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Projects Updates for place: Activities and Recreation Center (ARC)

  1. Mailbag solar article: Suggestion for UI solar panels

    Associated Project(s): 
    Solar Energy on Campus
    Solar Farm 1.0
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    BIF Rooftop Solar PVs
    Uni High Gym Rooftop Solar PVs
    Solar Thermal at ARC
    Wassaja Hall Rooftop Solar PVs

    "Why doesn't the company installing the solar panels at U of I put them over the parking lot? I would provide shade for the cars underneath and would eliminate having to kill whatever would be underneath them in the fields."

    The best option for building solar panels is ground-mounted, said Morgan White, the associate director for sustainability at the University of Illinois.

    "As part of our Climate Leadership Commitments the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a goal of producing at least 25,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) per year from on-campus solar," she said. "When we evaluated options for meeting this goal, rooftop solar, solar over parking areas, and ground-mounted solar were all considered. The most cost-effective option is ground-mounted solar, and it also allows for larger-scale installations.

    "For a sense of the scale, the two solar farms will be a total of 75 acres, while the largest parking lot on campus is less than 15 acres.

    "When installing solar panels over parking areas, there are additional infrastructure and labor costs to raise the solar panels above the ground level. Although we do not currently have any solar over parking areas, Facilities & Services is working with the Parking Department to evaluate potential locations for a pilot installation. We are also continuing to install rooftop solar on individual buildings."

    Solar panels are on the following five Urbana campus buildings:

    — Business Instructional Facility

    — the Activities & Recreation Center

    — Wassaja Residence Hall

    — University High School Gymnasium

    — Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building.

    "I'd also like to emphasize that the ground-mounted solar panels do not harm the plants under them. After building the first Solar Farm, we learned that there was an excellent opportunity for growing useful plants under and around the panels," said White. "This is a great opportunity for creating a multi-functional ecosystem, with pollinator supportive plants and protected areas for small animals and insects."

    https://www.news-gazette.com/toms-mailbag/toms-mailbag-june-26-2020/article_65ef2976-09b9-526a-848d-1419c905b0ec.html

     

  2. Division of Research Safety - battery recycling

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    All rechargeable batteries that are received through the campus waste program are recycled. The campus community must submit an online waste request through the DRS waste application to have their rechargeable batteries picked up and recycled.

     

    I would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have.

     

    Thanks.

     

    LANDON HILL
    Chemical Waste Manager
    Division of Research Safety

  4. Net Metering on campus

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECE Rooftop Solar PVs
    Rooftop Solar Potential

    For all of our buildings with renewable energy systems, we employ a net metering method.  We deduct the energy supplied by the system from the building load on the campus grid.  So, if ECE uses about 250,000 kwh of electricity per month, and the rooftop array will supply 10,000 kwh per month, then the net bill for the ECE building will be 240,000 kwh at the campus electricity rate.  Therefore, the building gets full credit for the energy supplied by the array.

  6. Campus Committee on Recycling Batteries' Proposal to Go to PWR SWATeam in September 2018

    Associated Project(s): 
    Battery Recycling

    During the 2017-2018 academic year, interested faculty members formed the Campus Committee on Recycling Batteries. Members included Clara Bosak-Schroeder, Ömer Özgür Çapraz, Marcus Smith, and Robert McKim. They developed a draft proposal for a pilot battery recycling program that would be coordinated across the campus and eventually become self-sustaining. They sought input from Joy Scrogum, Morgan White, and Marya Ryan. Robert McKim joined the PWR SWATeam starting with the fall 2018 semester. He will take the proposal to the team at its September 2018 meeting so that the team can take ownership of the proposal and help move it forward.

  7. PWR SWATeam Meeting - 2/5/18

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste SWATeam
    Recycling for the Quad
    Battery Recycling
    Single-Use Battery Recycling
    Recycled-Content Paper Policy in CAM
    SmartWay Transport Partnership

    The PWR SWATeam had their first meeting of the semester, where they discussed several updates related to purchasing, waste, and recycling. The Team discussed concerns about recycling bins on the Main Quad, persistent issues with the purchasing of recycled paper on campus, challenges with a centralized battery recycling program, and the formal adoption of EPEAT standards for electronics on campus. The SWATeam also discussed and provided feedback on a formal recommendation for the expansion of SmartWay to other campus units.

    Attached Files: 

  8. potential to add solar on Oak Street library

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rooftop Solar Potential

    There is a grant for helping libraries go green, which could potentially support solar at the Oak Street facility.

    EBSCO has expanded this year’s EBSCO Solar Grant. For the first time, it will provide three $100,000 grants to libraries looking to install solar arrays. If you’re eager to show your community the benefits of solar energy or to add to your sustainability plans, consider applying to the EBSCO Solar Grant now through April 30th. The winner will be announced on June 22nd, 2018, both online and at ALA Annual 2018.

  9. PWR SWATeam Meeting - 11/30/17

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste SWATeam
    Battery Recycling
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    The PWR SWATeam reviewed the progress made over the course of the semester on various projects and discussed next steps for each. These projects included battery recycling, the rearrangement of outdoor trash and recycling bins, guidelines for the optimal arrangement of indoor bins, expanding SmartWay, and encouraging the use of EPEAT certified products.

    Attached Files: 

  13. Battery Recycling Instructions and Locations Updated

    Associated Project(s): 
    Battery Recycling
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling
    Single-Use Battery Recycling

    Battery recycling instructions were updated to indicate that "University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign" should be included in address information provided to Call2Recycle. The inclusion will allow for reporting of volumes of batteries recycled through the program across the campus.

    Battery recycling locations were updated.

  14. Call To Recycle Program Results

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    These are the Call To Recycle battery recycling program results, from 2012 to August 2017.

    Attached Files: 

  16. Follow up on "parent ID" question

    Associated Project(s): 
    Battery Recycling

    The "parent" ID number for Call2Recycle should no longer be used. It was used for tracking payment as well as shipping addresses, and continued use could result in battery collection boxes being shipped to the wrong location on campus. Unfortunately, dropping the ID number means that we won't be able to obtain centralized reports of volumes of recycled batteries.

  17. Archived info - previous program description, replaced August 20, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling

    [Did not preserve the previous version of the first paragraph, to which minor updates were made to indicate that boxes are for a mix of single-use and rechargeable batteries and that participating units must pay Call2Recycle.]

    Call2Recycle accepts all rechargeable batteries that weigh less than 11 pounds, including Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-Ion), Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn) and Small Sealed Lead Acid (SSLA/ Pb) batteries. Individual batteries must have their terminals taped or be bagged before being placed in the Call2Recycle  boxes. Leaking batteries are not accepted, and should be disposed of through the Division of Research Safety (217-333-2755).

    To start the program in your office:

    1.         Visit the Call2Recycle website at http://www.call2recycle.org/ and join the free rechargeable battery recycling program.  Call2Recycle will follow up with a return phone call to you. When you receive this call, please provide them with the University of Illinois’s Parent ID #78151.

    2.         Call2Recycle will send the collection boxes with UPS shipping labels directly to your building.  When you first start the program, please notify F&S Waste Management at 244-7283.

    3.         When a box is full of individually bagged rechargeable batteries, check to ensure that only acceptable batteries are in the box.

    4.         Write down the box’s UPS tracking number and then place the full box at a UPS pickup location. UPS will pick the box up free of charge at the time of their next scheduled delivery.  UPS will ship the full box of batteries to a metal reclamation center for processing.

    5.         Call2Recycle will automatically send you new empty boxes with UPS shipping labels.

  18. Archived info - previous program description, replaced Aug. 20, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Single-Use Battery Recycling

    Single-use battery recycling can be done through an outside vendor, Battery Solutions. This vendor accepts single-use (AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V). Battery Solutions also accepts button cells and lithium primary batteries, but leaking lead acid batteries are not accepted and should be disposed of through the Division of Research Safety (217-333-2755). Batteries should be individually bagged or have their terminals tapped before being placed in the Battery Solutions container. Each 55-pound container of batteries is sent through FedEx. The cost for the each container to complete the process is $84. This program is no longer centrally funded.

    To initiate the program in your office:

    • Contact:  800-852-8127
    • URL:  http://www.batteryrecycling.com/
    • Cost:  $84 per 55-lb Pail (includes empty container, pre-paid FedEx shipping labels to return full container, and cost of recycling batteries)
    • Shipment Method: FedEx (building contacts can call FedEx directly to arrange pick-up, or go through vendor contact to have them do it.)
    • Notes: Battery Solutions automatically charges us and sends a new container when we return a full container to them

  19. Battery recycling participation instructions updated in iCAP; F&S page updates pending

    Associated Project(s): 
    Battery Recycling
    Rechargeable Battery Recycling
    Single-Use Battery Recycling

    Instructions for units that want to provide battery recycling have been updated on the appropriate iCAP Portal pages, with a detail regarding the provision of a "parent ID number" to Call2Recycle still pending. Once that detail has been confirmed, iCAP Portal instructions will be updated again if necessary, and instructions on the F&S page will be updated.

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