Transportation

Illinois offers a variety of sustainable ways to navigate campus.  A combination of student fees and University funding allows all students and permanent employees free access to the Champaign-Urbana MTD buses. In 2009, the University also contracted with Zipcar to provide fuel-efficient vehicles for short trips in and around campus. To date, there are over 500 members signed up and currently using the Zipcar alternative. In addition, street traffic has been re-routed and bike lanes are being re-designed and added to help create a safer and more attractive environment for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

Please visit the Transportation Demand Management website for more information.

Here are some ways to get around the campus and local communities.

• Bike Project Co-op

• Champaign County Bikes

Landscapes

THE ILLINOIS PATH:
A natural landscape promoting sustainable connections across campus communities (PDF)

Citing campus sustainability and enhancement, Illinois Chancellor asked a graduate class to provide a strategic assessment and implementation plan for a managed natural landscape on the Military Axis, a site located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in a manner consistent with the University's mission and Master Plan.

To view the comments on The Illinois Path report, click here.

There are many ways to make our landscapes more sustainable. Using native plants is one way. Reducing the amounts of fertilizers and pesticides used on plantings, and mowing less often are others. You can see these sustainable methods in practice on campus—the No-Mow Zones are one example. And there are several places around campus that you can visit to enjoy the beauty of native plantings, such as the Pollinatarium, the prairie plantings at the Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building, the Red Oak Rain Garden, and the plantings at BIF. And don't forget to check out Allerton Park.

Green Building

Illinois is committed to sustainable building design.  The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Facility Standards and Design Guidelines were recently updated to require all new construction and major renovations over $5 million be certified at a minimum Gold level building under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system.  All projects less than $5 million are asked to design to Gold standards, but are not required to be certified. 


The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign completed construction on the Business Instructional Facility (BIF) in 2008, which received Platinum level LEED certification.  The facility is expected to consume 75% less energy than the average older campus buildings.  The University Student Dining and Residence Hall project is expected to achieve a LEED Silver rating, and several other projects are in the planning stages that will pursue LEED accreditation.

Illinois is home to seven LEED buildings:
BIF is LEED Platinum
Nugent Hall is LEED Silver
Student Dining and Residential Programs Building (IKE) is LEED Silver
Blue Waters Petascale facility is LEED Gold
The Yeh Center (addition to Newmark) is seeking LEED Gold
The new Electrical & computer Engineering building will be seeking LEED Platinum certification and is striving for net-zero energy design that will enable the building to supply all of its own energy (the largest in the nation).
The Lincoln Hall renovation will be seeking LEED Silver

Operations

Most operations on our campus are managed by Facilities & Services.  They are responsible for energy production and distribution, maintenance of our buildings, grounds keeping, waste management, water supply, and much more.  They have made a strong commitment and are at the forefront of sustainable operations practices.  The links to the left will provide brief explanations of sustainability in our operations.  Further information can be found at the links below.

• Energy Management

• Environmental Conservation

• Environmental Compliance

• Stormwater Management

Campus Rec and Housing have their own protocols for placing digital signage ads.     http://www.housing.illinois.edu/Policies/Electronic%20Signage.aspx - HOUSING   http://www.campusrec.illinois.edu/sponsors/  - CR

Blake Ashley from Kimberley Clark spoke with Shantanu Pai.  Blake said they thought we are doing Labs, and Shantanu is going to work on implementing it at RAL, CLSL, and Housing.  Tanya from Fisher is working with Shantanu on this project.  RAL has a meeting being scheduled on June 23.

The CSE provides several outlets to learn about sustainability initiatives, education, research, and events. The CSE has made a concerted effort to increase their followers on Facebook and Twitter, since that seems to be an effective way to communicate with students. Other efforts to be more comprehensive are underway, as well.

• Green Teams: Green teams are groups of faculty members that attempt to further sustainable operatiosn at the University. There is one central focus of each green team. Focuses among all of the green teams on campus have a wide range within the broad category of sustainability, from energy efficiency to native plantings. Green teams usually consist of faculty members, which Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) have are student-led.
• E-newsletter: The CSE's weekly e-newsletter has 1,300 subscribers.
• Website: The CSE maintains a content-rich website that aims to inform the public about sustainability activities and resources on campus and in the region. In 2012, CSE worked to reorganize the site to be more intuitive and user-friendly.
• Facebook and Twitter: As part of the CSE's efforts to improve communication with students, the CSE made improvements to their Facebook and Twitter pages in 2012. As of February 2013, CSE's Twitter account had more than 900 followers.
• Media coverage: The CSE receives regular coverage in the Daily Illini, which is the University of Illinois' student newspaper, as a result of the CSE's many interactions with students. In 2012, the CSE (then the OS) was covered more than 30 times in the Daily Illini. The bi-monthly faculty/ staff newspaper, Inside Illinois, publishes a regular section devoted to green initiatives.

Shantanu Pai and Madeline (an ISTC intern) are taking over the implementation of the Nitrile Glove Recycling program at Housing Dining Services, after Seth Reints left the university.  Shantanu has 24 containers that can hang on the edge of Dining's slim containers.  Dawn Aubrey also needs containers that hang on the edge of the larger brute containers.  Madeline has created a 3-D printed prototype, which will be sent to Shantanu's contact in Canada for replication.

Morgan provided Shantanu with the information that Seth had received or provided to SSC. 

Illinois Student Senate

In addition to the numerous registered student organizations, the Illinois Student Senate also has a committee on environmental sustainability.  This committee has passed a number of resolutions regarding sustainability including bicycle infrastructure, local foods, Abbott coal use and native landscaping.  Contact one of the senators for additional information.

Green Living Tips

How Can YOU Make a Difference?

Power down

Power down for the community. Power down for the planet.

Turn off your lights when you leave a room. Shut down your computer and elecrtronic equipment when not in use. Every little bit counts, so start today!!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Do you really need all those napkins you just picked up in the cafeteria? What about that plastic water bottle - how about using a stainless steel or reusable water container instead? Recycling isn't just about where we put our trash when it's time to dispose of it, but is also inherent in the decisions we make before we purchase products as well.

What can you do for your campus and planet? Find out at Illini Union Go Green Recycling Facts!

How DO YOU make a difference on campus or in the community? We want to know!

We'll share your responses as we continue to update this section.

Green Teams

Several units across campus have established sustainability committees, or green teams, to encourage more earth-friendly initiatives and behavior.  For example, the College of Fine and Applied Arts has established an intra-collegiate committee to discuss environmentally conscientious and sustainable issues and solutions.  The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs has created a green team with representatives from each of its units to develop a plan to implement sustainable practices. 


Learn more about Student Affairs' green initiatives.

Energy Liaisons

The Energy Management Division of Facilities and Services initiated anEnergy Liaisons program in 2008. Departments, colleges, and other units across campus have designated Energy Liaisons to promote energy conservation and share ideas and suggestions.  Facilities and Services regularly hosts workshops with the Energy Liaisons to discuss energy conservation opportunities.  These Energy Liaisons serve as grassroots contacts for conservation initiatives.  

Student Groups

Want to learn more about sustainability issues? Want to make a difference? 
Want to put your knowledge and skills to use? 
Want to have fun?

Below are some groups to explore.

Campus Registered Student Organizations

• American Fisheries Society University of Illinois Student Chapter
• Ecological Design Consortium
• Energy Club
• Engineers Without Borders
• Environmental Law Society 
• IRenergy: Illini Renewable Energy Group
• Red Bison
• Student Planning Organization
• Student Sustainability Committee
• Students for Environmental Concerns
• The Wildlife Society University of Illinois Student Chapter
• USGBC

Volunteer Opportunities 

• Alternative Spring Break
• Sustainable Student Farm

National Sustainability Organizations

• Roots and Shoots
• Student Affairs Green Team
• The Green Observer
 

Don't see what you're looking for? Have an event that you would like promoted? Contact us.

How to Get Involved

Learn how you can get involved on campus and in the community in sustainable efforts.

Through our Green Living Tips, find out what steps you can take to live more sustainably.

Want to know what’s happening on campus regarding sustainability efforts? Follow us onTwitter or sign up for our e-newsletter to find out about upcoming events in the community.

Student Sustainability Committee

The Student Sustainability Committee'spurpose is to:

1) explore the options for the use of the student fees for sustainability and alternative energy generation, and 2) evaluate the feasibility of projects being discussed with the professional assistance of engineers in the Division of Facilities and Services. The committee reviews and recommends projects to be funded from two student fees, the $14.00 Sustainable Campus Environment fee and the $2.00 Cleaner Energy Technologies fee.

In Spring 2003, a $2.00 per semester non-refundable student fee for Cleaner Energy Technologies was approved by a student referendum. The intent of the fee is to "provide pollution-free renewable energy as a portion of the campus energy portfolio and reduce campus energy consumption." In Spring 2010, students passed a referendum that raised the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee from $5 to $14. The measure passed by 77% approval, and established University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as having the largest funding pool of its kind in the United States. The Student Sustainability Committee, is a joint student, faculty and staff committee, though students are the only voting members on the Committee.

The projects approved by the Student Sustainability Committee undergo approval by the Office of Sustainability.

To become a member of the Student Sustainability Committee, visit the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs website for application information and application deadlines.

Student Sustainability Committee Members

Students - 2012-2013
Kathryn Kinley - (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Marika Nell - (Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Treasurer
Suharsh Sivakumar - (Computer Science)
Emily Cross - (Earth Systems, Society and Environment)
Olivia Webb - (Agricultural and Biological Engineering)
Jordan Jessop - (Graduate Student, Natural Resources and Environmental Science)
Marcus Ricce - (Graduate Student, Urban and Regional Planning)
Felicia Speranske - (Natural Resouces and Environmental Science)
Sean Sullivan - (Earth Systems, Society, and Environment)
Teresa Tousignant - (Graduate Student, Architecture) 

Faculty Advisors - 2012-2013
Brenda Coble Lindsey- Social Work
Brian Deal- Urban and Regional Planning
Praveen Kumar- Civil and Environmental Engineering
Robert Pahre- Political Science
Madhu Viswanathan- Business
Michelle Wander- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

Staff Advisors - 2012-2013
Stephanie Lage- Office of Sustainability
Betsy Jo Liggett- Environmental Compliance, Facilities and Services
Morgan Johnston- Sustainability Coordinator, Facilities and Services
John Prince- Deferred Maintenance, Facilities and Services
Ed Slazinik- Illini Union

Program Advisor
Mckenzie Beverage – Student Programs and Activities

Student Initiatives

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is home to more than 40,000 undergraduate students. Many of our students are passionate about sustainability, as can be seen by the large number of student groups whose work revolves around sustaining our planet.

• There are approximately 25 student groups related to sustainability here on campus

• In 2010, 70% of the student body voted to increase the sustainable campus fee from $5 to $14! This provides more than $1 million a year toward sustainability projects on our campus.

• During academic year 2010-2011, students led the development of two major events devoted to educating students, faculty, staff and the community about doing their part and how easy it can be to live a more sustainable lifestyle. In the fall, Sustainability Week included seminars, workshops, tours, etc. showcasing efforts underway and teaching ways for everyone to 'go green'. In spring, Earth Week was a similar effort, culminating in a concert with proceeds benefitting the Sustainable Student Farm.

Ecosystems

Food, water and energy are but a few factors to consider when examining sustainability.  We need to look holistically at ecosystems and the services they provide.  We need to ensure that we do not adversely affect part of the ecosystem while trying to find solutions in maintaining healthy ecosystems.  There are many passionate researchers at Illinois investigating ecosystems and their services.

Department of Plant Biology 
School of Integrative Biology 
Illinois Natural History Survey
School of Earth, Society, and Environment
Institute for Genomic Biology

Energy

Illinois is the place to learn about energy; whether it’s energy generation or distribution, traditional sources or alternative sources.  Faculty from all across campus are involved in energy research.

Power & Engineering Systems
CABER – Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research
EBI - Energy Biosciences Institute
SEDAC – Smart Energy Design Assistance Center
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center