Download CAP Executive Summary, Introduction, GHG, Vision

Illinois State University Climate Action Plan
Strategies
Developed Spring-Summer 2014
By Emma Gilmore, Ramya Kumaran, and Paul Miller
This plan is a working document that will be adapted as Illinois State
University continues to advance through its guiding principles as identified in
“Educating Illinois.” Portions of the plan are in development as the institution works
through its shared governance process to establish campus-wide endorsement and
commitment to the actionable items.
Executive Summary
3.1. Sustainability – Our Definition
Sustainability at Illinois State University is an evolving process, which enhances
quality of life and meets economic, social, and environmental needs of the present
without compromising resources for future generations. At Illinois State University,
this is accomplished through teaching, research, service, and administrative efforts
that benefit our various communities.
3.2. American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
In 2008, ISU joined the American College and University Presidents’ Climate
Commitment (ACUPCC), and both the creation and implementation of CAP are ways
for ISU to honor and to measure their commitment to ACUPCC. “The American
College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment is a large-scale initiative to
address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to reduce and
ultimately neutralize greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions.” Carbon
neutrality is defined as having no net GHG emissions. In achieving carbon
reductions, these institutions will advance the research and knowledge that will
equip society with the tools to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.
In joining ACUPCC, ISU joins over 660 other colleges and universities in committing
to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). With the signing of the ACUPCC, ISU has also
committed to do the following:
● Set a target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible.
● Set interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality.
● Devise actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the
curriculum and other educational experience for all students
● Develop actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve
climate neutrality.
● Create mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.
The CAP is geared towards reducing GHG emissions, as well as highlighting and
supporting university academic endeavors. According to the Signatories of the
American College and University Presidents Climate commitment, “academia must
exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways
to eliminate global warming emissions,” while, “integrating sustainability into their
curriculum to meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil
society.”
3.3. Summary of Goals, Approach, and Outcomes
The Illinois State University Climate Action Plan is intended to meet or exceed the
requirements of the ACUPCC mission, as well as the Illinois State University
strategic plan and master plan. In developing this Climate Action Plan it became
quite clear that these guiding documents have complimentary directives. A Climate
Action Plan which enlists participation from all students, staff, faculty, and
administrators stimulates civic engagement, integrity, and diverse values, while
preserving and enriching the environmental and financial assets of Illinois State
University.
In order to ensure that the Climate Action Plan upholds the long term
environmental, strategic, and financial, and academic goals of Illinois State as
articulated in the three guiding documents, the development approach will follow
an iterative process. The Office of Sustainability, as the curator of the Climate Action
Plan, will seek the advisement and input of all stakeholders within the principle
action areas through direct communication as well as open-forum online discussion
boards.
The Climate Action Plan, as an evolving document, will hold campus carbon
neutrality as its primary objective, supported by the above-mentioned documents.
Each draft of the Climate Action Plan will incorporate a list of current, ongoing
initiatives and their progress. It will also include a summary of newly proposed
initiatives, expected outcomes from each initiative and assumptions, as well as
relevant university contacts and background on similar past projects.
3.4. Authors and CAP Process
The very first draft of the ISU Climate Action Plan was created in a cooperative effort
between the Office of Sustainability and students in the Renewable Energy major in
the Department of Technology (College of Applied Science and Technology). After
an initial attempt to coordinate a formal committee of University officials and staff,
the task of researching possible climate mitigation strategies was ultimately
undertaken by two graduate students and two undergraduate students, with
advisement by the Director of the Office of Sustainability, Melissa (Missy) Nergard,
and the Program Coordinator for the Renewable Energy degree, Professor Jin Jo.
The students were Ramya Kumaran (MS) with the Office of Sustainability, Emma
Gilmore (MS), Paul Miller (BS) and Steven Ripp (BS) with the Department of
Technology. Ms. Kumaran, during her work with the Office of Sustainability, had
already researched current and past ISU climate mitigation initiatives, and by the
beginning of the Spring 2014 semester had developed a list of possible strategies to
pursue in the future. Paul and Steven began working under the guidance of Emma
and Dr. Jo in their Renewable Energy Senior Capstone class that spring to develop a
survey of strategies practiced by other colleges and universities across the United
States and to develop a scoring system to determine the best strategies for ISU. The
students collected data found in 26 institutional climate action plans and
inventoried financial and environmental project data on more than 440 strategies,
many of which proved to fall into similar action areas. The students identified the
strategies that had been used most commonly from this group, and produced a list
of forty climate action plan strategies that had been cited in more than three climate
action plans. The students then arranged these strategies for priority
implementation by financial and environmental return, knowing that strategies that
produced good results in both areas were more likely to be implemented quickly
and effectively. The student class project research was presented to Missy and
Ramya at the Office of Sustainability for review and revision, and those comments
were included in the report submitted by the students as their senior project. To
finalize the first formal draft of the ISU Climate Action Plan before public comment,
Emma and Ramya spent more time reviewing and summarizing the proposed ISU
Climate Action Plan strategies.
4. Introduction
Climate change is very real. It has already begun to alter both our environment and
our lives. While the full implications are not fully understood, accelerated changes
have occurred within the climate, and these changes have the potential to cause
devastating impacts on all productive sectors and livelihoods. Scientific evidence
suggests that climate change is a causal factor in rising sea levels, increased
occurrence of severe weather events, food shortages, changing patterns of disease,
severe water shortages and the loss of tropical forests. Most experts agree that over
the next few decades, the world will undergo potentially dangerous changes in
climate, which will have a significant impact on almost every aspect of our
environment, economies and societies.
Consequently, there is great need for the federal government to make fundamental
shifts in its energy policy and to align its vast research and development resources
with climate protection. Recently, the United States federal government has taken
action in addressing the issue of climate change. In June 2013, President Obama first
launched a Climate Action Plan for the nation. Additionally, in November 2013, he
signed an order to create a climate change task force comprised of state and local
officials, including Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Further, universities play a unique role within the field of climate change because
they focus their educational mission on research and intellectual leadership in
society, which makes them an ideal setting for modeling the transition to a lowcarbon future. As an institution of higher education, Illinois State University (ISU) is
serious in taking on its responsibility to help solve national and global problems.
Therefore, the creation and the implementation of a climate action plan would mark
the next milestone in ISU’s commitment to climate change and subsequently,
contributing to solving both a national and global problem.
4.1 About Illinois State University (ISU)
Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois, designated by the Department
of Energy as climate zone 5. In 2012, there were 20,502 full time enrolled students.
The University owns a total of 920 acres of land, on which 221 university structures
comprise a total building square footage of 6.9 million square feet (Illinois State
University, 2010). The university employs a great amount of on campus stationary
as well as fleet vehicles and other resources to meet operational goals. Four natural
gas steam boilers provide the steam used to heat university buildings and provide
hot water to campus fixtures. More than 40 cars, vans, and mini-buses comprise the
Illinois State University campus fleet.
4.2 ISU Campus Culture
Illinois State University prepares students to be informed and engaged citizens and
leaders within their chosen fields. To do this, ISU has a strong commitment to a
sustainable future, which ensures that the University’s tradition of excellence will
continue well into the future. This mindset is reflected in the central goal of the
Illinois State University Educating Illinois 2008-2014 strategic plan, the promotion
of a healthy, safe, and environmentally sustainable campus. ISU aims to achieve this
goal through teaching, research, and service, using environmentally sound business
and operating practices, and fostering a culture of sustainability among all members
of the campus community.
4.3 Campus Overview
4.4 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory (see attached)
4.4.1. Overview
Since signing onto the American College and University President’s Climate
Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007, Illinois State University (ISU) has been
committed to publishing annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reports. Beginning in
fiscal year (FY) 2010, ISU’s GHG inventory and emissions estimate calculates
annual emissions from the operations of the university. Also known as a
"carbon footprint" assessment, this estimate includes an initial baseline (in
our case FY2010) from which to measure progress, and provides annual
updates as we track our progress toward our university-wide climate goals.
Data for the GHG Inventory was collected from numerous sources on campus
and then calculated using the Campus Carbon Calculator v6.75 from CleanAir Cool Planet, which includes the six GHGs defined by the Kyoto Protocol.
4.4.2. What are Greenhouse Gases?
As defined by the Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gases (GHGs) include carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). These gases
within the earth’s atmosphere allow solar radiation to pass through the
atmosphere and heat the surface of the earth and its waters. This heat is then
reradiated as infrared energy, a lower solar radiation frequency. Since GHGs
absorb radiation at lower frequencies, this heat becomes trapped and the
gases act like greenhouses, in that radiation passes into the gas but the heat
is kept from reradiating out of these gases. Of the GHGs, CO2 is considered to
be the most significant contributor. Therefore, when accounting for GHGs, all
the other gases are normalized to CO2 equivalents, which makes the standard
unit for accounting for GHGs to be metric tons of CO2 equivalents (MTCO2e).
4.4.3. Projections
In going forward, ISU needs make the campus infrastructure more efficient
by seeking reductions from each contributing sector, as well as promoting
innovation across campus functions and units. Additionally, it is necessary
for ISU to have the cooperation of the entire campus community. To name a
few, this would accelerate the adoption of more sustainable means of
transport, increased environmental literacy and research, reduced energy
use in buildings, and reduced solid waste campus production.
5. Vision
Since 2010, the university has been reporting and evaluating its greenhouse gas
emissions. The Climate Action Plan (CAP) provides a roadmap and strategy for
achieving carbon neutrality. The CAP calls for the university to reduce its on-site
carbon emissions from its buildings, transportation, and energy use. Additionally,
the CAP outlines ways Illinois State University can provide climate change, as well as
broader curriculum and research in an interdisciplinary manner. Further, the plan
showcases how the university can use communications resources in providing
transparency, encouraging community participation, and celebrating progress upon
reaching its goals.
In our pursuit of a course of action, which will decrease the footprint of Illinois State
University within the surrounding communities, we are guided by several
principles. We aim to:
● Increase student, faculty, and staff awareness of their impact
on the environment;
● To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and create adaptive
strategies for future mitigation;
● To decrease operational costs and preserve institutional
resources through reduced energy use;
● To join in collaborative projects with civic leaders to enhance
the neighboring communities.
Through the creation and subsequent implementation of ISU’s Climate Action Plan,
Illinois State University takes a crucial step forward in asserting their role as a
community leader in sustainability. The realities of climate change showcases the
necessity for ISU’s role in reducing GHG emissions, as well as adapting strategies to
take action in reducing the risks caused or exacerbated by climate change. As a
working document, the CAP will serve as an outline and basis for the university to
leverage themselves as a model for other higher-education institutes, as well as a
steward in protecting the future of the community of Bloomington-Normal.
Illinois State University Climate Action
Plan Overview
Strategies for the Illinois State University Climate Action Plan are organized into
seven areas of campus influence:
● Academics
● Co-curricular Activities and Programs
● Communications
● Physical Environment
● Transportation
● Utilities and Operations
● Waste Minimization and Recycling
Criteria for Initial Selection of Strategies
The Climate Action Plan strategies presented here were selected using a
combination of formal criteria and brainstorming techniques. First, an assessment
of the ongoing and planned future efforts were catalogued by the ISU Office of
Sustainability. Then, as the result of a senior capstone project in the Renewable
Energy major, a list of strategies with documentation on financial and
environmental outcomes was compiled based on the Climate Action Plans from
twenty-six other colleges and universities. Next, this list was filtered into distinct
categories to aid analysis, and financial and environmental norms were determined
for each strategy. In order to maximize university buy-in, these strategies were first
filtered according to desired financial outcome, and then environmental outcome.
The result was a draft of strategies arranged within short, medium, and long term
implementation timeframes according to these parameters. The ongoing and future
sustainability efforts were referenced at this point, and added to this list where
appropriate. Several more brainstorming sessions were held to define opportunities
for new strategies that would be uniquely suited to the culture of ISU and would
therefore be more assured to meet with success.
Academic Advancement and Research
Past Accomplishments
● Creation of Major in Renewable Energy
● Creation of Minor in Business Environment and Sustainability
● Research into Biodiesel and Biomethane by Environmental Health professors
and students
○ Incorporation of Biodiesel Production in AGR 225: Renewable Energy
and Agriculture
● Research into microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa by Katie School of
Insurance professor
● Research into Community and Economic Development by Stevenson Center
● K-12 Energy Education Collaboration with Illinois Schools
● College of Arts and Science Interdisciplinary Research Working Group
*Certificate Program in Sustainability
Strategy 1: Sustainability Literacy/Social Responsibility-Civic
Engagement Course Requirement
Gaining knowledge of sustainability enables students to learn how to create
both a more humane and environmentally sound future for society. Students are the
consumers for the future. Therefore, it is important that they gain knowledge on
environmental problems, as well as how to create a more environmentally healthy
and humane world. At many higher education institutions, students graduate
environmentally illiterate and unaware of resource distribution inequalities
(McIntosh, Cacciola, Clermont, and Keniry 2001). Universities which have
incorporated this requirement within their curricula include the University of
Minnesota and the University of Northern Iowa. Since 1994, the University of
Minnesota has required undergraduate students to take at least one course in each
of four themes. Of these four themes, two of the themes are Environment and
Citizenship and Public Ethics. Whereas, at the University of Iowa, since 1988,
students have been required to take the course Environment, Technology, and
Society.
Through implementation of a sustainability literacy/social responsibility
course requirement within the General Education core requirements, all
undergraduates of ISU will graduate with basic learning competency in the field of
sustainability. ISU will also be a part of setting precedent for other higher education
institutions, in terms of curricula innovation. Especially in today’s context, it is
becoming more and more valuable for students to gain knowledge on sustainability,
both in general and in relation to their respective prospective career fields. With
incorporation of this new graduation requirement, ISU will be graduating students
with a skill valuable within the job market, which can enable ISU students to become
more competitive and have an edge compared to other internship and job seekers.
Strategy 2: Environmental Research Initiatives
These environmental research initiatives are to be on-going on ISU’s campus.
While the initiative to promote engagement in environmental research has no
quantifiable effect on emissions or operational savings, it has a significant
qualitative effect on the well-being and quality of life experienced on ISU’s campus.
Organic Farming Techniques at University Farm
The University Farm is located near Lexington, Illinois, which is around 18
miles away from ISU’s campus. Through supporting the teaching, research, and
outreach activities of ISU’s Department of Agriculture, the farm offers hands-on
training for ISU students. Through incorporating organic farming techniques,
University Farm will continue to expand its teaching, research, and outreach
activities, while encouraging campus research in the field of sustainable food
systems. Essentially, the University Farm can be seen as a living laboratory where
students have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of sustainable
agricultural techniques. This initiative can be incorporated into many different types
of coursework at ISU, because of the interdisciplinary aspect of the Farm. Areas of
potential research exploration include policy, economics, agriculture, environmental
science, public health, and social science. It can also lead to curriculum expansion
and the incorporation of new partners within this sector of agriculture. Additionally,
it can attract new students who are interested in focusing on raising food with
philosophy and practices valuing long-term environmental sustainability. Despite
organic farming being only a small portion of the agricultural sector, there has been
a steep increase in sales of organic produce, as well as increased consumer desire to
understand where their food comes from and how it is produced. Overall, this
initiative will enable students to consider the viability of organic agriculture and the
knowledge in how to approach it.
Green Roofs on Campus Buildings
Green building construction and renovation will enable the ISU campus to
conserve energy, reduce usage of raw materials, and ultimately save money. Green
roofs are considered one component of green building, and they promote
sustainable construction, which is financially sound and environmentally beneficial.
They can make significant difference by reducing stormwater runoff, improving the
life-cycle of waterproof roofing, insulating its building from the summer heat and
the winter chill, and attracting butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. If properly
planned, green roof retrofit installations can be well budgeted, planned, executed,
and maintained. They are also a growing field of research and development.
Annually, new information is released on the approaches to installing and sustaining
diverse plant communities, and higher education institutions could become a part of
the effort in expanding knowledge and research within this field of interest. Within
the topic of green roofs, there is great potential for students to partake in research
efforts concerning maintenance, plant materials and regionally appropriate
ecosystems, temperature mitigation, technical assemblies, and storm runoff data.
At ISU, green roofs can add valuable green space and beautify the campus.
For example, the need for ample parking has led the University to create many
asphalt surface lots and concrete parking structures, all which decrease campus
green space. Through greening the campus through underground parking with
gathering spaces and lawns and gathering spaces a top of the structure, the campus
community can experience a more welcoming environment. Additionally, green
roofs offer opportunity for the coexistence of new construction and recreational
open space. With the renovations planned for ISU’s Bone Student Center, it would be
prudent to consider a green roof retrofit to be a viable solution for the building. As a
landmark on campus, this building has the potential to serve as a best practice
model for other buildings on campus, as well as other buildings in the greater
Bloomington-Normal community and other universities. Further, with the
development and maintenance of this initiative, students and the rest of the campus
community have opportunity to participate in research efforts and expand their
knowledge, as well as that of others interested in this field of interest.
University Carbon Emissions
The campus could utilize a methodological framework which quantifies its
carbon emissions. The data gathered from this initiative could be used to
conceptualize innovative solutions for the mitigation and adaptation of carbon
emissions, as well as relating the greenhouse gas emissions back to University
finances. This could lead to research for different ways the University’s can lower
their carbon emissions, while being financially responsible. The Climate Action Plan
is one example of how this strategy can be implemented.
Climate Change Effects on Local Ecosystems
Climate change is leading to rapid, large scale transformations of ecosystems,
which has led to the expansion of species into new areas, the intermingling of
species which formerly did not overlap, and species extinction. These ecological
impacts are often local and vary from place to place. Also, these changes cannot be
considered inherently good or bad, but they are shifting away from the system’s
prior state. Since human actions have caused climate change, and subsequently, this
transformation of ecosystems, the importance lies in the how human activities
which affect ecosystems are approached. To name a few, these activities include
agriculture, water management, transportation, and biological conservation.
In Central Illinois, the effect on the local ecosystem can be seen upon
analyzing shifts in agriculture and migratory waterways. Research in this area will
be beneficial in the identification of mitigation strategies related to these shifts. For
example, in efforts to preserve native plants, Illinois State University horticulturist,
Don Schmidt is working in conjunction with Sugar Grove Nature Center to preserve
native prairie plants. Through research, similar steps can be taken to preserve
natural resources and to preserve the integrity of the land in both species and native
plants.
*Composting at University Farm: Mitigate Local Contamination
Co-curricular Activities and Programs
Past Accomplishments
● Department of Energy Race to Zero - Technology Students from Construction
Management, Renewable Energy, Engineering Technology, and the Project
Management MS were represented at the Net Zero Energy Home Design
Challenge
● Student Herb Garden
● Illinois Green Business Association Interns - many times per year the Illinois
Green Business Association (IGBA), a local nonprofit certifying body for
sustainable business practices, recruits interns from many academic
departments at ISU and trains them in basic workplace conservation
principles and practices. Many of these students take on the task of
communicating the green business practices that they have learned to a local
business already enrolled in the IGBA Green Business Program and helping
them towards certification.
Strategy 3: Cross-Disciplinary Environmental Projects
Students have many different learning styles, one of which thrives in groups.
What extra- or co-curricular environmental projects that reach across disciplines
provide is they enable students to benefit from a broader and richer base of
knowledge about topical issues. With an improved net of communication between
campus departments and organizations, the shared goals of sustainability and
climate mitigation will be more readily understood and discussed.
Communications
Past Accomplishments
● Creation of a vibrant social presence with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
accounts for Sustainability ISU
● Reusable Door Hangers for Water Reduction to be placed in University
Residence Halls
Strategy 4: Campus Sustainability Training Video
Currently, during the orientation of faculty, staff, and students, ISU utilizes
technology through different training videos. Amongst the training videos shown,
ISU could incorporate a campus sustainability training video. When looking at cost
versus benefits, this video would yield minimum costs with widespread campuswide benefits.
Cost estimate: $0-10 per hour labor (either free labor/volunteer or
internship/assistantship. Assume 5 average work time on this project is 5 weeks by
2 people. No cost for software or materials, all are available in university labs
(assuming software is free movie editing software, possibly combined with
Captivate or Articulate training development software.
Strategy 5: Behavioral Change through Outreach
Through educational and social marketing outreach, campus behavior can be
transformed to conserve energy. Not only is behavioral modification cost-effective,
these habits can have great benefit on the climate when modified habits are
implemented within the personal lives of those a part of the Illinois State University
campus community.
Energy Demonstrations
As cited in the CAPs of Transylvania University and Syracuse University,
energy demonstrations are effective as a communications mitigation strategy, in
that it increases awareness within the campus community. This allows for the
facilitation of behavioral change, which will then aid universities in their goal of
reaching carbon neutrality. At ISU, energy demonstrations will be designed for
maximum campus visibility, as well as to raise awareness of Illinois State
University’s sustainability efforts. Also, the demonstrations enable an interactive
component in the advancement of learning and exercise of sustainable practices, as
well as aiding the campus community in its cultural change.
Physical Environment
Past Accomplishments
● Tree Campus USA
● Integrated Pest Management
● Rain Garden
● Phosphorus Free Fertilizers
● Donor Tree Program
Strategy 6: Update Campus Tree Map – Develop Interactive
Smartphone App
The Campus Tree Map is one way Illinois State University is preserving Jesse
Fell’s legacy. Using the map, one can find specific types of trees, including cypresses
and oak. The data for the current Campus Tree Map is around four years old. Since
then, changes have occurred with the addition of new trees, as well as some trees
being no longer around. Since it is a time-consuming task to collect data for each
tree on campus, we suggest the creation of an interactive smartphone application.
This application would utilize GIS Cloud technology and would allow the Campus
Tree Map to be a web-based map and database that enables everyone to
collaboratively create an accurate and informative inventory of the trees on the
campus of Illinois State University.
Strategy 7: Utilize Grounds to Promote Sustainability Initiatives
The management of campus grounds is an opportunity for sustainable
development on campus. The campus landscape can be seen as a physical
embodiment of the University’s values. ISU’s Grounds Unit with the Department of
Facilities already looks for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Therefore,
it is necessary for ISU to utilize the Grounds Unit to promote sustainability
initiatives. These outdoor initiatives can act as a springboard for building
momentum towards other sustainability endeavours. Through campus landscape,
damaged ecologies can be restored, biodiversity can be increased, and human health
can be promoted. Additionally, the campus landscape should be sustainable
ecologically, socially, and economically. By being sustainable these three ways, it
will contribute to ISU’s short and long term health and resiliency. For example,
landscape designs can reduce water usage, and the planting of shade trees can
eliminate the need to use harmful chemicals and fertilizers. Also, the
implementation of University-wide composting could lead to ISU being able to
utilize compost for fertilizers and mulch. Often, not much capital is needed for
sustainable landscaping to be accomplished. Rather than building and installing
new, pricey features, most of the time institutions just need to change how the
maintenance occurs.
Strategy 8: Student Run Vegetable Gardens
A campus, student-run community garden would grow herbs and vegetables,
which could then be sold to the campus community or utilized by campus dining.
Some of the produce could also be donated to needy individuals and families in the
greater community of Bloomington-Normal. Sustainable agriculture and
environmental best practices would be acquired through this proposal highlighting
sustainability and food. The vegetable gardens would be student-run but would be
maintained by a team of volunteers consisting of faculty, staff, students, and
members of the surrounding community. Benefits from this initiative include
community-building, hands-on experience, organic produce, food transparency, and
campus connectivity to food.
Transportation
Past Accomplishments
● Installed 5 electric vehicle charging stations on the Illinois State University
campus Locations found here:
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html
● Signed universal access agreement with local bus company to provide free
public bus rides to students, faculty, and staff through yearly fees
● Enabled local rideshare opportunities between ISU students through Zimride
subscription
Strategy 9: Carpool Policy
Many ISU students who want to travel to see family and friends on the
weekends choose to utilize the ample public transportation available to and from
ISU and the Chicago Suburbs, Champaign, Peoria, and communities in between. The
Amtrak passenger train system, along with the local bus companies typically
provide this service to ISU students at a rate of $25-35 per trip, sometimes more or
less depending on the amount of planning involved in the ticket purchase. However,
it is frequently the case that, finding the price of train or bus have risen last minute,
students either need to cancel travel plans or take a personal car to their
destination.
What these students do not know is that ISU has an online subscription to
Zimride, a rideshare posting board that connects drivers with passengers who are
going to the same destination. Thepage may be found at this link:
http://zimride.illinoisstate.edu/user/rides. All users must be an ISU student to post
to the ISU page, and many users are connected via Facebook and other social media,
providing carpool partners the opportunity to meet each other and relieve the
anxiety of sharing a ride with a stranger. The participants are also welcome and
encouraged to negotiate terms for gas money, which in many cases could result in a
less expensive option than the traditional public transportation by bus or train.
What ISU can do to familiarize students with this service is institute an
incentivizing policy, such as offering printable coupons with each verified rideshare,
something which is possible to implement through social media. Some ideas include
a punch-stamp style coupon system, which would offer students a free item from
one of the campus eateries and would be accomplished at minimal cost.
Strategy 10: Increase EV Charging Stations
In order to support a growing community of electric vehicles users both
internal and external to the ISU community, we recommend that ISU conduct a
study to determine the best locations to install several more electric vehicle
charging stations. This will not only provide the infrastructure to enable increased
utilization of electric vehicles, but also stimulate the local green economy and
interest in sustainable transportation.
Strategy 11: Student-staffed Bike Repair Program through Student
Government Association
At Illinois State University, the bike-share program, Reggie Rides, has been
available to the campus community since Spring 2014. This program allows anyone
with an Illinois State University ID to check out a bike from the Student Fitness
Center. Even without Reggie Rides, it is not unusual for members of the University’s
campus community to own or to have access to a bike. Despite bikes being
accessible, there are no bike repair programs available on campus. Therefore, if
there bike repair facilities and staff on campus that are readily-accessible to
students, even high capacity bike usage will be a possibility for the students of ISU.
Strategy 12: Establish more Bike Lanes around Campus
The Bloomington-Normal area has been making moves towards branding
and implementing itself as a biker-friendly community within its downtown areas.
This is reflected within the renovated, bike friendly Uptown Normal, as well as the
newly formed initiative in Bloomington, Illinois, Bike Blo-No, which aims to
renovate Downtown Bloomington to become more biker-friendly through the
installation of bike lanes. Further, with the newly instated program, Reggie Rides,
bikes are now more accessible to the campus community. This program allows
anyone with an Illinois State University ID to borrow a bike for up to a day from the
Student Fitness Center. Despite the pro-bike changes being made in the greater
community, on campus, there are not sufficient bike lanes to encourage biking as a
safe method of transportation. Instituting more bike lanes will allow the campus
community to be encouraged to bike more. It will also allow ISU to incorporate
similar initiatives to what is being implemented in the Bloomington-Normal area.
Strategy 13: Incorporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fee into
Parking Fees
The Bloomington-Normal community offers several alternative
transportation options which are readily accessible to student and faculty
commuters. Due to a Universal Access agreement signed with the local public bus
company, ISU students and faculty are granted free access to any city bus. In
addition to the public bus system, biking to or from any location in the campus
vicinity is made easier by the Constitution trail, a retired and repaved railway line
which is maintained by the public works departments year-round. These modes of
transportation have the capacity to serve many more commuters who already have
access to them, but may not have sufficient incentive to switch to an alternative
mode. Therefore, one component of a comprehensive local car commuter reduction
policy is to increase parking fees and reduce the amount of commuters who are
willing to pay for parking on campus.
Strategy 14: Video Conferencing Policy
Videoconferencing is one way to decrease the need for long distance car and
air travel and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions. Other universities have
employed this strategy chiefly to reduce the need for university colleagues to
purchase aircraft in order to conduct meetings. The strategy has been cited in the
Colgate University and Syracuse University Climate Action Plans with insight
relevant to potential costs, savings, and carbon mitigation.
Strategy 15: Public Transit Policy
ISU students and faculty are currently granted Universal Access to the
Bloomington-Normal public transit system and may access buses with bike racks at
many locations during the day. It is recommended that members of the ISU
community are given more information on this service and more opportunities to
become familiarized with the local bus routes, which can be confusing to new riders.
● Include a bus riding and schedule reading orientation as part of new student
welcome weekend, led by Resident Assistants or Office of Sustainability
volunteers.
Utilities and Operations
[Utilities and Operations were defined as any aspect of ISU under the purview of
Facilities Operations and Management. ]
Past Accomplishments
● Between 2001 and 2011 ,despite a 16% increase in campus square footage,
ISU reduced its energy consumption by 20% and water consumption by 28%.
● Lighting upgrades
● Automated building controls
● New mechanical systems and chiller plants
● Energy Services Contract with NORESCO
*Energy Star Certification for Buildings - Good Comparison to LEED
Strategy 16: Internal Energy Auditing – Smart Energy Design
Assistance Center (SEDAC)
The Illinois State Office of Energy Management has publicly released plans to
increase building-level electricity metering in the future, which is a strategy we
recommend to increase quality of energy information and resource allocation in
terms of energy efficiency investments. We also recommend partnering with a local
non-profit known as the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, which provides
free comprehensive energy audits and recommendations. SEDAC typically collects
data on buildings at the facility level and therefore we recommend a request for
collaboration with SEDAC to perform energy analysis services for one or more high
value projects.
● Building-level submetering
● SEDAC Energy Audit
Strategy 17: IT Power Management Policy
A comprehensive information policy across campus has the potential to
easily save a large amount of energy from by turning off computer systems during
off hours. Currently, each university computer lab and administrative technology
facility is maintained by professionals who manage the IT hardware and software. A
uniform IT power management policy will call attention to the imperative not just to
properly maintain the equipment and software, but also to take advantage of the
opportunity to save energy through responsible management.
Strategy 18: Energy Star Purchasing Policy
Energy Star appliances and equipment may use 20-30% less energy than
competing products, as Energy Star certification is given only to products which
meet a high standard of efficiency in their category. Illinois State should institute a
policy to purchase Energy Star rated products when possible, or determine high
efficiency product alternatives in categories where Energy Star does not exist.
Strategy 19: Low-Flow Shower Head Replacement
Due to the high number of students living in campus housing, there are huge
gains in water conservation to be made by replacing water fixtures with low flow
options. Other universities have instituted strategies to install low flow shower
heads on campus wherever possible, including the University of Delaware, Colgate
University, and Transylvania University. EPA Watersense Program provides
standards for flow rates of showerheads.
● Replace shower heads at remaining university residence halls
● Campus apartment companies
Strategy 20: Vending Machines
Vending machine energy efficiency strategies have been implemented at
several institutions including the University of New Mexico, University of Delaware,
Oberlin College, and the University of Montana. Replacements of energy hogs with
more efficient models or sensor-activated systems have proven cost effective, and
the opportunity to re-negotiate vendor contracts presents a timely opportunity for
ISU to offer students snacks which are both healthy and energy-rich.
Strategy 21: Electric Vehicle Fleet Purchase
Normal, Illinois leadership have made huge efforts to promote electric
vehicle use in and around the Bloomington-Normal community. The groundwork set
by Mayor Chris Koos, the administrators at the Town of Normal offices, and the
Electric Vehicle Task Force would allow the Illinois State University Fleet to easily
find and negotiate good value contracts for electric vehicles to suit the University’s
needs. Bloomington Normal already has electric vehicle charging stations installed
on and off-campus to meet the needs of the more than 300 electric vehicle owners in
the area, which will enable the vehicle operators to easily find and charge their
vehicles while they are away from the fleet storage area. A chief advantage of
electric fleet vehicles is low fuel cost, because right now and for the foreseeable
future all electricity drawn from charging stations is free of charge, and the upfront
installation fee for each station is about $700.
Strategy 22: Smart Travel Policy
One simple but effective change that can be made to campus travel is to
consciously plan local and long-distance route effectively for local university
business travel. This can be enabled by simply posting a local map to every office
which makes frequent local trips to regular locations, providing the most
economical routes.
Strategy 23: Revised Building Scheduling
We recommend that Illinois State University building schedules be examined
and revised in order to find opportunities for energy savings during off hours. Some
buildings have already received energy efficient lighting retrofits and occupancy
sensors, however there are still significant gains which can be made by shifting
custodial and class schedules slightly to reduce energy use during later hours. Once
ISU has determines the potential for revised building scheduling while maintaining
safety during off-hours, the cost savings from reduced lighting loads will be
substantial.
Strategy 24: Occupancy Sensors
Although occupancy sensors have been installed in many buildings across campus,
there are still areas where occupancy sensor installation has the potential to yield
high energy savings. Many labs and conference rooms are only used for specific
activities, while offices are more frequently occupied. The savings yielded will be in
proportion to the variability in room usage throughout the day, provided sensors
are placed at appropriate locations in each room.
Strategy 25: Lighting Upgrades with Occupancy and Daylight
Sensors
Lighting retrofits and light sensors can be used in a variety of ways to reduce energy
usage during periods of low usage or high natural lighting effectiveness. In the
former case, room occupancy sensors can be installed to turn off lights when no
activity or movement if detected in the room for a certain period of time. Where
buildings spaces are designed to provide sufficient lighting for work tasks,
daylighting controls can be installed to monitor the changing amount of light per
room space, and adjust indoor lighting levels accordingly.
Strategy 26: Water Conservation
Under a comprehensive water conservation policy, we recommend that Illinois State
University provide annual water consumption data distinguished by building type
and square footage, and encourage students and staff to conserve water through
more educational campaigns.
Strategy 27: Solar PV Generation
The Illinois State University Campus contains several buildings with large open
rooftop, parking deck, and building facade space viable for solar photovoltaic
development. Any solar development on the Illinois State University campus will not
only support the Illinois State Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard of 7% solar
power generation by 2025, but also the Town of Normal Distributed Generation
Plan to incorporate small distributed power sources within close proximity to local
electrical loads. In the past several years, several ISU locations have been under
study as potential sites for solar pv development. They are listed below:
● South Parking Garage Top Deck
● Bone Student Center Parking Lot
● Facade of Bone Student Center
Strategy 28: Window Replacements
Where possible it is recommended that ISU facilities replace old windows with new
ones that provide a good thermal barrier to preserve the indoor environment and to
more effectively operate building heating, ventilation, and cooling systems.
Strategy 29: Roof Improvements
Rider, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville, Univ Colorado at Boulder
Strategy 30: Lighting Retrofits
New Mexico, Florida, UCLA, Oberlin, Mount St. Mary's, Binghamton, Montana,
Transylvania, City College NY, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville
Strategy 31: Lighting Controls
New Mexico, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Rider
Strategy 32: Energy Service Contract - ESCO
Strategy 33: Alternative Fuel for Fleet Vehicles
Colgate, Syracuse, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville
Waste Minimization
Past Accomplishments
● Trayless Dining Centers
● Electronics Recycling
● Computer Refurbishing and Reuse
Strategy 34: Construction Debris Recycling Policy
Strategy 35: Freecycle policy for Office Materials
Strategy 36: Increased Installation of Water Fountain Bottle Filler
Station Retrofits
Strategy 37: Increase Free-cycle Events on the Quad and in Bone
Student Center
Strategy 38: Increased Composting
Cited in Arizona State, Binghamton, U Tenn Knoxville, Colgate
University Farm has been able to incorporate ISU’s campus dining’s sustainable
efforts of composting into its operations. This is especially true because innovation
and research in waste management strategies is beneficial to both ISU and the
greater community of Normal. The University Farm composts almost all the manure
produced on the farm. The Farm composts manure, which has been proposed to
reduce odor and seen to have environmental impact on livestock waste. Illinois
State University has also developed partnerships with commercial enterprises to
make the compost available for public use, such as in lawns, gardens, and flower
beds. Further, the utilization of composting at the farm leads to sustainable efforts
being employed on both ISU’s main campus and the University Farm. ISU’s campus
dining has made significant efforts to incorporate collecting compost as a part of
their daily routine and within their operational model.
Strategy 39: Anaerobic Digester at University Farm
Adaptation Strategies
Strategy 1: Sustainability-Focused Career Fair
No quantifiable effect on emissions of operations savings
Beyond Illinois State University, sustainability is highly sought after within
the workplace. In the past decade, sustainability-oriented business has flourished;
existing trends show great potential in job creation. Job seekers increasingly want to
work for sustainable companies, and companies increasingly value applicants with
sustainable backgrounds. The rising importance of protecting natural capital has
led companies to turn to mitigation and adaptation strategies. As a result, there has
been a surge of sustainable career opportunities over a variety of sectors.
Additionally, the umbrella of sustainability encompasses the field of sociallyconscious careers, which include non-profit jobs. Today, the nonprofit sector is the
third largest job market. Bringing a sustainability-focused career fair to Illinois State
University would provide students with a greater number of career opportunities,
as well as provide companies and organizations with job candidates possessing
valuable backgrounds. Further, the fair can become an adaptation strategy for the
university to use in its efforts to become more sustainable.
At Illinois State University, a Sustainable Career Fair could provide a number
of opportunities. Essentially, a Sustainability Career Fair would bridge the gap that
divides students and young professionals from sustainability-active companies and
institutions. Companies can utilize a sustainability-focused career fair to bring their
sustainable message to students. Since eco-friendliness is no longer confined to the
environmental sector, it is important for companies to have their message reach
students. This provides the opportunity for ISU’s Career Center to entice sustainable
organizations, such as Deloitte and IBM, to recruit Illinois State University students.
In addition to fulfilling student and employer needs, the fair could be another
opportunity for the ISU Career Center to connect with alumni currently in
sustainable careers. Further, this career fair could be opportunity for Illinois State
to broadcast job opportunities available within the university. This would be
sustainable because the university would be using its resource, students, to fill a
campus need. Further, there is the opportunity to invite graduate schools offering
sustainability programs, as well as promoting sustainable programs at Illinois State,
such as the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development. The
invitation of graduate schools provides more sustainability-related post-graduation
options for students.
Strategy 2: Install More Rain Gardens
Strategy 3: Plant Native Prairie Grasses and Trees
Strategy 4: Donor Tree Program
Trees are essential to the campus landscape.
Strategy 5: Forest Carbon Sequestration
Colorado State, Colgate
References
McIntosh, M., K. Cacciola, S. Clermont, and J. Keniry. 2001. State of the Campus
Environment: A National Report Card on Environmental Performance and
Sustainability in Higher Education. Reston, Va.: National Wildlife Federation.