific feedback. Links to the each narrative can be found here:
     • Education
     • Research
     • Organizational Health
     • Diversity and Inclusion
     • Partnerships
     • Financial Stewardship
   • Narrowed outcome and metric set: These two figures illustrate the outcomes and metrics for all priority areas:
   •  All outcomes selected for MWG review (download and zoom-in for increased visibility)
   • All outcomes and metrics selected for MWG review (download and zoom-in for increased visibility)

Please let us know if you have any comments, questions, or concerns about the above. We hope to see you in Baltimore this April!

Denice and Michael (and Emilie)

The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on February 16, 2016, to discuss the SWATeam recommendation, Trans007 Campus Fleet Analysis and Planning. The iWG's final comment was:

"They have suggested that this analysis is ideally completed by an industry professional. The iWG recommends that this study can be broken down into phases where phase 1 could be done by students, and phase 2 then could be done by an outside consultant (industry expert). Ben will suggest this to the SWATeam."

Following the iWG meeting, this recommendation was returned to the Transportation SWATeam for further discussion and modification to the recommendation within the SWATeam.

See SWATeam recommendation Trans007 Campus Fleet Analysis and Planning here.

The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on February 16, 2016, to discuss the SWATeam recommendation, Trans005 Travel Demand Analysis. The iWG's final comment was:

"What would be the end result? There are many reasons to travel, some are optional and some are not. For example, junior faculty who are working on tenure need to network and engage with other experts in their area. Other times, it may be sufficient to conduct business or the meeting virtually. This is more of a sociological study, maybe a student in the Sociology department can help.  Jess Tang will work with the SWATeam to see if this is plausible."

Following the iWG meeting, this recommendation was returned to the Transportation SWATeam for further discussion within the SWATeam.

See SWATeam recommendation Trans005 Travel Demand Analysis here.

The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on February 16, 2016, to discuss the SWATeam recommendation, Trans006 Differential Parking Pricing for Shared Vehicles. The iWG's final comment was:

"Study to determine if differential pricing for campus parking will encourage car sharing.The study of the parking pricing structure and alternatives for changing it can be very complex and involve a lot of issues. Have they addressed this in their recent Parking Master Plan effort? It was suggested to add Brian Farber from Parking to the Transportation SWATeam and examine what has been addressed in their Master Plan, before undertaking this study."

Following the iWG meeting, this recommendation was returned to the Transportation SWATeam for further discussion within the SWATeam.

See SWATeam recommendation Trans006 Differential Parking Pricing for Shared Vehicles here.

The Revolving Loan Fund was updated in FY16.  These files were previously the main files on the iCAP Portal page.

This fund was originally called for in the 2010 iCAP, as the “clean energy fund.”  It was established in Fiscal Year 2012, with funding from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) and the Office of the Chancellor.  Within the first year, the Office of the President committed additional funds. 

With input from the campus community, Facilities & Services, the SSC, the Office of Sustainability, and the Office of the Chancellor worked through the details for selecting projects.  The agreement about the process was signed in November 2011.  According to the  agreement, any grant funds received for RLF projects in campus-funded utility buildings will be allocated entirely to the RLF.  Thus, the fund can grow over time.  Additionally, the campus agreed to match any future additional commitments from the SSC.

If an Auxiliary unit is interested in using the Revolving Loan Fund for a utility conservation project, a simple Memo of Understanding is needed to allow the repayment through utility savings over time. 

Student Affairs is hiring a researcher on campus willing and able to test the substance that would come from a Tersano lotus Pro cleaning system box.

Hello all, Last week was a little weird, but great.  We had some strange fluctuations in attendance that went against normal attendance/weather patterns.  We sold 1 bike for $140, 1 build-a-bike for $45, 2 memberships for $50, and grossed $768.80.  I ran out of room upfront so I started putting for sale bikes in the back of the shop.  My goal is to have half of the storage area be refurbished bikes by spring so we are ready for the rush.  The hydraulic disc brake class went very well.  Matt Crosby from Neutral came early and helped setup as well as publicized the event.  We have 5 people in attendance and everyone learned a lot.  We may have a second class to go deeper into bleeding and lever modulation adjustment. 

This week I plan on helping to get Lily up to speed as Stacy sees fit, building bikes, and working on upcoming advocacy events.

From the Campus Outpost,
James Roedl

Lily Wilcock was hired on Visiting Appointment on February 22, 2016.

See Transmittal of Trans003 Sustainable Transportation Coordinator here.

See iWG assessment of Trans003 Sustainable Transportation Coordinator here. 

See SWATeam recommendation Trans003 Sustainable Transportation Coordinator here.

Today’s RPC Technical Committee meeting included an overview of the study completed by RPC to identify a strategy to improve household hazardous waste (HHW) collection options in a seven-county east central Illinois region. Work on the study began in 2013 and was completed in 2015.

The take-away product of the RPC study is the Local Government Toolkit: Improving HHW Collection Options in Illinois. (The Toolkit and accompanying Background Report may soon become a published report by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center).

The problem of providing a viable HHW collection option to our citizens has been a longstanding one. In Champaign County we waited six years before receiving the opportunity to hold an IEPA one-day HHW collection at significant cost in September 2012. We are waiting still (four years and counting) for another IEPA one-day HHW collection opportunity. In the meantime, no collection options exist for citizens for safe disposal of:

• Oil-based liquid paints, paint strippers, and thinners
• Herbicides and pesticides
• Lawn chemicals
• Insecticides
• Old gasoline
• Mercury-containing devices
• Drain and oven cleaners
• Spot remover
• Antifreeze
• Pool chemicals
• Household cleaning products
• Car cleaners
• Personal care products

Fortunately, some strides are being made locally by providing local options for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals.  We have a long way to go with regard to HHW collection options.

As an initial action, please distribute the attached Local Government Toolkit: Improving HHW Collection Options in Illinois for review to all stakeholders with a potential interest, including your planning agency, public works department, and local officials.

The Champaign County Sustainability Practitioners group recommended to form a leadership team to engage in the search for funding sources to support an agreed-upon strategy as a logical first step.

I look forward to receiving  your questions or comments about this upcoming initiative.  Thank you.  

Susan Monte, AICP

Planner

Champaign County Regional Planning Commission

A copy of the meeting notes for the Energy Generation, Purchasing, and Distribution team meeting on Tuesday, Feburary 16th 2016. 

The Ag Emissions Study recommendation was assessed by the iCAP Working Group (iWG) on Feb 16, 2017. iWG wanted more information from the ALUFS SWATeam, but the SWATeam chose not resubmit at the time.

See ALUFS001 Ag Emissions Study recommendation.

The iCAP Working Group approved the following criteria for evaluating potential feasibilty studies recommended by SWATeams.

Criteria for Feasibility Studies

• Emissions reduction – using the iCAP’s emissions numbers
• Financial cost reduction – per the formal campus budget impact
• Educational factor – related to students learning more
• Promotional factor – related to UIUC reputation
• Ease of implementation – related to the number of hurdles for getting this done, or using the results of the study to implement a change on campus
• Political factor – similar to promotional, but related more to our responsiveness to community concerns and requests
• Resource conservation – including energy, water, and materials
• Connection to iCAP Objectives
• Behavior change – support a sustainable culture
• Cost Benefit Analysis – will the cost align with perceived benefit