UP 466

Spring 2015

Group 3

Vasco Yin Chun Chan

Maximillian Mahalek

Andrew Schwartz

Michael Taylor

West Campus Climate Action Plan

1

Executive Summary

The West Campus community is located to the west of the University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign’s main quadrangle. Composed primarily of apartment-style residences and

dormitories, during the academic season the neighborhood houses nearly 20% of the University’s

student body. In addition, West Campus is composed of educational facilities, restaurants, and a

variety of small retailers. Lifestyles, schedules, transportation choices, and even the urban

framework are unique in a campus-dominated setting, which differs from the urban or suburban

communities that climate action plans typically focus on. This study aims to quantify and observe

energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission trends within the West Campus area. In addition,

future consumption and carbon dioxide emissions are projected.

Once these calculations and projections are completed, candidate initiatives aimed at reducing

energy use and carbon dioxide emissions are identified. Residential electricity consumption is one

of the primary contributors to carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus. Two significant

strategies are recommended to minimize the high climate impact of this sector: the installation of

photovoltaic panels on existing buildings, as well as the installation of a deep-well, geothermal

generation system. In addition, demand for such energy may be reduced by requiring ENERGY

STAR rated appliances and providing conservation education. Policies to improve the annual

carbon footprints of other energy uses are identified, including building heating and transportation

within (or to and from) West Campus. Altogether, our recommendations are aimed at reducing

carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus by 75% by the year 2040.

Precedents reflecting our recommendations are discussed, and guidance is provided in the area of

coalition building and financing (areas key to the implementation of our recommendations).

This plan aims to provide an educational resource for environmentally conscious area residents,

promote increased climate awareness locally, and to identify a benchmark in energy behavior.

The breakdown of our group members’ contributions are seen in Appendix Item 1.

Image 1: West Campus houses many

University of Illinois students in high-density buildings. Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illini_Tower.jpg

2

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

West Campus Ethnographic Discussion 4

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Inventory 6

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Projections 15

Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Targets 17

Strategies for Energy and Emission Reductions 18

Mitigation Wedges 27

Results and Discussion 29

Precedents and Applying Recommendations 30

Conclusion 32

Works Cited 33

Appendix 35

Image 2: West Campus residents and visitors often rely on public transit. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/claygregory/4918241172/

3

Introduction

Our team has been tasked with developing a climate action plan for a large portion of the

Campustown neighborhood surrounding the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign. Specifically, we are focusing on reducing both energy use and carbon dioxide

emissions in an area we have deemed “West Campus,” which incorporates a part of the campus

itself, as well the commercial and residential areas west of campus (all of which lays in the city

limits of the Champaign). West Campus is bordered on the west by First Street, Green Street on

the north, Peabody Drive on the south, and on the east by both Sixth Street and Wright Streets (see

Map 1). The intention of this plan is to identify the full range of contributors to carbon dioxide

emissions that are present within West Campus. Once this knowledge is established,

recommendations are made to help achieve a 75% drop in emissions by 2040.

Map 1: Geographic Boundaries of West Campus

Note that, for the purposes of this plan, energy use projections are estimated consistently

throughout the entire year, despite the fact that many students move elsewhere during the summer

months. This is done for four reasons: 1) despite the fact that many students leave West Campus

during the summer, there are many on-campus events and programs during the summer attracting

temporary residents to the neighborhood, 2) many, if not all, of the area’s offices and institutional

uses are utilized during the summer, 3) many in this neighborhood utilize energy late into the night,

increasing usage throughout the year as compared to other neighborhoods in Champaign and

Urbana, and 4) the conservation and load tactics recommended will even be more effective than

projected if indeed energy use in the neighborhood falls below estimations (due to less use in the

summer).

4

West Campus Ethnographic Discussion

Regional Context

The Campustown neighborhood (of which West Campus forms a large portion) is one of the four

core market areas of the Champaign-Urbana twin city region. The other three core markets include

downtown Champaign (with its many nightlife offerings), downtown Urbana (home to the

Champaign County Courthouse and attorneys’ offices), and the north Prospect Avenue area of

Champaign (home to numerous “big-box” stores). Campustown includes the campus of the

University of Illinois, as well as residential, commercial, and institutional uses associated with the

campus. Many of the faculty and staff at the University of Illinois commute to Campustown daily.

These commuters are joined by some students who live off-campus. During evening hours and on

the weekends, young residents of Champaign-Urbana who do not attend the University of Illinois

also travel to Campustown to enjoy its entertainment offerings.

West Campus itself is bordered on the north by Green Street, which is a minor arterial street

connecting downtown Champaign with downtown Urbana (where its eastern terminus is located).

Green Street travels westward, past downtown Champaign, to Mattis Avenue (near the entrance to

I-72). I-74, which runs east-to-west through Champaign-Urbana, is located 1.7 miles to the north

of West Campus, while I-57, which runs north-to-south, is located 3.5 miles to the west. Kirby

Road/Florida Avenue, which is a major east-to-west arterial, is located roughly a quarter mile to

the south of West Campus. 0.2 of a mile to the west of West Campus stands the Illinois Central

Railroad, which serves both freight rail and Amtrak (bringing visitors to Champaign-Urbana).

Roughly 4.5 miles to the southwest of West Campus stands Willard Airport, which serves as a

gateway to many visitors of the University.

Map 2: Regional Context of the West Campus Community

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Neighborhood Information and Systems

The following census block groups make up West Campus, per the 2010 US Census: Block Group

2/Census Tract 3.01, Block Group 1/Census Tract 3.01, Block Group 1/Census Tract 4.01, Block

Group 2/Census Tract 4.01, Block Group 2/Census Tract 4.02, Block Group 1/Census Tract 4.02,

and Block Group 1/Census Tract 14. Extrapolating the population numbers for these geographies

form the 2010 US census, it was estimated that 8,146 persons reside in West Campus.i This

population may decline upwards of 70% at various points throughout the summer, as many

students move elsewhere during that time. A survey of land-uses in the neighborhood is provided

later in this report.

West Campus is serviced by several bus lines, as the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District is

oriented towards serving the University of Illinois. These lines include the Illini, the Gold, the

Silver, the Yellow, the Red, the Green, the Air Bus, the Navy, the Brown, the Bronze, and the Blue

lines.ii A major bus transit facility is located at the Transit Plaza at the intersection of Wright and

John Streets. The community also has also several strong elements of bicycle-related

infrastructure, including numerous bicycle racks, bicycle lanes, bicycle routes, and off-road multi-

use paths (both running north-south and east-west) (as seen in Map 3). Many streets in the

neighborhood are one-way, including all east-west streets located between Armory and Green

Streets, as well as several north-south streets. Sidewalks with consistent curb cuts are located on

almost every block. Rates of walking, bicycle use, and public transit use in West Campus are some

of the highest seen in Champaign-Urbana.

Map 3: Bicycle Infrastructure in West Campusiii

6

Generally, commuting patterns within West Campus flow from west-to-east in the morning, and

are reversed in the evening, as many students are on campus during the business day.

Notable landmarks/district in the neighborhood include the Ikenberry Commons programming

facility and related-dormitories in the southwest portion of the neighborhood, the Illini Union

Bookstore along Wright Street, the Green Street business district, numerous well-known sorority

and fraternity houses, and high-rises including Illini Tower, Sherman Hall, Presby Hall, the

Psychology Building, the Tower on Third, and 309 E. Green Street.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Inventory

Building Survey

In the spring of 2015, our group completed a building survey for West Campus. Pertinent building

information, including use, construction type, and number of floors were recorded for each address

within the neighborhood. A list of addresses was provided by Champaign County, while square

the footage of the footprint of each building in West Campus was measured utilizing an online

tool.iv Total building square footages were then calculated by multiplying each building footprint

by the number of floors present at those buildings. The total calculated building square footage in

West Campus was then increased by 10% to account for underground parking lots and partial

floors.

The recorded buildings’ uses were then organized into building-type classifications provided by

the EIA (the US Energy Information Administration), with each building type corresponding to a

certain level of energy use, as projected by the EIA.v The following categories listed by the EIA

were utilized:

Education

Food Service

Health (Out Patient)

Lodging

Office

Parking (deck)

Public Assembly

Religious Worship

Retail (Other than Mall)

Retail (Strip Mall)

An example of the preliminary results for one of the many buildings surveyed is seen in Table 1

below.

Table 1: Preliminary square footage estimates and land-use

classification for buildings in West Campus.

Address Recorded

Building-Use

Number of

Floors

Construction

Type

Square Foot

per Floor

Total Square

Footage,

Plus 10%

EIA

Classification for

Energy Use

1004 S.

First Street

Apartment 5 Brick/Concrete 1,423 7,827 Lodging

7

For the purposes of mapping, the ten building-uses listed above were then further grouped into the

following, broader categories:

Residential: lodging

Commercial: retail (strip mall), retail (other than strip mall), hospital (outpatient), food

service, parking (deck)

Institutional: public assembly, religious service, office, education

As seen in Map 4, residential uses are concentrated in the western half of West Campus, while

institutional uses (including those associated with the University of Illinois) are found in the

eastern half. Commercial offerings were mainly found along John and Green Streets in the northern

end of West Campus.

Map 4: Buildings’ Uses in West Campus

8

As seen in Figure 1, residential uses make up the vast majority of the built square footage in West

Campus, followed by institutional uses, and distantly by commercial uses.

Figure 1: Use of Square Footage in West Campus

Energy Use Intensity

Each of the ten building-use types referenced above were assigned a separated energy use intensity

(EUI) based on their typical demand for heat and electricity. Projected gas and electric EUI’s, and

original measurements, were provided by the EIA. As will be seen below, these numbers were

then adjusted to reflect the Champaign-Urbana’s extreme climate fluctuations within a year. Gas

EUI’s included energy use for space heating, water heating, and cooking. Electric EUI’s were

assigned as the remainder of building energy consumption.

EUI Adjustments

Average EUIs by building classification obtained from the EIA did not account for climate factors,

including an increased heating demand in northern parts of the United States. An eQuest energy

model was performed for Coble Hall- an educational facility adjacent to the University of Illinois’

main quadrangle. As seen in Table 2, annual utility data was utilized to calculate the gas EUI at

Coble Hall.vi

Table 2: Gas EUI at Coble Hall, University of Illinois

Coble Hall Annual Gas

Use (kBTU)

1,618,731

Gas Use (kBTU/sf) 58.4

Coble Hall’s gas EUI, (58.4 kBtu per square foot) as calculated from the utility data, was compared

to the average gas EUI of 46 kilo-BTUs per square foot for educational uses. Thus, a heating

consumption location factor of 1.27 was determined for the colder climate of Champaign. Gas

EUI’s were multiplied by this factor for all building types, in order to increase projected heating

consumption in the region. Table 3 lists all of the adjusted EUIs that were utilized for the various

building-uses in West Campus.

67%6%

27%

Percentage of Square Footage in West Campus Dedicated to Building-Use

Residential

Commercial

Institutional

9

Table 3: EUIs utilized to determine energy consumption by

building-use in West Campus.

Land-Use Annual Gas EUI

(kBTU/square foot)

Annual Electricity EUI

(kBTU/square foot)

Total EUI

(kBTU/square foot)

Education 58.4 37.1 95.5

Food Service 186.7 111.3 298.0

Health (Out Patient) 51.6 54.0 105.6

Lodging 35.7 71.9 107.6

Office 44.6 57.8 102.4

Parking (deck) 46.9 40.1 87.0

Public Assembly 65.4 42.4 107.8

Religious Worship 35.3 15.7 51.0

Retail (Other Than Mall) 33.7 47.4 81.1

Retail (Strip Mall) 44.1 67.5 111.6

Energy Use by Building-Use

Utilizing the EUIs listed above, it was determined that 332,298 million-BTUs of natural gas and

139,198,505 kilowatt-hours of electricity were consumed by the buildings in West Campus in one

year. The following tables (4 and 5) illustrate how this energy consumption was divided by general

building-use sector.

Tables 4 and 5: Energy Use by Sector in West Campus

for Natural Gas and Electricity

Building-Use Gas Use (mmBTU) Percentage (%)

Residential 179,736 54.1%

Commercial 36,399 11.0%

Institutional 116,163 35.0%

Total 332,298 100.0%

Building-Use Electricity Use (kWh) Percentage (%)

Residential 106,127,256 76.2%

Commercial

8,118,108 5.8%

Institutional 24,953,141 17.9%

Total 139,198,505 100.0%

Carbon Dioxide Emission Calculations by Building-Use

It was then necessary to project the amount of emissions that were expected to be generated by

these levels of energy use. As seen below in Figures 2 and 3, the buildings in West Campus

produced 86,025 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity use, and 22,023 metric

tons of carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas use. Below these figures follows an explanation

of how these totals were determined.

10

Figures 2 and 3: Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Sector in West Campus

for Natural Gas and Electricity

An explanation of these numbers were achieved follows:

Electricity

Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Electricity

Emission factors in terms of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions by kilowatt-hour for each source

of electricity were multiplied by their percentage of energy supplied to the grid.vii A summary of

the determined emission factors for grid electricity may be seen below in Table 6.

Approximately 10% of the projected 139,000 Megawatt-hours of the energy demand in West

Campus is powered by the 20,000 Megawatt-hours, university-owned Abbot Power Plant (which

also provides steam to campus for building heating through a sub-grade pipe system). Abbot

consists of three coal-powered and three natural gas-powered generators. The standard breakdown

of sources for electricity generation in central Illinois was adjusted to reflect the provision of

electricity to West Campus by Abbot Power Plant.viii

Image 3: The Abbott Power Plant Provides 20,000 Megawatt-hours of electricity to West

Campus. Source: http://news.illinois.edu/ii/12/0517/abbott.html

Table 6: Electricity Emission Conversion Factor Calculation for Champaign

Electricity Source: Percentage LBS of C02e/kWh Weighted LBS of C02e/kWh

Bituminous Coal 48% 2.07 0.9936

Nuclear 20% 0 0

Renewable 3% 0 0

Natural Gas 26% 1.21 0.3146

Crude Oil 3% 1.8 0.054

Total: 100% Average: 1.36

54%11%

35%

Carbon DioxideEmissions from Gas Use

(Metric Tons)

Residential

Commercial

Institutional76%

6%18%

Carbon DioxideEmissions from Electricity Use

(Metric Tons)

Residential

Commercial

Institutional

11

As seen in the above table, our group arrived at a conversion factor of 1.4 pounds of carbon dioxide

emissions per kilowatt-hour of electricity utilized.

Note: Carbon dioxide emission factors due to fossil fuel consumption for steam generation at

Abbot power plant were included in the building sector emissions calculations for West Campus.

Abbot’s electricity was therefore assumed to be half produced by bituminous coal and half

produced by natural gas. The total generation from the plant is approximately 14.38% of West

Campus’s total electricity demand. Although, as the plant’s electricity is distributed over more

than just the observed area, it was approximated as supplying 10% of West Campus’s electricity.

The calculated emissions factor from Abbot was multiplied by 0.1 and added to 0.9 times the

general emissions factor calculated for central Illinois.

Carbon Dioxide Emission from Natural Gas

The burning of natural gas produces .005302 of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per therm at

100% efficiency. Average gas furnaces in Champaign were estimated to be 80% efficient in

converting stored fossil fuel energy to heat through combustion. Thus an emissions factor of

(.005302/.8), or .00663 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per therm was used for natural gas

consumption.ix

Carbon Dioxide Emission Calculations for Waste

Carbon dioxide emissions due to waste and waste processing were projected using United States

per capita averages. The average American produces 4.38 pounds of municipal solid waste (MSW)

per day. 1.51 pounds of the MSW is recycled and reused. The recycled volume of solid waste was

subtracted from the total volume produced. Emissions due to the production of raw goods,

including metals and plastics, were assumed to be reduced equivalently with the volume recycled.

Therefore average assumed net MSW per capita on West Campus was projected as 2.87 pounds

per day.

2.87 pounds per day per person was multiplied by days per year and the estimated population on

West Campus to determine the estimated pounds of MSW produced in the neighborhood annually.

Carbon dioxide emissions are born from waste production due to several factors, including

processing techniques like incineration and chemical treatment, as well as natural decay factors.

The average pound of waste produces 0.94 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Total projected waste

was multiplied by this emission factor to determine total projected carbon dioxide emission from

waste. For more information regarding equivalent waste-born emissions, please see Table 7

below:

12

Table 7: Calculations of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

from Waste Production in West Campus

MSW

(lb./day/person)

Recycled Net MSW

(lb./person/year)

Population MSW

(lb./year)

Carbon

Dioxide

Emissions

(lb./year)

Carbon

Dioxide

Emissions

(lb./year)

4.38 1.51 2.87 1,050 8,146 8,533,000 8,021,000 3,638

Carbon Dioxide Emission Calculations for Transportation

In order to get an accurate measurement of the carbon dioxide emissions produced by

transportation, the amount of miles driven by vehicles within West Campus must be established

over a given time period. Data from the Illinois Department of Transportation website provides an

average daily traffic (ADT) count for each road in West Campus.x The ADT count is a measure of

every car that uses a certain road or road section for a 24 hour period.

The following steps were taken to calculate emissions contributed by transportation:

a. The length of every road within West Campus was recorded utilizing an online tool. xi These

values were inputted into a spreadsheet along with the ADT for each road.

b. To calculate the vehicle miles travelled (VMT) in West Campus for a year, a time period of 365

days was used. The formula used to calculate the annual miles travelled in West Campus is as

follows:

VMT = (ADT) x (Road Length) x (Length in days)

c. The total VMT is taken by individually calculating the VMT for each road and summing the

values in a spreadsheet. Shown below (Table 8) is a small portion of a spreadsheet, where

individual roads are broken into sections by block.

Table 8: An example of vehicle miles traveled calculations.

Street Road Length Average Daily

Traffic (ADT)

Time Annual Vehicle

Miles Traveled

(VMT)

Green Street .087 10,500 365 3E+05

.08802 10,500 365 3E+05

John Street .08814 700 365 22,520

d. The VMT for West Campus for one year is calculated at 7,000,000 miles. The EPA website

provided a figure for the tons of carbon dioxide released per mile travelled in an average sized

car. 4.2E-4 tons of carbon dioxide per mile was used to find the total amount of carbon dioxide

emissions released by the transportation sector in West Campus. The yearly emission by

transportation is 2,924.6 tons of carbon dioxide.

13

As compared to the Urbana Climate Action Plan and the Illinois Climate Action Plan, the

emissions from the transportation sector in West Campus are low relative to the other sector

emissions.xii A survey about transportation preferences was distributed to students online (by our

group) to establish whether automatic vehicle usage was particularly low due to the availability of

busses and ample biking and walking space. The link to the survey is

http://goo.gl/forms/9R3oUXlD3B, and the results are as follows (Figures 4 and 5):

Figures 4 and 5: Active transportation solutions are popular in West Campus

As shown, the majority of students do not have a car on campus to drive. Also, the primary mode

of transportation is the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District’s bus system, which greatly

reduces the amount of vehicle miles travelled in relation to how many people are in the vehicle.

Due to the results of the survey, it was concluded that the emissions from the transportation sector

are at acceptably low levels due to the low volume of annual traffic in West Campus.

Total Carbon Dioxide Emissions from West Campus

The following table and graph (Table 9 and Figure 7) illustrates total emissions from West Campus

(considering emissions from transportation, waste, and building-use).

Table 9 and Figure 6: Building-Use vastly contributes to Emissions in West Campus.

Emissions Contribution

Area

Carbon Dioxide

Emissions (Metric Tons)

Percent

Building-Use 107,396 94.2%

Transportation 2,925 2.6%

Waste 3,638 3.2%

Total 113,959 100%

38%

13%

50%

What is your primary mode of transport?

Bus

Car

Walking/Biking/Boarding

69%

31%

Do you have a car on campus?

No

Yes

14

Comparisons of Emissions to Relative Geographies

It is important to calculate how the carbon dioxide emissions totals in West Campus compare to

that of other nearby areas. For the purposes of this analysis, the following geographies were

selected to compare the carbon dioxide output of West Campus with: the City of Champaign, the

City of Urbana, Champaign County, and the University of Illinois campus. The estimated carbon

dioxide output of these geographies are as follows:

City of Urbana, IL (2007): 548,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide, per the Urbana Climate

Action Plan.xiii

City of Champaign (2011): 1,227,085 metric tons of carbon dioxide, per Regional Planning

Commission Report.xiv

Champaign County (2010): 4,436,713 metric tons of carbon dioxide, per UP 466 Lab 2

(Spring 2015)

University of Illinois (2013): 390,570 metric tons of carbon dioxide, per Illinois Climate

Action Plan.xv

West Campus (2015): 113,959 metric tons of carbon dioxide, per analysis presented above

These carbon dioxide emission totals were then compared to the populations and/or enrollment

counts of the above geographies for the years measured. These counts are as follows:

City of Urbana, IL 2007 population, per US Census Bureau: 39,225

City of Champaign, IL 2011 population, per US Census Bureau: 81,887

Champaign County 2010 population, per US Census Bureau: 201,416

University of Illinois 2013 enrollment, per the University’s website: 43,398

*Note, enrollment count does not consider faculty and staff, but this error is

minimized by the fact that not all students are present on campus every day (or all

day)

West Campus 2015 population, as estimated above: 8,146

Based on the above data, the following per capita emissions were calculated for each of the

analyzed geographies.

94%

3%

3%

Contributions to Carbon Dioxide Emissions in West Campus

Buildings

Transportation

Waste

15

Figure 7: When it comes to carbon dioxide emissions per capita, West Campus is very

similar to measurements made for other, nearby geographies.

As seen above in Figure 7, both the City of Urbana (in 2007) and West Campus (in 2015) have

equal carbon dioxide emissions per capita (at 14 metric tons per person). However, these numbers

are considered much higher than the per capita of emissions at the University of Illinois of nine

metric tons per person (in 2013), and considerably below the high value of Champaign County’s

22.8 metric tons of C02 per person (in 2010). The county’s high value of carbon dioxide emissions

per person is not surprising, as many residents of the rural areas drive far distances on a day-to-

day basis, and many of the county’s agricultural operations produce a high number of carbon

dioxide emissions.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Projections

Once the total carbon dioxide emissions for West Campus was tabulated for 2015, it was necessary

to establish a projection to predict how that emission may increase in future years due to population

increase. The challenge in predicting the rate of increase in carbon dioxide for West Campus is the

lack of pre-2015 data available for the specific area. In order to project forward what emission

levels to expect by the year 2040, it was necessary to find how areas similar to West Campus have

grown.

The Urbana Climate Action Plan (UCAP) was chosen to establish a growth rate in our area based

off of their emission growth.xvi UCAP included data from 2007 and had projected totals for carbon

dioxide emissions in the year 2020. It had carbon dioxide emission totals for the residential sector,

the commercial sector, transportation, and waste. By simply dividing the values for 2020 by the

14 15

22

9

14

0

5

10

15

20

25

Met

ric

Ton

s o

f C

02

Per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions, West Campus vs. Nearby Geographies

Per CapitaEmissions

16

values in 2007, a rough multiplier for each sector shows the rough 15-year growth for carbon

dioxide emissions. Shown below in Table 10 are the multiplication factors for each sector:

Table 10: Carbon Dioxide Emission factors based on the Urbana Climate Action Plan.

UCAP did not include the institutional sector, so the growth factor for the commercial sector was

used. To simulate population growth from 2007 to 2015, each sector’s emissions from West

Campus were divided by the corresponding multiplier. To simulate growth from 2000 to 2007,

each sector’s emissions from 2007 were divided by the square root of each multiplier. Similarly,

to project future emissions, each sector was multiplied by the corresponding factor to produce

carbon dioxide emission levels for 2030 and 2040. Shown in Figure 8 are the steady-state growth

and accelerated growth projection for carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus through the year

2040.xvii

Figure 8: Steady-State Growth of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in West Campus

(note, graph is extended until 2045).

To produce the steady-state graph, the same factor that was taken from UCAP was used to project

each sector’s growth from the period of 2015 to 2030. The same factor was applied to the values

in 2030 to produce projections for 2040. The result is a linear trend, though individual sectors’

volume of carbon dioxide emissions is modeled to grow at different rates through the next 30 years.

Under steady-conditions, the expected annual carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus in 2040

is 149,000 tons.

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

2000 2007 2015 2030 2045

Me

tric

To

ns

CO

2

Transportation

Waste

Gas (Institutional)

Gas (Commercial)

Gas (Residential)

Electricity (Instituitional)

Electricity (Commercial)

Electricity (Residential)

Sector 2020/2007 Factor

Residential 1.13

Commercial 1.18

Transportation 1,07

Waste 1.20

17

Figure 9: Accelerated Growth of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in West Campus

(note, graph is extended until 2045).

To produce the accelerated growth projection shown above, the UCAP multipliers were used to

find the 2030 values, so their values are the same as the steady-state growth graph. The square of

each factor was multiplied into each sector to simulate exponential population increase between

2015 and 2040. As a result, the projected annual carbon dioxide emissions in 2040 under

accelerated growth conditions is 169,000 tons.

Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Targets

Goal: reduce total carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus by 75% by 2040.

This goal will be achieved through conserving energy use, loading energy efficient equipment,

load, and utilizing renewable energy sources:

Conserve

Educate students of the University to conserve and give incentives such as tax credits to

those who uses energy efficient buildings. This behavioral change will reduce energy use

by 5% in the residential sector.

Implement incentive programs, as well as invest in active transportation solutions, in order

to reduce transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.

Load

Implement a policy for both new buildings and existing buildings to have an ENERGY

STAR rating of at least 50. Buildings currently under construction must have this rating.

Existing buildings with two floors or more above grade must have this rating by 2035. This

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

2000 2007 2015 2030 2045

Me

tric

To

ns

CO

2

Transportation

Waste

Gas (Institutional)

Gas (Commercial)

Gas (Residential)

Electricity (Instituitional)

Electricity (Commercial)

Electricity (Residential)

18

will reduce consumption by 27% in residential sector, 34% in institutional sector, and 40%

in commercial sector.

Institutional buildings will be retrofitted to have zoned heating by 2035, which will reduce

carbon dioxide emissions related to the institutional sector by 3%.

Renewable Energy

Use solar photovoltaic panels on all roofs of existing buildings in West Campus. This will

reduce total carbon dioxide emissions by 6%.

Install a geothermal power plant in the University of Illinois’s Research Farms to reduce

total emissions by 37%.

Strategies for Energy and Emission Reductions

Conserve

Education and Incentives: The first step to reducing energy consumption is to educate the

students of the University to conserve their energy usage. Most of the residential buildings in West

Campus are apartments, dormitories, and fraternity houses. This means that students of the

University are the target audience to educate about consumption reduction (particularly when it

comes to their homes). In addition, incentives will be added such as giving tax credits to the

residents living in energy efficient houses. Energy metering will be added to each household to

track their daily energy usage. The residents will have access to these meters and can monitor if

they are eligible for tax credits. This will reduce residential emissions by 5%.

Transportation Policy: Reducing transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions by 20% (or to

585 metric tons of carbon dioxide) is an important goal, although West Camus already enjoys a

high rate of transit-use, bicycle ridership, and walking. There still exists opportunities to reduce

the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced by the use of automobiles. One community that

may be the most important target of such an initiative is the faculty and staff that drive through

West Campus on their way to the University (and who often park in the several parking lots located

in West Campus). Indeed, it was observed during site-research at David Kinley Hall (which is

located just east of West Campus), that the vast majority of its faculty and staff members still drive

to campus. In order to reduce the emissions produced through automobile use in the community,

several initiatives can be attempted. These are as follows:

Providing incentives (either financial, or in terms of recognition) for faculty and staff that

carpool to campus.

Increasing transit accessibility in southwest Champaign and southeast Urbana (as well as

to-and-from Mahomet and St. Joseph), where many faculty and staff live, to the West

Campus area.

If 300 additional faculty/staff members were to be divided into 100 cars (or three employees per

car), with two rides a day averaging six miles, this would save 368 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

19

Furthermore, if an additional 100 faculty/staff members were to take the same trip via public

transit, this would reduce emissions in West Campus by a further 166 metric tons of carbon dioxide

(saving 66% of our goal for the transportation sector).

Meanwhile, the remaining 34% of our reduction goal, or 6.9% of West Campus’s transportation-

related carbon dioxide emissions, could be achieved through enhancing alternative transportation

solutions within West Campus. These solutions include:

Promoting education regarding the health and environmental benefits of bicycling and

walking.

Organizing a “bike to class day” event on “bike to work day.”

Increasing the number of delineated bicycle lanes present.

Expanding bicycle parking facilities.

Load

ENERGY STAR Rating of 50: Most appliances in the buildings in West Campus are not energy

efficient. These appliances consume relatively more energy than other appliances rated ENERGY

STAR. Below (Table 11) is a table of the EUIs in the United States as achieved through ENERGY

STAR. The median value, a rating of 50, is the middle value of the national population. By

comparing with the current EUI values in West Campus and the Site EUI values provided by Table

11, the percentage reduction in consumption can be calculated.

(Space Skipped Intentionally)

20

Table 11: US National Median EUI Reference Values for

All Portfolio Manager Property Typesxviii

As seen below in Table 12, the ENERGY STAR EUI used for the residential sector will be 78.8

kilo-BTUs per square foot, for the institutional sector it will be 67.3 kilo-BTUs per square foot,

and for the commercial sector it will be 47.1 kilo-BTUs per square foot. These ENERGY STAR

EUIs are compared to the standard EUIs provided by the EIA in Table 12.

Table 12: Consumption Reduction after ENERGY STAR Rating of 50

A policy for both new buildings and existing buildings will be added to implement ENERGY

STAR. New buildings must be designed to have at least ENERGY STAR rating of 50. Existing

buildings must be retrofitted by 2035 to have at least ENERGY STAR rating of 50. Note that this

policy applies to buildings with two or more floors above grade.

Zoned heating: Implement zone heating for all institutional buildings in West Campus by 2035.

Because most institutional buildings have multiple floors, zoned heating is helpful to only heat up

specific zones (and floors) that require an increase in temperature instead of heating up the entire

building. By using a basic model in eQUEST (the out puts of which are seen in Tables 13 and 14),

Sector Current EUI

(kBTU/square foot)

ENERGY STAR EUI

(kBTU/square foot)

Consumption Reduction

Residential 107.59 78.80 27%

Institutional 102.38 67.30 34%

Commercial 81.06 47.10 40%

21

estimation in the impact of zoned heating can be made. The following shows a 10% reduction in

gas consumption in institutional buildings. This is approximated to a 3% consumption reduction

in the institutional sector.

Table 13: Gas Consumption without Zone Heating, per eQUEST

Table 14: Gas Consumption with Zone Heating, per eQUEST

Renewable Energy

Solar PV: Implement standard solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of all buildings and public

parking lots in West Campus by 2020. First, the total rooftop area of the buildings are calculated

by adding the total square foot per floor (highest floor if there are multiple floors) of each building.

Next, the total public parking lot areas are calculated.

The electricity output for industrial buildings is calculated by using Google Earth to measure the

rooftop areas. A safety factor of 0.85 is multiplied to the rooftop areas to accommodate for rooftop

units and other machinery where solar panels cannot be installed. These rooftop areas are separated

into the directions that they face: north, east, south, and west and further split into pitched roofs or

flat roofs. Pitched roofs require about 100 square feet per kilowatt, where flat roofs require about

200 square feet per kilowatt. Parking lots are expected to have flat solar panels installed. These

values are inputted into PVWatts to estimate the electricity output for institutional buildings.xix

22

Assuming the rooftop designs are similar for institutional buildings and for all buildings in the

West Campus, this electricity output for institutional buildings is scaled to the rooftop areas for all

buildings in West Campus. Finally, the electricity output of the solar panels will be converted into

carbon dioxide emissions saved using the EPA’s greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator.xx

Table 15: PV panels can significantly contribute to reduced

carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus.

By installing solar panels on all buildings in West Campus, 7,500 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide

emissions can be saved.

Map 5: Location of Different Types of Solar Panels

on Buildings in West Campus

Rooftop Areas of

Institutional Buildings

Carbon Dioxide

Emissions Saved from

Institutional Buildings

Rooftop Areas of All

Buildings in West

Campus

Carbon Dioxide

Emissions Saved from

All Buildings in West

Campus

379,400 sq. ft. 1,550 Metric Tons 1,840,000 sq. ft. 7,500 Metric Tons

23

Research Farms Land Usage

Due to considerable residential density within the boundaries of West Campus, land owned by the

University in the Research Farms south of Hazelwood Drive was considered to generate electricity

(see Map 6). Three techniques were analyzed to find which could produce the most kilowatt hours

in 1.0 square kilometers of land above grade:

Solar PV Cells

Wind Turbines

Geothermal Power Plant

Map 6: Site of Focus in Research Farms

The carbon footprint of these energy production methods is minimal, therefore the measure of

carbon mitigation potential comes directly from their ability to produce large amounts of electricity

with a minimal space of land.

Solar Photovoltaic Cell Farm: According to Spheral Solar, the potential for solar energy

harvesting in the United States is growing at an accelerated rate due to technological advancements

that are driving down both the size of the panels and the price to install them. In 2012, a 230 Watt

solar panel required an area of 17.33 square feet, while current 230 Watt panels only require 7.12

square feet. Newer models are also more efficient at converting solar energy, as only 15% of

radiation could be converted into electricity in 2012 and now 23.5% can be used. Through these

improvements, the cost per watt has decreased from $1.30 in 2012 to only $0.70 in 2015. The trend

is continuing to lower the price, making solar PV installation a very attractive choice for the

investment of land from the University.

The solar farm would use flat-oriented panels to maximize the usefulness of the panel as the sun

moves across the sky. Therefore, a spacing of 200 square feet per kilowatt is used to establish how

24

many kilowatts can be expected from a certain land area. Using 1.0 square kilometer (or

10,100,000 square feet), the maximum kilowatts load that the farm could theoretically handle is

54,000 kilowatts, or 54 Megawatts

In the Midwest, the sun is down for roughly 12 hours a night, and daytime skies can range from

sunny to cloudy with precipitation throughout the entire year. The solar intensity also decreases in

the winter months, affecting the potential for solar cells to produce kilowatt hours at peak

efficiency. The geographic information was uploaded into PVWatts online, and inputting the 54

Megawatt load returned a maximum kilowatt-hour expectation of 65.4 million kilowatt-hours for

a Midwestern solar farm. This kilowatt-hour value will be rated against the other energy sources’

potential to produce kilowatt-hours.

Image: 4: Flat solar farms can maximize energy production.

Source: http://www.superiorwincleaning.com/solar-panel-cleaning/

Wind Farm: Wind farming has grown in volume in the United States significantly in the past 15

years. From 1975 to 2000, only 97 farms were erected in the US, and they could generate enough

electricity to power 592,000 homes. Between 2000 and 2013, 736 more farms were built, and the

total power generated from these farms is enough for 15 million homes. The accelerated trend in

wind farm growth stems both from technological advancement and energy credit given to

incentivize the investment of farmlands and other landscapes for large scale wind turbine

development.

The two units considered for the 1.0 square kilometer land were the Vestas NM82 and the Zond

Z-40-FS. The Vestas model is significantly larger, but has a much higher potential for electrical

production. Seen in Table 16 are the dimensions of these two models:

Table 16: Vestas produce much more electricity than Zonds.

The minimum safe spacing of eight diameter lengths between units was used to determine the

maximum output of the University’s land. Considering the spacing, each Vestas unit occupies 0.48

square kilometers and each Zond unit occupies 0.12 square kilometers. Only two Vestas units

Model Blade Diameter kW/Unit

Vestas NM82 270 feet 1,650 kW

Zond Z-40-FS 132 feet 500 kW

25

could fit on the 1.0 square kilometer plot, while eight Zond units could fit. This equates to 3.3

Megawatts potential from the Vestas units and four Megawatt potential from the Zond unit.

The Megawatt total for both wind harvesting units is low due to the limited space for turbines. A

typical wind farm covers multiple square kilometers, where it usually takes 36 square kilometers

to produce 75 Megawatts, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Due to a lack of

sufficient space, the wind farm is deemed unacceptable for the electrical demand of West

Campus.xxi

Image: 5: Solar turbines require significant space between each other to minimize the

impact of turbulence. Source: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-09-15/setback-wind-

farms.html

Geothermal Power Plant: Geothermal energy is one of the newest forms of renewable energy

that has come into commercial use in the United States. Geothermal pumps are used to provide

heating and cooling by running pipes vertically underground to harvest energy from the

temperature gradient. A geothermal power plant uses the heat found underground at great depths

to produce steam that will turn a turbine to generate electricity (similarly to any combustion-based

power plant). As shown in Image 6, wells cycle water that gets heat from deep underground and

that water is the source of the steam.xxii

Image 6: A standard layout of Geothermal Power Plant.

Source: http://mitraco-surya.com/contents/geothermal/techniques/dry-steam-geothermal-power-plants/

According to a study done by MIT, the minimum land area (both above and below grade) required

for a geothermal power plant is taken from the Megawatt load the plant must supply.xxiii

26

Table 17: Plant specifications based on desired Megawatt load (geothermal).

The plant chosen for the University land will provide 25 Megawatts at peak load, and therefore

will fit perfectly inside the 1.0 square kilometer above grade land area. A well must be drilled to a

depth of 1.5 kilometers to achieve the minimum subsurface volume of 1.5 kiolometers cubed.

The assumption is that the power plant will work for half a year at the peak load set by the land

area. 25 Megawatts for 12 hours a day for 365 days equates to a potential of 109.5 million

kilowatts. This value, although theoretical, is much higher than the maximum provided by the

wind farm and considerably higher than the maximum power provided by the solar farm (65.4

million kilowatt-hours annually). Upon comparison, the University land in the Research Farms

will be used for a geothermal power plant.

The daily operations within a geothermal power plant, including transportation and internal HVAC

systems, cause this process to have an effective carbon dioxide emission per kilowatt-hour.

Although considerably low, 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted for every kilowatt-hour

produced by the plant. For the geothermal plant installed on the Research Farms, that would equate

to 11,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. 109.5 million Kilowatt-hours of geothermal

energy will mitigate 54,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually due to lesser burning of

coals and natural gas. The figures combine to result in a net annual carbon mitigation of 43,000

tons/year.

The implementation schedule of the power plant, if begun immediately, would have construction

done within one year (or by the beginning of 2017). When designing mitigation wedges, the

geothermal power plant is modeled to be at full operation by 2020. The period from 2017 to 2020

is allotted for connecting the plant to the grid, and divesting the University from coal fired

electricity.

Plant Size

(Megawatt of

electricity)

Surface Area for

Power Plant and

Auxiliaries in Square

Kilometers

Subsurface

Reservoir Volume in

Kilometers Cubed

25 1 1.5

50 1.4 2.7

75 1.8 3.9

100 2.1 5.0

27

Mitigation Wedges

Shown below is the steady state projection of carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus from the

year 2015 to 2040 before the application of the mitigation strategies. The expected carbon dioxide

emission rate in 2040 without intervention is 149,000 tons.

Figure 10: West Campus is expected to grow significantly at current rates

(note, graph is extended until 2045).

After the application of the renewable energy, education and incentives, building retro-

commissioning, and policy adjustments, the lowering of carbon dioxide emissions can be seen in

the Table below. It is important to note that electrical emissions are seen is yellow, gas emissions

are seen in blue, transportation emissions are seen in forest green, and waste emissions are in grey.

The remaining portions of the graph depict carbon mitigation and a reduction in emissions. The

chart below shows the schedule of implementation of each mitigation strategy.

Table 18: Implementation of our suggested strategies will run through 2035.

Strategy Implemented By Sectors Affected

Education and Incentives 2015 Residential

Transportation Policy 2020 Transportation

Solar PV 2020 Institutional, Commercial

Geothermal Power Plant 2020 Residential

ENERGY STAR Rating of

50 2035

Residential, Institutional,

Commercial

Zone Heating 2035 Institutional

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045

Me

tric

To

ns

of

CO

2

Transportation

Waste

Gas(Institutional)Gas(Commercial)Gas (Residential)

Electricity(Instituitional)Electricity(Commercial)Electricity(Residential)

28

As shown in the figures below, the mitigation strategies reduce the emissions of each sector over

the course of 30 years to reach the cumulative 75% reduction by 2040. To visualize the mitigation

wedges growth, the emissions in the second figure have been grayed out.

The abbreviations shown in the following graph legends are as follows:

IG = Institutional Gas IE = Institutional Electricity

CG = Commercial Gas CG = Commercial Electricity

RG = Residential Gas RE = Residential Electricity

Figures 11 and 12: A 75% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in West Campus

by 2040 is a realistic expectation (note, graph is extended until 2045).

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045

Me

tric

To

ns

of

CO

2

Zone HeatingEnergyStar IGEnergyStar CGEnergyStar RGEnergyStar IEEnergyStar CEEnergyStar REGeothermal RESolar PV C/I ETransportationConserve RGConserve RETransportationWasteGas (Institutional)Gas (Commercial)Gas (Residential)Electricity (Instituitional)Electricity (Commercial)Electricity (Residential)

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045

Me

tric

To

ns

of

CO

2

Zone Heating

EnergyStar IG

EnergyStar CG

EnergyStar RG

EnergyStar IE

EnergyStar CE

EnergyStar RE

Geothermal RE

Solar PV C/I E

Transportation

Conserve RG

Conserve RE

Emissions

29

Results and Discussion

Table 19: A variety of strategies will contribute to our reduction of 75% by 2040.

The strategies for reduction are split into three categories: those implemented immediately (2015),

those implemented in five years (2020), and those implemented by twenty years (2035). The full

effects of these strategies are expected to be seen after five years from implementation. With the

conservation strategy, the students are educated to conserve energy usage starting in 2015. This

can be seen in the wedges above, as there is slow reduction in the emissions starting from 2015.

By 2020, 3% total carbon dioxide emission reduction is achieved by conserving.

In 2020, it is expected that the transportation policy will take place and that the implementations

of solar panels on all the roofs of the buildings in West Campus and the geothermal power plant

will be completed. The electricity produced from solar panels is used for institutional and

commercial purposes, while the electricity from the geothermal power plant is used for residential

purposes. Starting in 2020, three new wedges begin as transportation policy, solar panels, and the

geothermal power plant begins to reduce the total emissions in West Campus. By 2025, they will

have contributed another 0.5%, 6% and 37% reduction respectively in total emissions.

By 2035, all the buildings in West Campus will be retrofitted to have an ENERGY STAR rating

of at least 50. In addition, institutional buildings will have zoned heating. These two

implementations contribute to 28% and 0.5% total carbon dioxide emission reduction,

respectively.

Finally, with these strategies for reduction, a total of 75% reduction in emissions is achieved. It is

important to note that the reduction from the strategies also grow as the West Campus grows.

Technologies constantly advance and as the total emissions increases steadily, the consumption

Plant Size

(Megawatt of

electricity)

Residential

(67.6%

Total)

Institutional

(20.2%

Total)

Commercial

(6.5%

Total)

Transportation

(2.5% Total)

Total

Emissions

Reduction

Education and

Incentives

5% - - - 3%

Transportation

Policy

- - - 20% 0.5%

ENERGY

STAR Policy

27% 34% 40% - 28%

Zone Heating - 3% - - 0.5%

Solar PV on

Buildings

7,500 Metric Tons 6%

Geothermal

Power Plant

43,000 Metric Tons

37%

Total 75%

30

reduces steadily as well. This means that there will be a constant 75% reduction in emissions

starting in 2040.

Getting to Net Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions

To reduce the 2015 emissions by another 25% to reach a net carbon dioxide output of zero, the PV

solar square footage must be increased and the time the geothermal power plant is active must be

increased. As of now, 1,840,000 square feet of solar PV cell account for 7,500 metric tons or 6%

of reduction. To increase that reduction to a net-zero target of 15%, the square footage of solar PV

must be increased to 4,600,000. It is unfeasible to apply more than twice the initial square footage

since all of the available space on campus is already being used. A Research Farm-based solar

farm would easily contain the rest of the solar panels within a 0.10 square miles plot.

The other 16% reduction will be added to the current 37% reduction from the geothermal power

plant. To increase the geothermal reduction to 53%, the time the plant is active must be increased

from half of the year to 72% of the year. Under current plans, the plant will operate year round,

for 12 hours a day. If the plant were to be active for 17.5 hours a day, the increased percentage of

reduction will be achieved.

In summation, 25% more reduction is required to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions. If

9% comes from solar PV, another 2,760,000 square feet of modules must be added. The other 16%

will come from the geothermal power plant, where the daily operation will be increased from 12

hours to 17.5 hours.

Precedents and Applying Recommendations

Case Studies

The following case studies reflect the impacts that have been seen (or are expected) elsewhere as

a result of the reduction strategies recommended in this plan.

Education and Tax-Credits: As a part of its five-year climate plan, in 2011 John Hopkins

Introduced the Energy, Environment, Sustainability, and Health Institute, which served in part

to educate students on how to conserve energy on a day-to-day basis. This educational

program, which has funded $300,000 worth of conservation education projects, has contributed

significantly to the 35% reduction in emissions seen on that campus between 2008 and 2013.

Although the direct impacts of this program are hard to measure, some of the larger

contributions to emission reductions expected on campus by 2025 include efficiencies in

lighting, and to a lesser extent, plug loads, which, in part, are a result of reduced use of these

items. Numerous tax rebates and credits are offered to Illinois residents for energy efficient

homes by People’s Gas, including the Home Energy Rebate Program. Many of this program’s

standard rebates are increased with the presence of quality furnaces or boilers.xxiv

Transportation Policy: Between 2006 and 2013, the University of California, Berkeley

reduced on-campus automobile fuel use by roughly 1,000,000 gallons by expanding

31

accessibility and mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as by enhancing public transit

access for students. In 2013, roughly 10% less students commuted via automobile than in

1990.xxv

ENERGY STAR Requirement: The City of Fort Collins, CO has integrated a variety of

ENERGY STAR criteria into its building code, with various scores for differing uses/design

styles required before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued. These steps are aimed at

producing a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030.xxvi

Zoned Heating: Multi-family buildings in New York City have seen a reduction of 18% in

fuel costs when updating from single-zone to multi-zone heating schemes, while the City of

Seattle will provide financial assistance to homeowners utilizing multi-zone heating systems.

On average, this incentive helps to reduce heating efficiency losses by 15-20%.xxvii

Solar Farm (alternative): The Lawrenceville School Solar Farm, located in New Jersey and

established in 2011, is nearly 30 acres large and produces roughly 6.1 megawatts, covering

90% of the school’s need. It offsets almost 6,388 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year.xxviii

Wind Farm (alternative): Fort Hays State University, in Hays, Kansas, is in the process of

constructing two 400 foot tall Vesta wind turbines. These turbines will cover almost 97% of

the school’s electricity need, and will save the University roughly $600,000 to $1,000,000 in

energy costs annually.xxix

Geothermal Plant: The Missouri University of Science and Technology, located in Rolla,

MO, is constructing a geothermal power plant that will provide the University with 50% of its

energy needs, and reduce the campus’s carbon footprint by roughly 25,000 metric tons a year.

It will also reduce the campus’s water usage by roughly 10%.xxx

Resources for Application and Political Interference

A variety of resources will be required to implement the proposed emission mitigation schemes

for West Campus. Any building-related program, particularly the requirement of an Energy Star

Rating of 50, the retrofitting of institutional properties, and the offering of financial incentives for

energy efficient designs/retrofits, will require funding raised at the municipal or state level, as well

as the cooperation (and approval) of officials on these levels. Fortunately, the University has

oversight over its own properties, but its jurisdiction does not carry over directly into the core of

the West Campus neighborhood. Any regulations may face opposition from landlords or

developers that balk at the high initial costs of many retrofitting/energy saving schemes.

Consequently, it will be important to advertise to these stakeholders the long-term benefits of our

proposals.

Similarly, university approval, as well as university funding (and consequently, state funding) must

be secured through the expansion of a conservation education program, as well as the utilization

of any space on the Research Farms. Of course, the use of the site proposed would face opposition

from those academic departments that rely on this land at the moment for research, etc., and

alternative land/space may have to be provided for these departments. When it comes to raising

32

public finances, both at the municipal and state level, there is not a very welcoming political

environment for raising tax levies. However, funding can be obtained through other mechanisms,

including the promotion of private-public partnerships, adding minor fees to utility bills, and

reducing spending on initiatives that increase carbon dioxide emissions (including the expansion

of major arterial streets).

One unique conundrum that the West Campus Climate Action Plan faces is the fact that, in order

to obtain resources to realize the recommendations made here, payouts may be requested from

individuals who do not reside, work, or own property in West Campus- creating a possibly

politically contentious atmosphere.

Positive Externalities

In convincing various stakeholders to provide political and financial support for the proposed plan,

the positive externalities of the West Campus Climate Action Plan must be promoted. Such

benefits may include:

The reduction in obesity and traffic facilities gained through reduction in automobile use, as

well as the improvement in air pollution obtained through carbon dioxide emissions (and the

reduction in medical issues related with these emissions).

The cost savings associated with the less-intense levels of maintenance required for new,

energy-star appliances.

Providing local companies, and even students, to explore energy efficiency through studying,

and participating in, the proposed tactics.

Advertising the acclaim the University and Champaign may gain from implementing the

recommended strategies (and utilizing this acclaim to attract developers).

Conclusion

The West Campus Climate Action Plan provides municipal and university leaders with the

opportunity to remake the underlying energy infrastructure for a large part of Campustown by

2040, benefiting the local environment, public health, and providing an unprecedented opportunity

for the students and faculty of the University of Illinois to participate in large-scale sustainability-

related research efforts in their own backyard. However, in order to successfully implement the

recommendations made here, the concerns of stakeholders will need to be addressed on an

individual basis, while at the same time, these stakeholders need to be brought together in a diverse

coalition that can realize the political and financial support required to implement the

recommendations made in the plan.

33

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full.pdf

34

xxiii “iCAP – A Climate Action Plan.” Web. Accessed at

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xxv “Two Years Early, UC Berkeley Meets its Carbon-Reduction Target.” Web. Accessed at

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/11/12/two-years-early-uc-berkeley-meets-its-carbon-reduction-target/.

xxvi “Energy Code Compliance.” Web. Accessed at http://www.fcgov.com/building/energy-code.php.

xxvii “Measures to Reduce Heating fuel Consumption.” Web. Accessed at

http://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/10073_EDF_BottomBarrel_Ch5.pdf. And “Ductless Heat Pump- Rebates-

Seattle, WA. Web. Accessed at http://www.lyonsheatingandair.com/REBATES.html.

xxviii “Solar Farm.” Web. Accessed at http://www.lawrenceville.org/about/green-campus-initiative/solar-

farm/index.aspx.

xxix “Wind Energy Project.” Web. Accessed at https://www.fhsu.edu/president/wind-energy/.

xxx “Power Plant Goes Quite as Campus Moves to Geothermal Energy.” Web. Accessed at

http://news.mst.edu/2014/05/power-plant-goes-quiet-as-campus-moves-to-geothermal-energy/.

35

Appendix

Item 1: Breakdown of Task Contribution

Executive Summary (Schwartz)

Table of Contents (Mahalek)

Introduction (Mahalek)

West Campus Ethnographic Discussion (Mahalek)

Carbon Dioxide Emission Inventory and Projections

Building Survey (Mahalek and Schwartz, Survey Initially Completed by All)

Energy and EUI Calculations (Schwartz)

Building Emissions (Mahalek and Schwartz), Electric Grid Emissions Factor (Schwartz),

Transportation Emissions (Taylor), and Waste Emissions (Schwartz)

Projections (Taylor)

Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emission Targets (Chan)

Strategies for Energy and Emission Reductions

Conserve: Education and Incentives (Chan), Transportation Policy (Mahalek)

Load: ENERGY STAR (Chan)

Solar PV (Chan)

Research Farms Usage: Wind, Solar PV, Geothermal Power Plant (Taylor)

Mitigation Wedges (Chan and Taylor)

Results and Discussion (Chan and Taylor)

Precedents and Applying Recommendations (Mahalek)

Conclusion (Mahalek)

Appendix (Chan and Mahalek)

Combined Various Portions of Final Written Report (Mahalek)

Edit Final Written Report (All)