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  1. Carbon Offset Technology Review Project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build Resilience with Our Local Community
    Develop Local Carbon Offset Program

    iSEE Carbon Offset Program: Technology Research and Options
    Authors: Jane Williams, Rachel Pu, Fina Healy, Natalia Ptaszek, and Angela Andrada

    Students from the ABE469 Capstone Course taught by professor Ann Witmer met over the course of the Spring 2022 semester to research renewable energy technologies and carbon sink projects appropriate for campus and communtiy in our surrounding county-vicinity. The purpose is to provide technology options for the Local Carbon Offset Program described in the iCAP objectives.  A local carbon offset program would be designed to offset staff & faculty travel, and the offset funds generated can be used in local projects that reduce or sequester carbon on campus and in the community. The technologies reviewed by the student engineering team include:

    • solar photovoltaics
    • biodigestor
    • planting trees
    • prairie restoration
    • geothermal heating and cooling

    The final deliverables report and presentation are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  2. SSC Massmail 5/6/22

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    The following email was sent to: Academic Professionals, Civil Service, Faculty, Extra Help, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, Incoming Graduate Students & Incoming Undergraduate Students

    MASSMAIL - Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) - Spring 2022 Update
    May 6, 2022 3:02 PM

    Hello from the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)! 

    If you have original project ideas to improve campus sustainability – or you want to help others make their sustainability projects a reality – then the SSC is for you. Please read on to learn about our history, funding, recent accomplishments, and how you can get involved!

    What is the SSC?

    We are a student-led organization that provides financial support to projects led by campus community members that promote environmental stewardship and student engagement on campus. These funds come from the Illinois Green Fund, which is composed of two student-initiated fees: the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee ($12.06/student per semester) and the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee ($2/student per semester). 

    The committee was formed in 2002 by a group of passionate students fighting for the use of clean energy on campus. Today, we have expanded our scope from ongoing decarbonization efforts to include all facets of sustainability. SSC now consists of 18 enthusiastic student-voting members as well as many staff and faculty members who provide their expertise; together, we are an interdisciplinary team that is well equipped to determine which projects will best serve our campus community. Past projects have helped fund Eco-Illini, Solar Decathlon, Red Oak Rain Garden, Bevier Cafe's herb garden, the Illini Union’s recycling bins, CIF’s geothermal system, and many more! Each of these projects falls under one of the SSC’s Working Groups: Energy, Transportation & Infrastructure, Education & Justice, Food & Waste, Energy, and Land, Water, & Air.

    Over the past 20 years, the SSC has proudly dedicated $15.55 million to 316 individual projects, which have significantly improved campus sustainability and engagement.

    Recent Accomplishments

    Because the SSC receives funding from students to be used for students, it’s important to share our achievements with those who make the SSC possible: you! 

    Over the last two years, the SSC brought to life its longstanding goal of having a greater focus on student interaction and engagement. We added six new voting positions and restructured the committee to include entirely new branches dedicated to outreach in the form of our communications and social initiatives teams. We also officially began recruiting general members to encourage more students to have a voice in evaluating sustainability project applications.

    Through our increased outreach efforts, we have reached more campus environmental groups than ever. In October 2021, we co-hosted a month-long Student Sustainability Summit that included Green Quad Day, the Tuesday Talks at Bevier Cafe seminar series, a movie night, tours of university facilities, teach-ins, and a climate strike. We also programmed many Earth Month activities throughout April, hosting another Green Quad Day, more Tuesday Talks, and a showing of The Lorax at the Illini Union.

    Some other initiatives that we had the privilege of working with and funding this year include: 

    • The first-ever Sustainability Grammys to recognize all the amazing work that environmental RSOs do on campus, co-hosted by iSEE’s Greener Campus Office
    • The development of a single-use plastic reuse and elimination protocol at the Brinkworth Lab
    • The Sustainable Lab Network, which will compile a database of sustainability education resources
    • Fume hood upgrades in Morrill Hall to decrease energy demand
    • The Sustainability Mural Project to highlight the university's sustainability initiatives

    A collection of proposed, completed, and ongoing SSC projects can be found on the iCAP Portal.

    The SSC is also excited to announce our role as an organizer of the Reimagine Our Future Undergraduate Sustainability Competition that will take place in fall 2022. This competition challenges students to work independently or in interdisciplinary teams to research and solve a problem related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For the first time, the competition will have an international scope. Students will have the exciting opportunity to form teams with students from other participating universities around the world, and, for the time commitment of a 1-credit hour course, your team could win up to $2,000. The competition application will open this summer; visit the competition website often and subscribe to the SSC mailing list to stay updated! 

    How to Get Involved

    • Have a project idea that will improve campus sustainability and/or student engagement? Submit an application for funding! Even if you just have an idea but aren’t sure how to make it into a project yet, our working group chairs can help you develop your idea. Student-led projects under $10K are accepted on a rolling basis, while all other projects are accepted on a semesterly schedule. 
    • Interested in reviewing project applications and voting on how to allocate grant funding? Apply to be a board member – the deadline is Wednesday, May 11! The time commitment to be a board member is approximately three hours a week.
    • Want to join the SSC community in a lower commitment level role? Become a general member! You can attend social events and biweekly working group meetings (where we meet with applicants and discuss proposed projects), all of which can be found on our calendar. General members are welcome to attend any number of meetings – just one or all! 
    • Subscribe to our mailing list or follow us on Instagram @ssc_uiuc to stay up-to-date on everything that’s going on with the SSC!
    • Join our Discord server, accessible from U of I’s student hub to participate in the sustainability community!

    Have a great weekend and remember to take some time to relax between finals!

    Julia Marsaglia
    Communications Coordinator, Student Sustainability Committee

  4. explanation of 2010 iCAP and commitments

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illinois: A Climate Action Plan (2010 iCAP)

    On February 22, 2008, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). This action committed the campus to carbon neutrality by the year 2050 (see the University's official commitment pledge here). This Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) describes a path toward the fulfillment of this commitment.

    As concern grows about climate change and the effects on health, social, economic, and ecological well-being of our world, the University of Illinois is in a prime position to be at the forefront of battling the negative impacts associated with climate change. The University of Illinois hosts high-caliber researchers and experts in diverse fields across campus and seeks to become a leader in sustainability efforts locally, nationally, and globally.

    Goals

    The ultimate goal of the ACUPCC Climate Commitment is for campuses to be "climate neutral" with no unmitigated greenhouse gas emissions.  The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) was first submitted in May 2010, and it set aggressive goals for reaching carbon neutrality. 

    As the flagship public university in the state of Illinois, the campus has a moral and ethical responsibility to lead, to set aggressive goals, to work to meet them, and to serve as a model for the community, state, and nation.  The iCAP represents a roadmap to a new, prosperous, and sustainable future for the University. It outlines strategies, initiatives, and targets toward meeting the stated goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

    Please click here to download a PDF of the 2010 Climate Action Plan. (https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/files/project/36/iCAP_FINAL.pdf)

  5. older explanation of the RLF

    Associated Project(s): 
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    The Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) was set up as a funding source for utility conservation projects with less than ten-year payback periods.  These can include steam, electricity, chilled water, or water reduction projects, and the savings from utility costs are paid back annually to replenish the fund. 

    This fund was originally called for in the 2010 iCAP, as the “clean energy fund.”  It was established in 2012, with funding from the SSC and the Provost.  Within the first year, the President’s Office committed additional funds.  According to the RLF 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 additional commitments from the SSC, in the future.

  8. CLMP Public Forum recording + Online survey

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)

    CLMP Public Forum meeting recording has been embedded on the F&S website and the iCAP Portal.

    The Public Forum for CLMP was held on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. View the presentation from the CLMP Public Forum session: Campus Landscape Master Plan Public Forum presentation

    If you were unable to attend the CLMP Public Forum or did not take part in the live polling at the meeting, please take the online survey: go.fs.illinois.edu/CLMPPublicForumOnlineSurvey. This survey is available until Friday, May 13, 2022. Your feedback is important and will be be applied to strategies to guide the campus landscape into the future. Please reference the presentation recording and/or presentation slides from the Public Forum as you proceed through the survey.

    Watch the video on the iCAP Portal here: Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP) Public Forum meeting recording

  10. Dump and Run for Spring 2022 is Cancelled

    Associated Project(s): 
    Dump and Run

     

    Below is an email from Morgan White describing that the University YMCA plans to only conduct Dump and Run in the fall.

    This led Morgan, F&S, & Housing leadership to decide to delay their version of spring collections until the full-time Zero Waste Coordinator has been hired.

     

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: White, Morgan

    Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2022 8:24 AM

    To: Johnson, Bryan Lloyd; Kuehl, Mark A; Hiser, Daniel William; Patterson, Shawn L 

    Cc: Boehm, David ; McKay, James; Sealine, Alma R; Varney, Peter W; Kamarah, Ehab 

    Subject: RE: Dump and Run - arranging a meeting

     

    Hello everyone,

     

    Thank you for your patience and willingness regarding the UIUC collaboration with the University YMCA on the Dump and Run. 

     

    This year, the Board and Leadership of the University Y made the decision to only do Dump and Run in the fall.  In 2021, they had arranged a fall-only collection, followed immediately by a sale in August at the Stock Pavilion.  As they reviewed the impacts of that fall-only sale compared to the collection efforts and impacts for the spring collection and fall sale, they decided to focus solely on the fall sale from now on. 

     

    Following that news, I spoke with F&S and Housing leadership, and we agreed that it would be best to delay our own version of spring collections until the full time Zero Waste Coordinator has been hired.  This search is approved, and we hope to have a new employee who will report to Pete Varney (and try to fill Shantanu Pai’s shoes) in the next few months.  That person will then work with us to develop an appropriate solution for keeping gently used materials (clothes, books, etc.) out of the landfill during move-out week.

     

    Thank you all very much, and we will be in touch as plans develop for a spring 2023 collection.

     

    All my best,

    Morgan

    ======================================

    MORGAN B. WHITE

    Acting Director of Capital Programs

    Associate Director of F&S for Sustainability

    Facilities & Services | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  15. April 29, 2022 Illini Lights Out Data

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out

    At the April 29 Illini Lights Out event, 3,742 light bulbs were shut off, saving $542.86 in energy costs. This also prevented 4.58 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from the consumption of 515 gallons of gasoline. That's a big impact!

    Illini Lights Out is a certified Green Event! Click this link to learn how to green-certify your own event.

    Friday was the last Illini Lights Out of the semester, but it will return in the fall! Sign up for the iSEE newsletter or follow iSEE on Instagram or Twitter to find out about fall event dates.

  16. Introductory conversation with Prairie Research Institute (PRI)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fleet Replacement Plans
    Transportation iCAP Team

    On May 2, 2022, F&S staff and the Transportation iCAP Team representatives met with Prairie Research Institute (PRI) to provide a background to the iCAP objective of Fleet Replacement Plans. The PRI team was very interested in this project, and confirmed that they will have discussions internally about how to move forward. Sarthak Prasad will follow up with PRI in July for any update.

    Here is the recording from this meeting: https://uillinoisedu-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/sprasad9_illinois_...

    Also attached is the F&S Fleet plan and the transcript from this meeting.

    This meeting was attended by:

    Sarthak Prasad (host), Morgan White (F&S), Pete Varney (F&S), Ria Kontou (CEE, Transportation iCAP Team co-chair), Jeff Stein (PRI), Shari Effert-Fanta (PRI), Alan Dudley (PRI), Adam Deany (PRI).

    Attached Files: 

  17. Weekly Update: New staffer, Friday Rides

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Friday—warm weather and a Friday—meant a busy day. Rest of the week was slower. A new staffer started last week, which was a great help.

    This week looks warmer so we’ll be busier, likely. Will get some bikes finished and do some more onboarding with new staff. We have a weather radio and a regular radio here now to communicate with DCR staff as needed.

    Our Friday Ride events concluded last Friday with a decent showing and a ride to Meadowbrook and back. I’ll gauge staff interest in keeping them going this summer and we’ll definitely look to restart them in Aug/Sept when students are back full-time.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 53
    Sales: $866
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $340
    Memberships: 7 for $210
    Tubes/tires: 23 for $141

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  18. Walkability audit: Spring 2022, Meeting 10

    Associated Project(s): 
    Walkability Study

    On Thursday 28th April, 2022, Sarthak and Sutapa met to discuss the results of Phase 2 data collection of the Walkability audit.

    The highest and lowest scoring map blocks have been updated as well as the individual category scores according to the new data received by the volunteers.

    Please see attached spreadsheet.

     

    Results:

    • Highest scoring map blocks: 1,7, 9, 12, 13
    • Lowest scoring map blocks: 19, 23, 24
    • Overall Walkability Index of campus: 76.2/100

    The final results and recommendations will be presented by Sutapa on 3rd May, 2022.

     

  19. This Week in Research

    Associated Project(s): 
    Carbon Capture

    ISTC researchers recently validated a system that can achieve up to 95% efficiency in CO₂ capture, significantly reducing the environmental impact of coal-fired power plants. The research team tested the technology at Abbott Power Plant. 

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