Dear ALUFS SWATeam,

Evan DeLucia has asked me to share with you some ideas being propounded by Bruce Hannon (bhannon@illinois.edu).  Bruce is advocating the establishment of a central authority for sustainable landscaping, preferably at the University level, to approve landscape designs, implement a shift towards native species, and coordinate fundraising.  I personally find all of the objectives he has in mind to be attractive ones, but it's not obvious to me whether the mechanism he proposes is the best one to further those objectives.  I attach three documents from Bruce for background.

In any case, I would like to recommend that your team meet with Bruce and discuss his vision.  That discussion, in addition to others you may have with other experts and stakeholders, might lead to a formal recommendation from your team that iSEE could route through the emerging process for campus sustainability recommendations.

Cheers,

Ben

From: Marquissee, Mike
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 11:22 AM
To: Mies, Timothy A; Anderson, Gary L; Dale Johnston (dkjohnst@igb.illinois.edu)
Subject: RE: Copy of UofI propane 040414-MLM EDITS.xls

Tim,

See answers below.

Mike

From: Mies, Timothy A
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 9:01 AM
To: Marquissee, Mike; Anderson, Gary L; Dale Johnston (dkjohnst@igb.illinois.edu)
Subject: RE: Copy of UofI propane 040414-MLM EDITS.xls

Hi Mike,

Several questions have come up that I would like you input on in regards to the green revolving loan fund in cases that might occur that do not follow the typical project pattern.

Scenario 1) The energy farm reverts to another department at the completion of the grant of the Energy Biosciences Institute before the loan is repaid.  How would the loan be handled in cases where the new department weren’t within the VCR cost area? 

• Since the loan is being repaid from the campus pool in favor of the VCR, it is likely that it would still pay out in favor of which other campus department it goes to.  Unless it turns into a self-supporting entity, which is unlikely.  In that unlikely event, the self-supporting entity would repay the loan.

Scenario 2) A crop loss occurs one year that would limit/prevent the savings that are estimated from our initial estimates? 

• The Campus utility pool would still pay out.  Just that the savings would not be recognized.  It would also pay for the additional propane.  The loss would not come out of the project.

Scenario 3) Miscanthus ceases to be produced on the energy farm, resulting in no more mxg produced locally?  Would F&S then consider purchasing MXG from a local farmer who could supply the material? Assuming the boiler installed could handle multiple feedstocks, wood chips may be an alternative. 

• We support this project because there is a research project attached to it.  If that project is discontinued, we would then have to discuss who repays the loan.  Most likely it would be out of the research fund, then, which would also pay for the restoration of the site and so on.  I don’t think we would be interested in providing alternative fuel sources or manage an abandoned research project.

Thanks for your input.

Tim

Hello waste SWATeam and Ben,

As you know, the iCAP called for a Zero Waste Policy to be developed, and we have a draft for a CAM policy (attached). 

I’m not sure a CAM policy is the best solution, so I asked around for information about where campus policies usually reside and I was given the following info.  As the SWATeams are approved to move forward to the next phase, it would be great to have iSEE and the iCAP SWATeam take the lead on getting a formal Zero Waste Policy adopted. 

• Campus Administrative Manual: http://cam.illinois.edu/
• Policy and Rules for Civil Service Staff: https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu/cf/policies/index.cfm?Item_id=390
• State Universities Civil Service System Statute and Rules: http://www.sucss.illinois.gov/sar.aspx?osm=c43
• Business and Financial Policies and Procedures: http://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/bfpp/
• Senate Resolutions – difficult to enforce
• Chancellor directives (ex. LED Campus)

Ben, Bart, and I have discussed this over the last few months, and I believe it is most appropriate advancing to campus decision makers through the iCAP process rather than through F&S.  Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,  Morgan

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

Dear Purchasing, Waste, and Recycling SWATeam,   I just wanted to add my $0.02 that I concur with Morgan that it makes sense to pursue the review and approval of a Zero Waste Policy through the SWATeam process, and your team is clearly the right one for this task.  Cheers,  Ben

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

I like the idea. If there is an agreement, we can discuss the policy itself in our next meeting. 

Regards,

-Dilip Chhajed ------------ I'm in. - Warren Lavey

Urbana Awarded for Business Energy Efficiency

Contact: Scott R. Tess
706 S. Glover Ave.
Urbana, IL 61802
Tel. (217) 384-2381
Email: srtess@urbanaillinois.us         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—April 28, 2014

Ameren Illinois has honored the City of Urbana and its businesses with Ameren’s 2013 Most Progressive City award.
 
The annual award is given to cities demonstrating extraordinary accomplishments in energy efficiency.  Forty-five Urbana Businesses participated in Ameren Illinois’ energy efficiency rebate program, ActOnEnergy, in the 2013-2014 program period.  These businesses completed 94 energy saving projects totaling 2,253,926 kWh of electricity and 148 therms of natural gas. 
 
By participating in ActOnEnergy, Urbana businesses received $99,872 in incentives and will save $157,920 in annual energy costs.
 
The City of Urbana’s Climate Action Plan has been guiding a number of energy saving activities including Tax Increment Financing incentives for energy efficiency upgrades to buildings as well as training and technical assistance through the Urbana-Champaign ENERGY STAR Challenge.
 
As part of the award, Urbana received four street signs to place at entrances to the city identifying Urbana as Ameren Illinois’ 2013 Most Progressive City.
 
For more information, please visit http://urbanaillinois.us or contact Scott Tess at 217-384-2381 or srtess@urbanaillinois.us.

 

Schedule

Monday, April 28, 11AM-2PM

Student Dining and Residential Programs (SDRP) Building

Tuesday, April 29, 11AM-2PM

Illinois Street Residence Halls (ISR)

Wednesday, April 30, 11AM-2PM

Allen Hall/Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall (LAR)

Thursday, May 1, 11AM-2PM

Pennsylvania/Florida Avenue Residence Hall(s) (PAR/FAR)

Morgan,

The closing report is attached for your review.

The celebration for Barton (and the organization team) is May 7th in Clark hall rooms A&B from 6-7 pm,

The trophies are ordered and scheduled to be given to building team captains at the celebration.

~Paul Foote

Prof. Hall, Teresa and Morgan,

Just a quick update – we held the initial site meeting with contractors yesterday. Prof. Chasco was in attendance as we toured the building and discussed construction plans.

At this time work is projected to begin about May 19th.  Any questions on construction or schedule are best directed to Josh Rubin who will be overseeing the work.

Of course you can always contact me with technical questions or anything else on your mind.

Regards,

-Eva

"The results here indicate that the changes to the UIUC network do in fact improve connectivity over the existing network. Moreover, the planned network lowers the average shortest-distance path between libraries, dormitories, and the Union by nearly the same amount as a control scenario without paths at all. While we may assume that a bicycle master plan will address and improve connectivity as a matter of course – and the language in the plans claims that they do – it seems counterintuitive that this simple test not be included in the research process to confirm that this is so. Ultimately what these accessibility and connectivity analyses show is that while planners and bicycle advocates may seek to improve bicycle infrastructure, we need a way to quantify and subsequently verify that any changes will improve the functionality of the network and the ease with which a rider can travel from one location to another." -- Pildes, Russell. (2014) "Connectivity and Accessibility of UIUC Campus Bike Paths", B.A. Honors Thesis, Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Happy Bike Census Day, 

Thank you so much for participating in the April 2014 Bike Census!

We are really excited to get a hold of the data you collected it and to tally the count. 

Today (Wednesday) after 8PM and tomorrow (Thursday) before 6PM would be ideal. If you could please send me times when you know you will be at home or in an office, I will definitely try to stop by and pick it up then. I could also meet you at a specific time and place. Feel free to give me a call if that is easier. 

If it's easy, you could also scan and email it to me. 

Thanks again for participating! If you didn't get a t-shirt, please let me know and I will bring you one.

Andy

Andy Kopp

Campus Bicycle Planning Intern

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Facilities and Services

In collaboration with Facilities & Services, iSEE is establishing six teams consisting of faculty, staff, and students to examine the six broad themes within the Illinois Climate Action Plan.  The teams are currently finalizing assessments of how the campus is doing in meeting its pre-2015 iCAP targets. 

In the near future, the SWATeams will transition into recommending concrete steps the campus should take to meet its iCAP targets, as well as developing suggested revisions to the iCAP.  A procedure is currently being finalized within the campus administration to evaluate and endorse SWATeam recommendations; more details should be available soon.

Each SWATeam, once fully populated, will have two faculty members (one serving as chair), two staff members, and two students.  Each team also has an iSEE intern serving as a "clerk" for the group.  In the near future, each SWATeam will also populate a "consultation group" of experts and stakeholders across campus to provide input and feedback to the SWATeam.

The current membership of the SWATeams (clerks shown in square brackets) is:

This report was developed by Morgan White and Stephanie Lage, from F&S and iSEE, respectively.

From: Lev, James R
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 3:52 PM
To: Bartels, Bart A
Cc: Johnston, Morgan B; Architecture Review Committee
Subject: RE: Reycling in the Quad

Bart,

ARC approves of the new recycling program using the two containers at 30 Quad locations. We understand that this is an experimental program to encourage recycling.   Please keep us informed as to the success of the program. 

Jim

From: Lev, James R
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 4:37 PM
To: Geoffrey Chambers
Cc: Eller, Jonathan Randall; Johnston, Morgan B; Architecture Review Committee
Subject: RE: Approval for SSC Proposal: Shelter Bicycle Parking for CLSL and RAL

Geoff:

Thank you for your summary and request for review comments on your proposed project. 

ARC finds no significant issues with the proposed locations of a cover bike shelter adjacent to the Chem Life Sciences Building.  

ARC would want to consider shelter designs on a location by location basis.  The shelters may not be acceptable everywhere on campus.   Each site would need to be considered on its own merits and appropriateness of design.  We would like to see a proposal for these two suggested locations: size, location, number of racks, costs and the design.   We’d like to see what you have in mind. 

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Jim

Present:

Fred Hahn, Doris Reeser, Brian Deal, Claire McConnell, Karl Helmink, Josh Whitson, Dhora Patel, Kevin Duff, Eva Sweeney

Campus needs a comprehensive Energy Conservation Master Plan.  The SAIC report is now outdated, and the Utilities Master Plan focuses on generation, not conservation.

It can be difficult to balance energy conservation goals with programmatic needs.  Some examples:

Illinois Plumbing Code still limits our ability to pursue gray-water systems Historic Preservation of building exteriors impacts building envelope improvements Facility Standards call for buildings designed for a 100 year life.  Is this appropriate in all cases?

Life Cycle Analysis of buildings - not merely cost analysis but including program benefits, social, etc Can researchers be persuaded to e.g. run experiments at night to save peak energy costs?

Need to "connect the dots" with departments and budgets so that energy and programmatic needs are both met

Need greater involvement from Space Planning, especially for the Net Zero Square Foot goal

How much low hanging fruit is left?  Energy conservation so far has been ahead of schedule but will become more difficult as we go.  Most felt that achieving 30% reduction is "easy", 50% not so easy, >50% is difficult.

Can we truly achieve net zero carbon?  Research activities will necessarily produce emissions and use energy.

ASHRAE 90.1-2010 is now state law; this raises the bar significantly for building energy efficiency on all projects

LEED Platinum also raises the bar starting 2015.  One challenge is that connection to our central plant utilities limits every project's ability to earn energy points, due to Abbott fossil fuel use.  Other points must be pursued.

Goals set should be high, because this spurs investment in projects to achieve them.  We have seen the results of this already with significant increase in energy conservation funding due to iCAP.

Fume Hoods remain a major opportunity for savings, but departments need incentives to upgrade or remove.

Otherwise they will keep existing fume hoods "just in case".  Possibly implement utility fee per fume hood?

** Decentralized billing for utility consumption is a major priority.  Units need to be stakeholders in energy savings, if they can reap the benefits they will make more efforts to conserve.

Increase transparency/outreach so campus community can see progress.  Energy Dashboards, etc.

DIA involvement should be increased (Memorial Stadium, Assembly Hall) as they are a large energy user.

** Net Zero Space initiative was discussed.  Currently the iCAP targets do not align with the Campus Master Plan which shows overall growth.  Space Planning needs to be involved.

Currently, departments have no incentive to give up unused or underused space.  Many buildings have space that could be utilized more fully rather than construct new. 

Space Planning needs much more involvement in general, this can reduce construction of new space, save energy and construction costs.  Currently, F&S Planning asks units to justify space needs, but this process is not robust.  Nobody has authority to say "no".

Some individuals have 3 or more private offices assigned to them around campus--wasting space.

Increase shared offices, hoteling, teleconference, etc.

Implement some kind of "rent" on building space would provide incentive to downsize?

For reference, regular building maintenance is approx. $2.50/sq.ft. exclusive of energy.

My information is a bit dated, but I had calculated $5.25/cfm for constant air versus $3.23/cfm for variable flow hoods.

John M Prince

I just want to let you know that the RecycleMania Game Day results have been released.  Here is the overview:

• Over 100 volunteers participated.
• As far as the RecycleMania Results go:
  • Diversion Rate was 31.5% ranking 19th overall.
  • Per Capita Recycling was .041 pounds per person ranking 24th overall.
  • Waste Generation was .13 pounds person ranking 6th overall.
• Weights were:
  • 1180 pounds of landfill
  • 542 pound of recycling

For all the details go to: http://recyclemaniacs.org/gamedayresults

Thanks so much for your help and willingness to collaborate on this. 

Cheers,

Bart

From: Mies, Timothy A
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2014 4:54 PM
To: Halverson, Robert; Ben McCall <campus-sustainability@illinois.edu> (campus-sustainability@illinois.edu) (campus-sustainability@illinois.edu); Johnston, Morgan B; Rajagopalan, Nandakishore
Subject: Quick summary and highlights from Marc's visit

Just a quick summary of the discussions that occurred with Marc Caluwe from Caluwe Biomass  Heating Solutions in MA, US.

Heizomat is the manufacturer that Marc is a representative for in the US.  I have several brochures that I can pass along that have details on the product line including the RHK-AK model that Marc recommended.  Key points of interest for this group in selecting / approving a boiler:

• This unit utilizes a drag chain conveyor across the burn bed to handle / stir the material as it burns until dropping into an automatic ash clean out.
• We discussed what emissions controls would be needed, and Marc indicated that would be a decision campus would have to address.  Marc will be forwarding a brochure that compares emissions values from several manufacturers in the UK.  Options in order of cost would be a cyclone and then an electrostatic reciprocator.
• UL certification on this model is pending in approx. May of this year.  Due to the cost of ASME certification, they do not plan on testing to that standard.  Instead, in the US they run the boilers at atmospheric pressure with a vent on top.  In this configuration, a plate heat exchanger would be used between the boiler and a thermal storage tank (they recommend old propane tanks as acceptable).  The boilers when used in EU are rated and run at 2 bar (30psi).  Marc cited National Board Synopsis NB370 (http://www.nationalboard.org/index.aspx?pageID=409) that farms would be exempt from this requirement to run at atm.,  but universities / state / industry would not be.  It would be nice to get confirmation of this from engineering.
• The boiler recommended has an infinite turndown ration (VFD on blowers) to 10% and then shuts down.  A hot air ignition system in used for lighting / relighting.
• When running on MXG, in order to minimize clinker caused by low melting point of ash, a lower operating temperature is required, also requiring an 30% approx. upsize  in the model to get the rated output.  If we want 200Kw, we need to consider stepping up to a 250Kw model.
• Material handling / storage / feeding was discussed at length, and Marc was going back to Heizomat to get their recommendations for the best system.  Heizomat does not offer a bale processor at this time, but has a bulk bin feed system to collect chopped material to be burned.

Marc indicated that he would provide estimates (hopefully  by Friday noon) on a boiler system including a storage feed system, and also the same system installed in a cargo container, prewired, plumbed, etc.

In addition to the discussions with Mark, Luis Rund presented a very nice plan / rendering of a cargo container size boiler housing that had glass fronts on one half for viewers, and the other half a biomass storage container.  Probably out of our price range at this point, but would make a nice travel display for shows, demos, etc.

I also had a call later in the day from a representative of Biomass Energy Solutions in MO who is a sales rep for Uniconfort  (Italy) and we had very similar discussions on running at atmospheric pressures.  More literature is coming, and Jared Findley with BES forwarded some links I had looked at initially for the bale processors used for animal feedlots. 

Let me know if you have any further questions or need clarification on above.

Tim

The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is spearheading an initiative called the “Billion Gallon Water Challenge” to preserve and protect water resources in Illinois.

We have just completed an RFP for water conservations projects and will fund, through our sponsored research grant program, a number of companies and organizations and municipalities to help reach our goal to save 1,000,000,000 gallons of water in Illinois. We will also be conducting outreach and technical assistance to these entities to assist with their water-saving ideas and projects.

In addition, we are encouraging the people of Illinois to join the challenge by making a personal pledge at the Billion Gallon Water Challenge website: http://istc.illinois.edu/water.cfm. So join in the Challenge; take the pledge today and let us know how you will help save water!  And spread the word to your friends to join, too!

ISTC is a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

see file