The University of Illinois chapter of Engineers Without Borders worked on a project to find clean water sources of water for the Nigerian village of Adu Achi. Previously, residents of Adu Achi relied on water sources that were up to 3 kilometers away and struggled with contaminated water.

The project began with a site assessment in August 2006, but project meeting have continued through the Spring 2013 semester.

For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/site/ewbuiucenugustatewaterproject/.

Study request to ISTC (attached).

In general, the overall efficiency of a typical power plant is approximately 35%, and the efficiency of a typical cogeneration plant is typically 80-85%.  The efficiency is in general a measure of the energy input (fuel), vs. the energy output (electricity, and in the case of a cogeneration plant steam and electricity).

We have done a lot of things to improve the plant efficiency, but at this point in time we don’t have good data available that can measure and quantify those improvements.  Some of the items that we have undertaken include:  changing out the lighting to higher efficient flourescents and/or LEDs, changing out the Centac Centrifugal Air Compressors to more efficient VFD driven rotary air compressors, changing the air compressor cooling from city water to the plant service water system, and repairing and replacing direct contact heaters.

Mike Larson

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Director of Utilities Production

The CEE 398 PBL course was submitted as a candidate for this award.  The course is researching the potential for using project based learning and the living learning lab system for sustainability on our campus.

http://www.scup.org/asset/66296/2013ChapmanPrize_Call.pdf

Joyce Mast, at ECE, is researching funding opportunities for the solar panels for ECE and the NCPD.  she provided this information.

Deadlines for submitting proposals:

1) Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity - Assuming our budget is adequate in the next state fiscal year, we may  be offering this program again in September or October of this year (Wayne Hartel, Energy Program Specialist, Illinois Energy Office)

2) When I looked over the SSC-funded projects for 2012 and told Professor Krein about them, he said we should wait for the September inquiry date. He expects that we should have drawings and plans by July. I’m still looking for matching funds

3) Their initial thought was Act on Energy grants, however I advised UI probably did not qualify as UI is not a standard tariff Ameren customer (Keith Erickson)

4) Illinois Clean Energy: a) High Performance Green Buildings – Rolling Review. Submit application anytime
                                                 b) Requests for Innovative equipment replacement projects in existing buildings or
                                                 c)  installations in new construction must submit a Letter of Inquiry electronically by July 16, 2013.

                                                 d)  Solar Photovoltaic Installation by July 16, 2013

                                                 e) Advancing Renewable Energy by July 16, 2013

I have looked at solar installations on roofs and have pictures. These would be supportive. However, we don’t have enough specific information to apply for any grant until the feasibility study results are in.

Morgan, do you have more ideas of places we can apply? Gerard?

I am eager to proceed as soon as possible. If you have further suggestions, please let me know. I could meet with you most any time.

Best regards,

Joyce Mast

Joyce Mast, Coordinator

Grainger Center for Electric
  Machinery and Electromechanics

Department of Electrical

  and Computer Engineering

In "The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research" by Lindsay Baker and Harvey Bernstein (2012), authors note research results and needs about green schools.

What do we know today?   In some areas, we have strong evidence to support the notion that school buildings impact student health and their ability to learn, and we know exactly how to ensure that the impacts are positive. For example, we know how to build classrooms that minimize background noise and allow voices to be heard clearly, which will allow students to hear their teachers and protect their aural health. We have clear evidence that certain aspects of school buildings have an impact on student health and learning, such as:

• When deprived of natural light, studies have shown that children’s melatonin cycles are disrupted, thus likely having an impact on their alertness during school (Figueiro & Rea, 2010).
• Teachers report higher levels of comfort in their classrooms when they have access to thermal controls like thermostats or operable windows (Heschong, 2003, and Lackney, 2001).
• According to researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, when ventilation rates are at or below minimum standards (roughly 15 cfm per student), an associated decrease of 5%–10% occurs in certain aspects of student performance tests (LBNL IAQ Resource Bank).
• In recent studies, when ventilation rates were lowered from 17 cfm/person to 10 cfm/person researchers saw a 15% increase in symptom prevalence for Sick Building Syndrome (ibid).

What do we need to find out?   While there have been studies on the impact of environments on children—and the benefits of green buildings more broadly—more research is needed. Some of the larger research questions are:

• When prioritization is necessary, which building projects can be expected to have larger impacts on facility quality and student health?
• What are the impacts of high-performance school buildings, above and beyond an adequate (and potentially new) school building?
• How do high-performance design features interact with each other? Relationships such as those between daylighting and acoustical design are understood less in terms of how they interact than in isolation.

We have received official approval and access to funds for the Orchard Downs project – yea! 

Morgan Johnston met with a delegation from Mumbai, India, to tell them how we are making our campus more sustainable. 

Jack Dempsey has been asked to speak to two different delegations this June about the same topic.    The first group is from  a group of private universities in India, sponsored by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and is coming on a program promoted by Pradeep Khanna and his staff in Corporate Relations.  The second group is from a group of institutions in Pakistan with whom we have had a longstanding relationship:  COMSATS Institutes of Information Technology. 

When Auxiliaries have projects funded by the Revolving Loan Fund, they first sign this MOU with the F&S Utilities and Energy Services unit.  That way, the Utilities and Energy Services staff can make the appropriate payback transfers each year for that specific agreement.

From: Kevin Wolz [mailto:wolz1@illinois.edu]
Sent: Sunday, May 26, 2013 10:48 AM
To: Johnston, Morgan B
Cc: Litchfield, J Bruce; Werpetinski, Valeri A; Beverage, McKenzie; Andrew Gazdziak; Wolz, Kevin James; Branham, Bruce E
Subject: Fwd: SOLAR QUOTE

Hi Morgan,

I've attached the latest and best solar quote we have received for the solar array to be placed on the roof of the fruit farm building (funded by the SSC via the LINC EV SSF class). I am still waiting for (1) the system specs and schematics from this company which I will forward as soon as I get them and (2) a few more conversations with Crop Sci and ACES people once I get back in the country in June 1. However, I wanted to send this to you so you could advise on what else I need to provide and get from F&S to make this a go. 

Thanks so much! 

Kevin

Morgan Johnston recommended Shirley Liang work with Marcus Ricci when selecting preferred packaging options, based upon waste management needs.

The USGBC Illinois Chapter Green Schools Higher-Education Subcommittee met, via teleconference, on May 20 for the first time.  One of the future topics identified was a discussion of LEED Existing Building and LEED Operations and Maintenance, so Illinois colleges and universities can consider the merits of implementing LEED EB or LEED OM.

Discounted Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Sale Scheduled for this Saturday

The Cities of Urbana and Champaign along with the University of Illinois Extension will host a truck sale this Saturday featuring deeply discounted rain barrels and compost bins.  The May 25th sale will be held in the parking lot north of the City Building at the corner of South Vine Street and East Green Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Rain barrels, available for purchase for $55.00, help residents store water for gardening.  This practice helps reduce demand on aquifer water while reducing runoff to the city stormwater system.  Compost bins, available for purchase for $45.00, help residents turn food scrap and landscape trimmings into nutrient-rich compost for gardening while reducing waste sent to landfills.  Associated compost products including kitchen collection containers, compost aerators, and compost thermometers will also be available for purchase.

Interested residents should park at the City Building or other designated parking areas and line up to make their purchases on foot.  After making purchases residents can load their vehicles in the alley behind the parking lot.  For faster service on the day of the sale, residents can pre-pay for their products online at www.enviroworld.us/pre-order.

For more information, please contact Scott Tess at 217-384-2381 or srtess@urbanaillinois.us.

James Roedl has been hired as the new Campus Bicycle Shop Manager, replacing Ken Sutto.  James' first day of work is May 28, 2013. Ken's last day is June 14, 2013, giving the two managers roughly 3 weeks of overlap for training and orientation. The shop will remain open during regular hours, Monday-Thursday, 2-6pm and Friday, 2-5:30pm. The Campus Bicycle Shop Manager reports to the Sustainability Coordinator in Facilities & Services (Morgan Johnston), and is funded jointly by the University and The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign. James can be contacted at jmroedl@illinois.edu. 

The USGBC Illinois Chapter Green Schools subcommittee has worked for a few years on greening K-12 schools.  Now they are initiating a Higher-Education subcommittee, focused on supporting Green Universities and Colleges in Illinois.  During the first subcommittee meeting, we went through this agenda:

1. Introductions of Meeting Participants - All
2. Overview of Sub-Committee Mission, Vision and Goals – Paul Matthews and John Brophy
3. Discussion of Sub-Committee Structure and Team Leaders – Ed Choklek
4. Questions and Answers Concerning Agenda Items 2 & 3 – Sub-committee Leadership Team
5. Homework Assignments for future Sub-Committee Meetings – All
6. Next Meeting Dates – June 17, July 15, and August 19 (3rd Monday of each month at 6:00pm)

The kick-off meeting had the attached files associated with it. 

Attendees: John Brophy, Paul Matthews, Ed Choklek, Stephenie Presseller, Vuk Vujovic, Candace Small, and Brian Healy in person. Jennifer Fifield, Allessandra Cairo, Morgan Johnston, Tom Shelton, Tim Gibson, Sajid Mian, Ted Renner, Missy Nergard, Craig Anz and Stella Nicolet by phone.

The following is list of ideas for covering at future meetings:        Net Zero Waste, Greening Small Construction/Renovation Projects, Tree Campus USA, USGBC Student Chapter Support, Recyclemania, USGBC Membership Benefits to Students, Community Green Initiative, Justifying LEED Certification, LEED for Existing Buildings Operation and Maintenance, LEED/Sustainability at Liberal Arts Institutions, Green Career Fairs, Convincing College/University Leadership to adopt LEED NC, LEED ND, and/or LEED EBO&M, 2013 Green Apple Day of Service and the Relevance of LEED and Sustainability for Business and Other Non-Technical Students Across Different Disciplines.