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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Organization: Student Sustainability Committee
Contact Name: Suhail Barot
Position: Chair
Number of active members: 20 (10 students, 10 faculty/staff)
Website: http://sustainability.illinois.edu/ssc/
Date of last meeting: 7/17/2009
Frequency of meetings: Every two weeks
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1) The Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) allocates the UI Green fees which amount to $7 per student, per semester, bringing in about $550,000 annually. The SSC issued three requests for proposals since August 2008, and conducted three proposal rounds.
2) The SSC also worked on the unsuccessful efforts to build a 1.5MW wind turbine on the UI campus.
3) The SSC worked to establish a campus revolving loan program to fund energy-efficiency projects with positive payback, and in support of decentralized billing for energy at the UI campus.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1) Fee Allocations: The SSC conducted three proposal rounds, evaluating almost 19 proposals and selecting 20 proposals for funding. Total funding allocated was slightly less than $500,000. Proposals funded included a green roof, occupancy sensors, thin client computers, a prairie garden, bicycle parking, a test geothermal facility, a student farm and many more projects. A more detailed list is included in Appendix I.
2) Wind Energy: The SSC committed $300,000 to the UI Wind project and worked with several other student groups in support of this issue. After project postponement, the Committee continued to push for the project in the University Administration and lobbied the Governor’s Office.
3) Revolving Loan: The SSC worked with several campus entities to identify and develop projects for the Revolving Loan program, and worked with many campus stakeholders to develop the program. The Committee recently received final approval for the program from the Chancellor’s Office, and intends to allocate more than $1.1 million to the program.
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Organization: Students for Environmental ConcernS - SECS
Contact Name: Anthony Larson
Position: President
Number of active members: 35 Website: http://www.secs-uiuc.org
Date of last meeting: June 9th 2009 Frequency of meetings: Weekly during school year
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1) Supporting Clean Energy and Lowering the Carbon Footprint of our school.
2) Composting initiative to compost food waste from dining halls.
3) Campaign against bottled water.
4) Push for recycling in the city of Champaign.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1) Supporting Clean Energy: Protested the cancellation of the student initiated Wind Turbine Project. After the protest, our organization led several letter writing efforts. We wrote letters to the various administrators and deans that could help pressure this program back into existence. We also collected 350 letters to Gov. Pat Quinn which we handed to him in person during his visit to the U of I.
2) Composting: In the Fall of 2008 we held a forum with all the parties interested in composting on campus. This was a successful driver to implementing the program we have today. Currently SECS composts the food waste from one campus dining hall. This program will expand in the fall to encompass other dining halls as well.
3) During Earth Week 2009, SECS partnered with the Student Union on campus to show the documentary Thirst. Also SECS ran an awareness event to dissuade students from using bottled water. This event was a Water Taste Test.
4) An off shoot of our organization, CORE-community-organized-recycling-efforts has made recycling their primary campaign. Students for Environmental ConcernS continues to work with CORE to push for recycling and we participated in their clean-up awareness event during the spring. Also a number of SECS members regularly attend City Council meetings and push on this issue and others.
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Organization: Engineers Without Borders
Contact Name: David Fan-Chung Hsu
Position: President
Name of organization: Engineers Without Borders at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Number of active members: around 150 Website: www.ewb-uiuc.org
Date of last meeting: 05/14/2009 Frequency of meetings: Weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1) Development activities in third-world countries
2) Outreach about renewable energy and sustainability to K-12 schools
3) Biodiesel Program to convert campus waste vegetable oil into biodiesel
4) Project to build a small wind turbine to provide students with hands-on experience in wind energy systems
5) Project to build an emission sensing device to detect levels of CO, CO2, and particulate matter that are emitted by a stove
6) Project to build a stored energy solar cooker for use in developing countries
7) On-campus outreach activities about sustainability and international development
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
1) Development activities in third-world countries: Implementation teams sent to Enugu, Nigeria. Borewell drilled, Water distribution system currently being built. Assessment teams sent to Socorro, Guatemala and Ntisaw, Cameroon
2) Outreach about renewable energy and sustainability to K-12 schools: Visited 5 schools for presentations on renewable energy and sustainability. Exhibited at Orpheum Children’s Museum and Summer camp Music Festival.
3) Biodiesel Program to convert campus waste vegetable oil into biodiesel: Finalized procedures and approvals, began weekly test reactions (80 gallon batches) to optimize process, in process of making final design for full-scale production.
4) Project to build a small wind turbine to provide students with hands-on experience in wind energy systems: Redesigned turbine generator
5) Project to build an emission sensing device to detect levels of CO, CO2, and particulate matter that are emitted by a stove: Designed power circuitry, packaging and tested sensors
6) Project to build a stored energy solar cooker for use in developing countries: Designed and built prototype
7) On-campus outreach activities about sustainability and international development: Prepared an award-winning exhibit for Engineering Open House 2009, participated in several campus events (Earth Week, Live Green Week, etc) to raise awareness about these issues, organized tour of campus’s first LEED certified building, and lectures on water quality.
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Name:
Position (in student organization):
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Organization: Community-Organized Recycling Efforts
Contact Name: Mara Eisenstein
Position: Co-founder and Co-Director
Number of active members: 20 Website: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18626396024&ref=ts and http://groups.google.com/group/core-community-organized-recycling-efforts?pli=1 Date of last meeting: March/April 2009 Frequency of meetings: Weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
1) Lack of access to recycling in Champaign
2) Increasing University campus awareness of recycling and waste
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
Organized two recycling competitions for Greek housing on campus, and a campus cleanup. Advocated for city recycling program to Champaign City Council.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition: Green-House Competition Year initiated: November 2008 Frequency of competition: Once with a duration of two weeks Participants: 22 Greek sororities and fraternities (engaging hundreds of people) Incentives: Greek Oscar Award for winners as well as a free party event with the top winning chapter teams Goal of competition: Raise awareness of recycling in the University’s Greek system by engaging as many chapters as possible in competition; for chapter members to actively recycle; raise awareness of green issues on campus via visible means (banners outside houses, posters and bins in the entry of houses) Percent of energy/water/waste reduced: Collectively recycled over 7,000 pounds of material (4750 lbs. paper, 550 lbs. aluminum, 600 lbs. plastic) in houses in which most do not have functioning recycling programs Lasting effects of competition: "Think before you throw" and awareness that lack of access to recycling is an issue in the Greek system and campus-wide.
Website:
#2 - Name of competition: Green-House Competition – Year 2 Year initiated: April 2009 Frequency of competition: two weeks long Participants: around 15 Greek houses
Incentives: Greek Oscar Award for winners as well as a free party event with the top winning chapter teams Goal of competition: same as above Percent of energy/water/waste reduced: do not know Lasting effects of competition: same as above Website: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=87435533416&ref=mf
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Student Senate Subcommittee on Sustainability
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: CORE Campus Clean-Up: Collected 362 pounds of aluminum in a single afternoon with student volunteers across a multitude of various organizations. We organized scheduled pick-ups to apartment buildings and Greek houses after a particularly wasteful day at the University, and half the proceeds from the collection were donated to camp Kesem, a free local camp for kids dealing with cancer in their families. Half the volunteers also walked around and cleaned up campus town areas as well for the afternoon. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8895812498&ref=mf
Second CORE and I-Serve Campus Clean-Up held March 7th, 2009. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=79867139304&ref=mf
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: Red Bison (Prairie Restoration, Roots and Shoots, Green Observer (Environmental Journalism), Volunteer Illini Projects – Environmental committee
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition): Illinois Student Environmental Coalition
Appendix I: Projects Financed by the Student Sustainability Committee
Revolving Loan Program
Program Contact: Suhail Barot
Campus Recreation Contact: Robyn Deterding
College of LAS Contact: Matthew Tomaszewski
KCPA Contact: Valeri Oliviero
The Student Sustainability Committee is preparing to launch a pilot revolving loan program for energy conservation projects at the University of Illinois with approximately $800,000 to be allocated this summer. Projects improving campus energy efficiency with paybacks of less than 4 years are being targeted. Such a program is now possible due to College-level responsibility for energy expenditures. Loans are being granted as follows:
1) Campus Recreation for $75,000 for a lighting retrofit and installation of occupancy sensors in the Racquetball and Squash courts.
2) College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for $600,000 for a building automation system, and VAV boxes for fume hoods, to reduce energy consumption when the hoods are not in use.
3) College of Fine and Applied Arts for $450,000 for installation of programmable LED lighting in the lobby area of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
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Spring 2009 Grants Project Info
1. Spotlight on Sustainability: A Student Lab Theatre - $28,700
The Department of Theater seeks funding to retrofit existing lighting equipment in the student run Armory Free Theatre. They intend to retrofit the theatre with low energy lighting sources including LED, HID and emerging plasma sources. The space, overseen by the Department of Theatre, is an ideal showcase for sustainability due to its relatively manageable size and its broad cross-campus student audiences. In addition, all theatre freshman will have their Introduction to Theatre class in this space, implying that their first exposure to theatre at the University of Illinois will be in a cutting-edge sustainable environment.
2. Graduate Rehearsal Dance Space - $60,000
The Department of Dance and the School of Architecture are seeking funds to support the cost of the second phase of a sustainable renovation of the East Art Annex 2, an underutilized, brick building on the South Quad. Upon its completion, the School of Architecture and the Department of Dance would be gaining 4,000-5,000 square feet of valuable student space. The East Art Annex 2 will be a demonstration of shared creative space between Dance and Architecture where seminars, studios, and discussions can be held to conduct interdisciplinary discourse on creativity and sustainability. Their long-term goal is to completely renovate the entire building and bring it up to LEED Certification (Phase III). The rehearsal space will provide a scenario for sustainable rehabilitation of underutilized space on campus with the use of environmentally friendly materials applied with innovative and contemporary design solutions.
3. Campus Recreation Water Conservation Incentives - $30,000
Water conservation initiatives have generally taken a back seat to energy conservation at the University of Illinois. Campus Recreation has proposed a comprehensive upgrade of restroom facilities in all three of their buildings (Activities and Recreation Center, Campus Recreation Center – East and the Ica Arena) with the potential of reducing water consumption by almost 6.5 million gallons annually. This work would be highly visible to students and support a fellow student-fee supported unit. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of proving upto $30,000 in incentives at the rate of $0.30 per $1.00 spent.
4. MechSE Sustainability Senior Design Projects - $6,000
Students in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering have been working on projects to improve the sustainability of our campus. The Department has requested support to carry out two projects (designing a sump pump water collection and use system to
provide water for campus landscaping, and assisting with the retro-commissioning of Siebel Center to find ways to reduce its energy consumption), which will are high-impact projects and will involve students.
5. Campus Bike Project - $30,000
The Bike Project, a non-profit organization based at the Independent Media Center, in Urbana, IL, was established to increase biking awareness, fix abandoned bicycles and sell them at very low costs to community members, and teach individuals about bicycle maintenance. This grant will allow them to establish a campus location and provide start-uip funding for operations. This project is expected to serve as the precursor to a campus bike-sharing initiative, targeted for Fall 2009.
6. UIUC Solar Decathlon - $25,000
The Solar Decathlon is an international competition to design and build a 100% solar powered house on the National Mall in Washington D.C. every year. The University of Illinois team consists of an interdisciplinary effort between ACES, FAA, and CoE with further help from Communications and Business. In 2007, the UIUC team came 9th, winning first place in Market Viability and Comfort Zone. This grant adds to support granted by the committee in Spring 2008.
7. Vet-Med Campus Prairie Project - $20,000
The goal of this project would to be to plant a tallgrass prairie garden that mimics the natural prairie growth of Illinois. The garden would go in front of the Basic Sciences Building and be about 7200 sq ft. The garden would consist of 40-50 different plants and consist of around 7000 seedlings, introducing students to the native landscape of our State, serving as an educational resource and source of seeds for future plantings.
8. ISTC Geothermal Loop - $27,000
The goal of this project is to install an open geothermal loop underneath the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The open geothermal loop would take water from one of the many nearby aquifers and only introduce heat into the system. The project will increase awareness of geothermal systems, determine the physical and chemical attributes of the aquifer, integrate the geothermal system with the current HVAC system. The ISTC hopes to decrease their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 25%-50%. The ISTC would test the procedure on this building, but hopes to extend it to other campus buildings.
9. Shut the Sash Model Program Development - $4,400
Lowering the sashes on laboratory chemical fume hoods (CFHs) can result in significant energy cost savings by reducing the volume of room air that has to be heated or cooled. This project will evaluate the resources, components, and best practices required to develop a model shut the sash program and implement it campus-wide for variable air volume (VAV) CFHs. If successful, the project could generate over $250,200 in annual cost savings.
10. Tempel Buell Hall Outdoor Lighting retrofit - $5,000
This project aims to retrofit outdoor lamps with reflectors and lower energy bulbs so as to direct lighting energy downwards. This is a simple solution to reducing electricity usage and light pollution, that should be easily scalable to the rest of campus.
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Fall 2008 Grants Project Info
1. Power Plant Carbon Sequestration via Algae Biodiesel Production - $13,000
The goal of this project is to construct an Algae Biodiesel Production Facility at Abott power plant. This facility will sequester some of the flue gases produced at Abott power plant while providing a renewable, carbon neutral fuel source for transportation. The project offers potential for scaling, involves many student organizations and is also expected to be of research interest.
2. Green Allerton Wood-fired Boiler - $25,500
The goal of this project is to replace a natural gas heating system at Allerton Park with an Outdoor Wood-fired Boiler System. This replacement will eliminate considerable CO2 emissions from the current system and result in substantial cost savings. The use of a renewable resource (wood) in place of a non-renewable one (natural gas), combined with the greenhouse gas emissions reduction will help increase campus sustainability.
3. Chip PC Thin Client - $7,000
The goal of this project is to fund the purchase of thin client computing devices and a server. These devices have extremely low power consumption and increased lifetime as compared to ordinary desktop computers. Devices purchased with the committee’s funds will be used in public access areas, for testing, in student kiosks, and for loans to other departments to encourage widespread adoption of this technology.
4. Automatic Lighting Controls - $50,000
The goal of this project is to install lighting sensors in classrooms in the Armory, the Foreign Language Building, Loomis Laboratory of Physics, Everitt Laboratory, Henry Administration Building, the Psychology Building, Wohlers Hall and some additional buildings. The sensors will switch off the lights in these areas, after 30 minutes of inactivity, which will reduce lighting consumption by ~30%. Additionally, having these retrofits take place at the same time as additional lighting upgrades will reduce overall installation costs.
5. Student Farm for Local Food Production - $50,000
The goal of this project is to start a student-operated farm that produces significant quantities of fruits and vegetables for use in the University food service operations. The operation of such a farm will be of significant educational value, reduce carbon emissions
associated with food production and transportation as well as be of value to Extension programs. Additionally, this project furthers the university’s role as a land grant institution
6. Mapping Sustainability at the University of Illinois - $3,200
The goal of this project is to help inform the campus and community of sustainability related programs, facilities and organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area. This grant will pay for a student RA and GPS equipment to support a class project to map the above, thus adding an educational component to this proposal.
7. Measuring Sustainability Metrics of the Green Roof on the New Business Instructional Facility - $13,100
The goal of this project is to support class projects to access the impact on sustainability of the green roof atop the new Business Instructional Facility. Students will get the opportunity to make measurements of the filtration and thermal properties of the green roof. Additionally it is hoped that these projects will help establish the roof as a laboratory for future student and faculty research projects on this topic.
8. Bike Parking on Campus - $10,600
The goal of this project is to fund installation of bicycle parking facilities at the Undergraduate Library, the Ag. Sciences Engineering Building and Freer Hall. Cycling is a sustainable form of transportation, highly used by the student body, and inadequately supported on campus.
9. Green Link At School of Art + Design and Krannert Art Museum - $63,900
The goal of this project is to construct a green roof atop the Link Gallery between the School of Art + Design and the Krannert Art Museum. This project will be implemented primarily by students and faculty of the School of Art + Design and will be in a highly visible campus location. It will help reduce energy costs at the facility and provide rain water for the surrounding gardens.
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