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Project Updates for collection: 2015 iCAP Objectives

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  1. SWATeam assessment for FY16

    Associated Project(s): 
    Changing Usage of Individuals

    Status: In Progress
    • Several initiatives underway focusing on student engagement — including Illini Lights Out and Eco-Olympics.
    • Initiatives are continuing for staff and faculty engagement — Certified Green Office Program, Energy Conservation Incentive Program (ECIP).
    • Forming a plan to work toward a Green Labs program that would focus on reducing energy consumption in labs (e.g. fume hoods, refrigeration).

    Attached Files: 

  3. Biomass Boiler at Energy Farm

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Explore Options for 100 Percent Clean Campus Energy
    Biomass use on Campus
    Biomass Boiler at the Energy Farm

    Construction is underway in Fall 2016 to install a 200 kW biomass boiler at the Energy Farm. This system will initially satisfy all heating needs for the greenhouse onsite, and will replace the current propane heating system. In the future, more buildings may be added to the boiler system.

  4. Geothermal Profile Project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    Explore Options for 100 Percent Clean Campus Energy
    Geothermal on Campus
    Geothermal Test Well at Energy Farm

    Beginning Fall 2016, a team at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS, a division of the prairie Research Institute) led by Illinois Professor Yu-Feng Forrest Lin is conducting a series of detailed observations of the geothermal profile on campus - including high-resolution temperature profiling and thermal analysis. The team will drill to 330 ft and install a geothermal loop and fiberoptic cables. Results will help determine the feasibility of implementing geothermal systems on campus by identifying costs and possible challenges.

    Professor Lin has coordinated with faculty from the University of Wisconsin to incorporate lessons learned from their implementation of a geothermal exchange system at the nearby EPIC health care systems campus in Verona, WI.

    Professor Lin's team began drilling on 9/19/16. Daily drilling progress is logged and can be found by clicking this link.

    Attached Files: 

  5. 2015 iCAP solar objective and strategies

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Power on Campus

    The 2015 iCAP, chapter 3, objective 2 is "Expand on-campus solar energy production.  By FY20, produce at least 12,500 MWh/year, and by FY25 at least 25,000 MWh/year, from solar installations on campus property."

    The 2015 iCAP also described the following potential strategies for achieving this objective:

    "2. Expand On-Campus Solar Energy Production

    The campus has a 33 kW photovoltaic array on the roof of the Business Instructional Facility (with an annual production of 44 MWh/yr) and a 14.7 kW ground-mounted array at the Building Research Lab (20 MWh/yr).  During FY15, we began installation of a 300 kW array on the roof of the new Electrical and Computer Engineering Building (402 MWh/yr), and the 5.87 MW Solar Farm on the south campus (7,860 MWh/yr). There is also a solar thermal array on the roof of the Activities and Recreation Center.  There are many other buildings, parcels of land, and parking lots that are well positioned to host sizeable photovoltaic and/or solar thermal arrays.  Although each array in itself would make a small contribution to campus energy generation, taken together the contribution could be significant.

    Identify best solar locations and implement solar projects

    The solar consultation group is identifying the best places to install the next round of photovoltaic projects, and planning to move forward on several projects simultaneously.  Solar thermal may make sense in some situations, as well.  Student design teams could be organized through classes and volunteer groups to assist with the planning and prioritizing of on-campus solar installations.

    Require solar PV on rooftops for new construction and major renovations

    The best time to plan for the installation of photovoltaics on a building is during the design phase.  The campus could implement standards requiring that all new construction and additions include solar photovoltaics on the roof.   In some cases it may also be effective to install photovoltaics on the exterior walls of the buildings."

  7. EGEN SWATeam Meeting notes (10.12.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]
    PPA for National Petascale Computing Facility
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
    Rooftop Solar Potential

    The EGEN SWATeam held their third meeting for the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Development of formal SWATeam recommendatino to the working group regarding offsets for Petascale
    • RECs - does this get us to our goal?
    • Potential recommendations for rooftop solar
    Attached Files: 

  8. Campus Solar Deployment Roadmap presentation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar account at UIF for donations
    Solar Power on Campus

    AASHE Conference, October 11, 2016 presentation

    Using Campus Solar Deployment Roadmaps to Guide University Investment: The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), Second Nature, and TurningPoint Energy have developed an approach with four Midwest universities to define opportunities for on- and off-campus solar investment through a Campus PV Deployment Roadmap. In this panel, participants will hear presentations about the roadmapping process in general, specific incentives to universities and students, financial modeling and assistance offerings, and first-hand experience from one of our pilot universities.

  13. EGEN SWATeam Meeting Notes (9.28.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]
    Solar Power on Campus
    Biomass use on Campus

    The EGEN SWATeam held their second meeting for the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Review progress toward 2015 iCAP objectives
    • Review/Finalize poster for Campus Sustainability Celebration.
    • Identify 2nd faculty member for EGEN SWATeam
    • Exploring ideas for clean energy on campus.
    Attached Files: 

  15. Report of iSEE Communication Performance (January - June 2016)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Build a Culture of Sustainability
    Provide Centralized Communication about Sustainability

    A general assessment was conducted from the period of January 2016 to January 2016, identifying the state of sustainability communication channels. During this time, statistics, major developments, and observations were recorded to understand the performance of communication to the general public.

    See the attached file for collected data.

    Attached Files: 

  16. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Green Lab Program
    Certified Green Office Program (CGOP)
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    At the ECBS SWATeam initial meeting Marian Huhman was elected as a new chair. Recruting more proposals for education of other students about energy conservation was discussed.  The "Illini Lights Out" Program pilot last semester was very successful and should be a year-long program. Engaging the whole campus for the "Green Labs" Program is needed. More funding for energy conservation was discussed. The completion of 2015 iCAP tasks poster templete is expected by September 23.

    Attached Files: 

  18. EGEN SWATeam Meeting Notes (9.14.16)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Generation, Purchasing, & Distribution (eGen) SWATeam
    2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (2015 iCAP) [ARCHIVED]

    The EGEN SWATeam held their first meeting fo the Fall 2016 semester. Topics covered include:

    • Selecting a team chair
    • Deciding a regular meeting time, frequency, and location
    • Preparing an evaluation of the campus's progress toward meeting the objectives of the 2015 iCAP
    • Writing a descriptive paragraph about the EGEN team's focus for the year to be posted on the iCAP portal.
    • Identifying a potential faculty member to fill the 2nd faculty spot on the EGEN SWATeam
    Attached Files: 

  19. September 9th, 2016 Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Develop Scenarios for Converting the UI Fleet to Renewable Fuels
    Reduce Driving on Campus
    2014 Campus Bike Plan

    9/09/16

     

    Summary: This meeting was our inaugural meeting for the year. On the agenda today was the creation of a team description, a review of ongoing projects, and planning for future meetings.

     

    In attendance:

        Josh Feldman

        Claire Dondival

    Ankit Singhai

    Yangfeng Ouyang

    Pete Varney

    Lily Wilcox - Active Transportation Coordinator

    Olivia Webb - Sustainability Programs Coordinator

     

    Topics Covered:

     

    Team Description

    We collectively crafted our team description for the iCAP portal, which can be found at:  https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/transportation-swateam.

     

    Project Slides

    Renewable Fleet Study:

    Claire and Petehelped foster a discussion about the current types of alternative fuels for campus fleet vehicles. Currently, natural gas is the only type of fuel seriously looked at. One concern was that the gas CNG, while possible to implement, would be somewhat costly and have little payback unless driven many miles. Electric vehicles were brought up, but are currently not part of the market. Biodiesel was also mentioned, but its performance in cold weather is a concern.

     

    Staff Mode Shift:

    Lily discussed the ways that this project will reduce single occupancy vehicles. One idea looked at was bike sharing, which has been tried by Purdue but does not have much payback economically. Lily also discussed “It’s your MTD too”, which features social bus-riding trips which introduce MTD to campus employees.

     

    Bike Plan:

    This was a summary of effort to make campus more bike-friendly. This would include having more, and better, bike parking. UIUC was recently recognized as a bronze-level Bike Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.

     

    Future Meetings

    We decided that every other Friday at 1pm is a good time to hold meetings. We will be holding meetings in the National Soybean Research Laboratory. Our clerk Josh will send out reminders.

    Attached Files: 

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