CCAP 2024 Initial Recommendations

UIC should prioritize energy efficiency in buildings and campus operations. Energy-efficient facilities use less energy to provide the same level of occupant comfort and produce the same building performance. Prioritizing energy efficiency is among the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy use and emissions, making it the ideal first step toward decarbonization at UIC[1].

[1] https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/decarbonization/energy-efficiency

UIC should continue to implement Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) that meet building standards. Multiple options exist for pursuing this goal:

• UIC should expand and accelerate the use of Energy Performance Contracts (EPC), including governance for procurement, cost accounting and blending sources of capital to address deferred maintenance repairs.
• UIC should address central plant, distribution and campuswide delivery of standardized ECMs, prioritize renovation capital for projects that reduce energy and carbon and use alternative and external financing and funding.
• UIC should pursue building management systems that enable advanced demand strategies that depend on occupancy and real-time lighting and weather inputs.

UIC should continue to develop the Green Revolving Fund (GRF) to provide funding for efficiency projects across campus that support energy and water use reduction and are self-financed through savings. UIC should expand the GRF by increasing the budget, extending project eligibility parameters and providing programmatic support.

UIC should pursue the unprecedented levels of Illinois and federal funding increasingly available for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Specific programs include grant and incentive programs of the Federal Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Illinois Clean and Equitable Jobs Act. Current and future UIC planning efforts, including a Carbon and Energy Plan, will help identify potential projects for funding. UIC units should develop a grant strategy targeted at these large opportunities.

UIC is updating its Master Building Specifications, including general conditions for Sustainable Design Requirements. As a part of the update, UIC should incorporate additional design requirements that promote climate resiliency, lifecycle cost analysis and electrification of buildings to accelerate campus decarbonization and reduce operation risk/costs. These standards should apply to all new projects, including those using a Public Private Partnership (P3) delivery model.

UIC should work to educate and engage the campus community on energy use and reduction opportunities based on low and no-cost behavioral changes, including those based on real-time carbon emissions.

UIC should prioritize energy efficiency in labs. Laboratory buildings consistently have the highest energy use intensity on campus and multiple programs exist to address lab efficiency. UIC should evaluate and adopt an appropriate program to help identify efficient systems to support UIC’s research mission.

To decarbonize its electricity supply, UIC should initiate an indirect power purchase agreement (PPA) to partner with a third-party company specializing in managing renewable energy projects. The company will generate clean electricity for the same grid UIC connects with to source its energy. A PPA allows UIC to support clean energy without having to build and manage renewable facilities.

UIC should implement onsite solar power on rooftops and in parking lots, in some cases coupled with electric vehicle charging station capability. One option for catalyzing solar construction on campus rooftops is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).  A PPA offers UIC the opportunity to partner with a third-party company to install and manage solar panels onsite with UIC as the power purchaser.

UIC central plants operate an efficient cogeneration system, converting exhaust heat to steam and high-temperature hot water to serve 95% of the campus. As the grid decarbonizes, the carbon emission benefits will diminish. Taking into consideration the greening of the grid, UIC should upgrade its system to reduce energy losses during distribution, evaluate heat pump chillers, convert utility distribution systems to low-temperature hot water, invest in battery storage to support resiliency, pilot new systems in partnership with research and academic programs and plan to retire its current cogeneration system.

UIC should create a plan for an electrified district heating and cooling system that leverages ground-source heat pumps. Ground-source heat pumps use electricity to heat and cool water using the earth’s thermal mass. The cost of operations over the lifecycle of a heating, ventilation and cooling system can provide net positive financial performance.

UIC should create a Transportation Demand Management Plan that identifies incentives for low-emissions transportation modes (e.g., transit, biking, electric vehicles, carpooling), a consistent hybrid work policy and other strategies for reducing congestion and commute- related emissions.

To support emissions reduction associated with how the campus community commutes to UIC, the university should make a concerted effort to educate the campus community on the benefits of using different sustainable transportation modes. Various communication channels should be used to ensure a broad reach of the information.

UIC will require a percentage of new fleet vehicle purchases to be low or zero-emission by a specific target date. Additionally, the university will explore options for decarbonizing campus shuttles via a transition to hydrogen or electricity. UIC should develop a vehicle electrification plan to minimize carbon emissions while meeting fleet, commuter and public needs.

To reduce emissions and avoid construction of costly new parking facilities, UIC should incentivize transit ridership. The U-Pass program for students and pre-tax payments for faculty and staff commuters are both examples of successful transit incentive programs. These programs should be studied and expanded to meet commuter needs and reduce emissions.

UIC should explore the impacts of changing parking cost-structure and incentives to reduce single-occupancy vehicle commutes by increasing awareness of driving costs.

UIC should explore carbon neutral backup power and microgrids.

UIC should update procurement contracts to require, where feasible, items and materials that are durable, contain replaceable parts, readily reusable, recyclable or compostable in existing UIC materials management systems and programs. Further procurement efforts should align with the UIC Sustainable Materials Management Plan and the UIC Landfill Waste Reduction Policy. Contracts should specifically prohibit the sale, procurement or distribution of #6 plastic, expanded polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam), and single-use plastic bags in all UIC facilities. All new and updated UIC contracts should include language that outlines the chancellor’s zero waste commitment and the vendor obligation to abide by this university mandate.

UIC should continue to increase the campus recycling rate by 2% annually.

UIC should continue diverting construction waste and increase construction and demolition waste diversion to 90% or higher by 2035.

UIC should implement a Sustainable Paper Policy requiring all purchases to include recyclable content and encourage departments to reduce paper use via electronic tools.

UIC should expand the existing surplus program to engage further with UIC Health Sciences to promote reuse efforts to the UIC community. UIC should streamline the surplus declaration process for products that could be reused outside of UIC.

UIC should designate an accessible permanent location for the Great Stuff Exchange free store and have regular open hours for donations and shopping. This program should support reuse on campus as a method of waste reduction, support student learning and financial saving and reduce scope 2 and 3 emissions.

UIC should coordinate an inventory process of surplus lab supplies, materials and chemicals organized by location and type. This should avoid unnecessary / redundant purchases and waste disposal. Further, a centralized storage location should be designated to receive and store donated laboratory supplies.

The UIC Sustainability Materials Management Plan should be updated in 2025 to provide a five-year performance evaluation and outline a five-year roadmap. This plan should continue to support the chancellor’s Climate Commitment of diverting at least 90% of landfill-bound materials.

UIC should update the Green Events Guide and post publicly on the university website to support event planners in greening campus events.

UIC should encourage a process to collect usable items during residential move-out that can be either made available to students during the subsequent move-in period or donated.

UIC should expand the student volunteer food recovery efforts to operate five days/ week.

UIC should increase composting at additional food service locations and pilot a consumer option.

UIC should expand current efforts to reduce its water use by establishing consistent funding, identification and a management structure for cost-effective water efficiency retrofit projects.

Integrated design processes and standards for new construction at UIC should be expanded to include non-potable water use, water efficiency, sub-system level metering, leak detection and stormwater management. These standards align with the relevant credits in the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (USGBC LEED) program.

UIC should develop a campus-level non-potable water use strategy that employs storage tanks for greywater and rainwater and includes dedicated funding for maintenance.

UIC should conduct a risk assessment to identify critical stormwater infrastructure updates and expansion.

Each UIC building should have installed a smart meter with data capture for UIC departments and a public or internal dashboard displaying real-time potable water usage data.

UIC should design and adopt a biodiversity and green infrastructure operation and maintenance plan. The plan will outline specific details, including accountability and funding for long-term upkeep and maintenance for all campus landscape projects and programs.

UIC should conduct a Geographic Information System (GIS) study and employ surveys to map, track and quantify landscape types, plant species, insect species and bird species found on campus. This effort should also leverage resources including software, crowdsourcing, academic courses and community volunteers.

UIC should enhance outside spaces to incorporate educational components, both passive and active. These enhancements will be prioritized in spaces that connect campus sections/buildings inside the campus center to encourage use by the campus community, prioritize safety and emphasize beauty by providing natural spaces in a highly urban environment.

UIC should allocate annual funding to Facilities Management (FM) for proper tree care and maintenance. Further, UIC should create a campuswide Tree Replacement Policy that accounts for removed trees and provides understory trees for anticipated replacement.

UIC should establish and fund an academic and research-focused Center for Climate and Sustainability. Its primary role will be to centralize sustainability teaching, learning and research at UIC. This centralization will include providing resources and educational opportunities for faculty (e.g., grant opportunities, an awards program, workshops, trainings, etc.) and tracking metrics. The Center will be managed by a “Faculty Fellow for Sustainability,” a new role at UIC. The Fellow position will be defined and supported by Academic Affairs.

UIC should continue to track the percentage of employees and academic departments that conduct sustainability research in alignment with guidance in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) program. In addition to tracking this information, UIC will set a goal to increase employee and academic department sustainability research.

UIC should organize thematic tenure-track faculty recruitment cycles related to sustainability.

UIC should introduce an innovative undergraduate major in sustainability studies designed to foster eco-conscious, future-oriented education. This program should align with evolving societal needs, equipping students with vital skills for addressing sustainability challenges. Collegiate or departmental placement should be adaptable, ensuring interdisciplinary collaboration and maximizing program impact.

UIC should develop and maintain support mechanisms specifically intended for faculty to expand sustainability course offerings, such as the Teaching Sustainability Initiative and the Sustainability Teaching Toolkit.  This should be undertaken in alignment with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) program guidance.