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Projects Updates for collection: 2010 iCAP Projects

  1. Chicago's Renewable Energy Resolution

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Renewable / Low-carbon / Clean Energy

    BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this thirteenth day of March 2019, commit to transition to 100% clean renewable energy community-wide beginning with 100% renewable electricity in buildings by 2035 and complete electrification of CTA's bus fleet by 2040;

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commit to ensuring that community-wide power will come from the generation and storage of clean, renewable energy from solar, wind, and geothermal sources with an emphasis on new and local resources; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City of Chicago will develop a transition plan by December 2020, which will outline key strategies, set progression milestones, develop a timeline for reaching an equitable clean energy transition, and further opportunities to create a 100% clean, renewable energy future community-wide, as well as addressing issues including but not limited to...

    (see file)

    Attached Files: 

  2. iSEE offers a Carbon Offset Purchasing Guide

    Associated Project(s): 
    Carbon Offsets for Major Users

    https://sustainability.illinois.edu/campus-sustainability/positive-steps-to-offsetting-your-carbon-footprint/

    A Positive Step: Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to becoming carbon neutral no later than 2050. To achieve this, the campus and community must take ownership of that commitment — and faculty, students, and staff can do their part as individuals. One way is to purchase carbon offsets for travel or other actions that have measurable emissions.

    Offsetting your carbon footprint is becoming easier to do — and at less than $10 for a 2,000-mile flight, it is a cost-effective way for you to personally pay for your emissions impact even if your grant or government fund won’t cover offsets (many do not).

    This page offers a four-step guide to 1) determining the amount of carbon to offset, and 2) purchasing high-standard offsets.

    How Can I Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions?

    One of the most sustainable options is to avoid air travel, and instead teleconference or choose a lower-carbon alternative such as a bus or train. If flying is required, it is possible to make sustainable choices to reduce the amount of carbon pollution generated as a result. Takeoff and landing require the most fuel during a flight, so eliminating connections by choosing direct flights can help reduce carbon emissions. An additional way to reduce GHG pollution is to pack lightly — Heavier airplanes require greater fuel consumption. For more information on sustainable and alternative transportation options to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, visit our sustainable and alternative transportation page.

    Despite Best Efforts, I Have to Travel for Work at Times. How Do I Offset the Related Emissions?

    Step 1: When considering a flight, the first step is to check to see if the airline offers the option to pay a surcharge based on the miles to be traveled. For example:

    Step 2: It is important to understand the impact of your travel and lifestyle choices by measuring your carbon footprint. Since not all airlines provide the opportunity to purchase a carbon offset, you can use the following calculator to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere based on the mileage of your journey: https://sustainabletravel.org/our-work/carbon-offsets/calculate-footprint/.

    Step 3: Visit one of the following links to purchase offsets. These provide options to fund various projects either domestically or internationally (e.g., methane capture, organic waste digestion, forest regeneration, clean water access, solar or wind projects, secure and sustainable agricultural practices, etc.). Optimize your offsets by funding more than your journey and choosing projects that support sustainable development in addition to carbon capture or reduction. For example, projects that create local jobs, improve public health and education, and benefit local communities. We recommend the following two sites to search for a certified carbon offset project based on their stringent standards, measuring requirements, and processes:

    Step 4: Fill out our short survey (on this page, or via the link below) to tell us about your offset purchase (reason for purchase, amount, what type of offset, why you did it, and why it is important!). We will want to feature you in our communications efforts to help encourage others to make sustainable choices. The survey >>>

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  6. Sustainability Benefits of using iBuy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Procurement

    The main purpose to transition to iBuy is it will promote a sustainable process (e.g. no more paper, toner, postage, delivery, etc). Purchase Orders (PO) through Banner have historically been printed and mailed to vendors. For scope, here are Banner PO number over the last four fiscal years FY17 = 7,804, FY18 = 7,368, FY19 = 7,537, and FY20 = 5,669 (2 months remain in the fiscal year). In a conservative estimation, say each PO is 10 pages. This alone would have been 75,370 sheets of paper. This doesn’t consider the toner, postage or delivery emissions. In comparison, iBuy POs FY17 = 2,785, FY18 = 2,618, FY19 = 2,843, and FY20 = 3,179. Years FY17-FY19 were a 74% to 26% ratio. The efforts purchasing has made this year has shown positive movement towards higher utilization of this system as the current ratio for FY20 is 64% to 36%. Putting an exact percentage is difficult because we’re dependent on the systems abilities and the modifications Jaggaer can implement for us. Historically we have been limited in our abilities to work towards a transition to iBuy because of software limitations. 

    We are currently in the process of updating functionality which will enable higher system utilization. Here are some of the updates currently being worked on: 

    ·       Addition of Contracts Plus. Historically, purchase orders which were tied to a contract or solicitation had to be submitted through Banner. The addition of Contracts Plus will eventually replace iCS and everything will be housed in the same system which would eliminate this limitation.

    ·       We’ve also been limited on a method that clearly allows us to process a Standing PO in iBuy. It is technically possible; however, the process is convoluted. We anticipate having the ability to process standing POs by FY21. In FY19, we processed over 3,000 standing POs in Banner. Not all of these will transition to iBuy immediately, but we could potentially see a large reduction here in FY21.

    ·       We’re also in the process of implementing the America To Go  punchout catalog in iBuy which will reduce the amount of restaurant and catering order that will come through Banner. For scope, UIUC spends about $12 million dollars in this market.

  9. Grind2Energy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste
    Reduce Foodwaste

    Grind2Energy-horizontal.jpgGrind2Energy: Turning Campus Food Waste into Fuel

    The 49,000 students educated at the University of Illinois can generate a lot of food waste. Most of it winds up in a landfill. But for students with a dining hall plan, food waste is ultimately turned into energy, helping the campus reduce its carbon footprint.

    With the "Grind2Energy" system, food scraps are ground down and ultimately run through an anaerobic digester at the Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District, producing methane that is used for fuel to power the plant. The system was installed at Florida Avenue Residence Halls last fall, and others are in the works.

    "Hopefully this small piece will be part of a bigger system down the road," said Thurman Etchison, Assistant Director of Housing Dining Services for Equipment and Facilities.

  12. Tree Campus USA Celebration - Zoom Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus USA
    Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet)
    Campus Tree Inventory
    Carbon Credit Purchasing Program with Second Nature

    Thank you to everyone who joined us live or watches later on the CCNet Facebook page!  We enjoyed a great turnout for the Tree Campus USA Celebration, with about 35 people on the Zoom call and a reach of 365 on Facebook.

    This event included a review of the five years that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been designated as a Tree Campus USA, by Brent Lewis. Senior in Integrative Biology student, Maddie Smith, presented the results of her diversity analysis for the campus' urban forest, and the F&S Tree Surgeons, Dustin Reifsteck and Sky Drewes, answered tree-related questions.  At the end of the hour, community announcements included Arbor Day and Earth Month events coming up.

    Celebrate National Arbor Day next week on April 24, 2020!

    Links from announcements and presentation

    The event concluded with a round of thanks, and several were captured in the chat log.

    12:56:43     From  Eliana Brown : Thank you to the Grounds Dept!
    12:58:28     From  Samantha Fisher : Thank you for this presentation! I really enjoy your monthly presentations.
    13:00:02     From  Stacy Gloss : Thanks CCNET for a great presentation today. Awesome collaborative effort.  Everyone have a great day!
    13:00:33     From  ekamarah : Thank you everyone for these interesting presentations and conversations. Have a great day.
    13:00:37     From  Brent Lewis : Yes, thank you everyone!
    13:00:49     From  Eliana Brown : Thank you, everyone! Great job!
    13:01:08     From  pattsi : Stay well everyone
    13:01:12     From  Marya Ryan : Yes, great presentations! So glad to reconnect with CCNet after a few years away.
    13:01:24     From  Miranda Vieson : Thanks!
    13:01:25     From  Marcus Ricci : It was a great presentation, with all of the different presenters nicely tying in to the theme. The Q&A was cool.
    13:01:26     From  Jenna Kurtzweil : Thanks, everyone!!
    13:01:26     From  Kate Gardiner : Love CCNet, thanks Morgan!

    Attached Files: 

  13. history note from F&S

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase use of Alternative Service Vehicles

    F&S has used both GEM (8?) and e-Ride (2) electric service vehicles as well as 8 other small, gas powered Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs), 2 each from 4 different manufacturers totaling 8 LSVs. I’ve attached an email that has a link to a story posted on Cars.com about our use. While a variety of vehicles were used they were pretty much all gone in 5-8 years for many reasons including capability, reliability, parts supplies, vendors going out of business and personnel concerns. None in service currently.

     

    From July 2008, by Pete Varney:

    The University did in fact purchase 8 vehicles, we are calling them "mini-trucks."  Chery is one of the OEMs.  We purchased two each of Tiger, Mag Intl, Vantage and Cushman (no longer selling in the US).  The desire is to test their effectiveness as a service vehicle on campus.  We have a large fleet of service vehicles (250+) and the majority of them never travel more that a couple of miles each day and never exceed the campus speed limit, 25 mph.

     

    This has been a long and at sometimes, difficult, project to get rolling, but now includes electric vehicles (E-ride) as well.  All part of the University's goal of conserving energy and increasing sustainability.

    https://www.cars.com/articles/chinese-part-of-mini-truck-mania-1420663272884/

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  17. SOLAR FARM LANDSCAPE BUFFER

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Bee Campus USA
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan

    SOLAR FARM LANDSCAPE BUFFER
    F&S representatives shared detailed designs for the pollinator supportive landscape buffer along the future Solar Farm 2.0 site to the Village of Savoy. Village leaders were pleased with the design plans and thanked us for being responsive to their neighborly request. When completed, this site will serve as a demonstration for pollinator-friendly solar arrays, following the requirements of the Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act (Illinois Pub. Act 100-1022). Solar Farm 2.0 will produce approximately 20,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, and will generate the equivalent electricity use of more than 2,000 average American homes.

  18. Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting: 27 March 2020

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste SWATeam
    Develop Sustainable Purchasing Policies

    Attached are the meeting minutes from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 27 March 2020.

    The agenda is as follows:

    March Formal Recommendations

    • America To Go Catering Sustainability Criteria
    • Aluminum Vending Machine Replacement
    • Student Sustainability Ambassadors

    April Agenda

    Recommendations for next round of submissions?

    • Any pertinent topics?
    • Staff/faculty Ethics training update?
    Attached Files: 

  19. FY19 Green Power Partnership renewal submitted

    Associated Project(s): 
    EPA Green Power Partner
    Use Renewable / Low-carbon / Clean Energy
    Solar Farm 1.0
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    Wassaja Hall Rooftop Solar PVs
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
    Apply for Recognition

    F&S completed the renewal of our recognition as a Green Power Partner through the US Environmental Protection Agency. Green Power Partners of our scale now have to use renewable power for seven percent of their annual consumption, an increase from the previous requirement of three percent. Fortunately, the FY19 green power supply for FY19 was 7.28%.  See attached file.

    Overview submitted: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is proud of its sustainability initiatives, as documented in the Illinois Climate Action Plan. The first project was a 32.76 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) array on the Business Instructional Facility in 2009. The 14.7 kW PV array, ground mounted at the Building Research Council, is a research platform for the Information Trust Institute. The most significant on-campus renewable energy generation project to date went into operation in December 2015, with the completion of the 5.87 megawatt (MW) Solar Farm, producing approximately 7,200 MWh/year. In December 2015 another solar array was installed on the new Wassaja Residence Hall roof with a capacity of 33 kW. In September 2016, campus signed a ten-year Wind Power Purchase Agreement for 25 million kWh/year. Most recently, the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building had 970 rooftop panels installed. Since production began in April 2019, 11% of all power supplied to the ECE Building has been from the rooftop panels, not including the panels that are used for student-oriented research. The University will soon be home to Solar Farm 2.0, which is projected to produce 20,000 MWh/year, nearly tripling on-site production.

    Attached Files: 

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