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  1. Phoenix will comply with US Steel requirements

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Borkowski, Joe [mailto:J.Borkowski@Phoenixsolar.us]
    Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 2:11 PM
    To: Johnston, Morgan B; Dempsey, John Garrett
    Subject: U.S. Steel use for University solar

    Morgan,

    This email is to attest Phoenix Solar will comply with Illinois and Federal Buy American procurement provisions.  For the purpose of clarity, Phoenix Solar will ensure the steel that is used on this system will be procured and manufactured in the United States.

    I look forward to speaking soon.

    Best regards,

    Joe Borkowski

  4. Bicycle Ambassador Program Launching

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Bicycle Use
    Bicycle Ambassador Program

    Applications are now being accepted for a new Bicycle Ambassador program at the University of Illinois.  Bicycle Ambassadors are bicycling enthusiasts who will promote bicycling for transportation, raise awareness about the rights and responsbilities of cyclists, and foster a postitive bicycle culture on our campus.  Interested students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to sign up to become a Bicycle Ambassador today! 

    Learn more on the Bike Ambassador project page: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/bicycle-ambassador-program

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

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

    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

     

  7. 2014 Bicycle Guide & Map Released

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Area Bicycle Map

    Champaign County Bikes, with support from the University of Illinois, the Cities of Champaign and Urbana, and many local area organizations and businesses, has released the 2014 Champaign-Urbana-Savoy Area Bicycle Guide and Map.  

    The Office of the Dean of Students sponsored the printing of 12,000 copies of the map for Campus, which are being distributed to units in August. University staff and student interns worked with CCB to help edit and design the Guide and Map.

  8. Initial Meeting with Campus Parking, Car pool and Sustainability

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Public Use Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations

    The first meeting was held on August 6th to discuss campus public use EV charging station plans.

    It was determined at this time more research into parking enforcement options, types of charging stations to use, and sites available for installation is needed. Follow-up meeting to take place after research findings are completed.

    To this date no method exists to interface from the chargers software to the campus parking enforcement software. 

    See picture below: with this type of charger the enforcement officer could identify that billing is taking place by the Solid lightning bolt on the right as opposed to the one on the left.

  9. Report by Anna Hochlater

    Associated Project(s): 
    Burrill/ Morrill Walkway

    "The Burrill/ Morrill Hall corridor offers a unique opportunity to explore methods of sustainable design through conventional practices of rain garden design as well as hardscaping improvements, lighting installations and additional non-plant strategies.  A moderate strategy is advised. In this conversation moderate is understood to mean more than a creating only rain garden while leaving the existing vegetation, but less than a full redesign which would completely reshape the hardscaping.  A moderate strategy addresses the creation of the rain garden, all the landscape beds while leaving the mature canopy trees in place, and makes some alterations to the existing hardscape.  Perhaps the most difficult challenges of the corridor will be to unify the character of the corridor landscape beds and to design a solu-tion suitable for the harsh conditions of very little sun, significant wind, and heavy pedestrian use."

    Attached Files: 

  12. Update from Justin Johnston at UI Purchasing

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 1.0

    Justin Johnston confirmed that the answers to all the State Purchasing Officer's questions have been sent to Steve Rotello, the State Purchasing Officer.  Justin is working to set a meeting with the SPO, Justin, and Morgan Johnston to review the current status of this approval.

  13. Illinois named to the Green College Honor Roll

    Associated Project(s): 
    The Princeton Review Green Honor Roll

    The Princeton Review Green College Honor Roll 2014Illinois is pleased to be named to the 2014 Princeton Review Green College Honor Roll.  The Princeton Review tallies information from over 800 schools on sustainability practices and Illinois is one of only 22 to be named to the Honor Roll!

    Criteria for the Green College Honor Roll broadly covers three areas: 1) whether the school’s students have a campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable, 2) how well the school is preparing its students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges, and 3) the school's overall commitment to environmental issues. The survey includes questions about the school's energy use, recycling, food, buildings, and transportation as well as academic offerings and sustainability-related action plans.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Update from Bill Krudienier

    Associated Project(s): 
    Hartley Garden Renovation

    Morgan encouraged Bill to ask the SSC for funding to do the design work for a rainwater harvesting system for the Hartley Gardens.  He said he will talk with Matt Edmonson to get an estimate of the cost for the project, so he is ready to reqeust funding when the SSC call for inquiries goes out this fall.

  16. Update from Bill Krudienier

    Associated Project(s): 
    Native Plants at Arboretum

    There are native plants throughout the Arboretum and in concentrated paces around the ponds - wetland and mezic.  There is also a prairie just south of the Polinatarium, maintained by John Marlin and volunteers.

     

  17. Plants moved to Arboretum

    Associated Project(s): 
    Orchard Downs Multifunctional Landscape (ODMFL) [ARCHIVED]

    The ODMFL plants have been moved to the Arboretum growth house.  Sarah talked with Bill Krudienier and moved the plants to the Arboretum as they continue to grow.  Bill met with May Berenbaum and Terry Harkness to discuss the best use of the plants in the Arboretum, within the master plan for the site.  It is possible that they will put them near the Pollinatarium and the children's garden.

    The Arboretum is very pleased to be able to help and excited about the possibilities for these plants and future endeavors.

  18. Prioritizing locations

    Associated Project(s): 
    Water Fountain Retrofit
    Reduce Single-Use Plastics

    Morgan reached out to Felicia Speranske to get a current contact with the ISS for this project.  The funding was delayed, arriving in late June, rather than mid May, and this project is waiting for a list of priority locations to begin installation.  Morgan also sent an email to Damani Bolden the Illinois Student Senate (ISS) president.

  19. discussion with Dave Wilcoxen and Eliana Brown

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rainwater Management

    The Sustainability Fellows program was going to include a research fellowship for Professor Gale Fulton to create a stormwater master plan for campus, utilizing green infrastructure.  Unfortunately, Professor Fulton took a job at another university.  To move forward with the stormwater master plan, the F&S Environmental Compliance department will seek to create a stormwater master plan for campus using student assistants and in-house staff.

  20. Anna hired to complete this work

    Associated Project(s): 
    Burrill/ Morrill Walkway

    Eliana Brown provided the following update.

    • Anna Hochhalter was hired by F&S for the summer to complete a revised design of the Burrill/Morrill walkway rain garden / native plants improvements.  She reviewed the entire walkway from Mathews to Goodwin.  Her report is expected August 15th.
    • The space should be multifunctional, use native plants, accommodate the stormwater run off with green infrastructure.  It could include new lighting and artworks.
    • This project will use the existing SSC funding, as well as other funding sources.  The other funding sources may include Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District, and/or F&S.
    • Eliana will take the project scope change request to SSC this fall, for approval.
    • Matt Edmonson has been involved with this project and will inform Eliana about any additional campus approvals that may be needed.

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