Southern Illinois University
Sustainability Action Plan
Benjamin Newton, PhD candidate Environmental
Resources and Policy
newtben@siu.edu
Kris Schachel, Sustainability Coordinator
sustainability@siu.edu
Grassroots Students Engagement
• History of Green Fund
• Green Fund Projects 2009- current
• Sustainability Council
• Climate Assessment 2010-2011
• Sustainability Action Plan 2011
- Interdisciplinary Environmental Resources and Policy, Plant
Biology, Speech Communication, and Agriculture
• Sustainability Coordinator July 2012
History of Green Fund
Fall 2007 - Students launched Project EcoDawgs to help the University
establish a funding mechanism for furthering sustainability efforts.
EcoDawgs’ goals were to enact a Green Fee and form a Sustainability
Council to oversee it.
Spring 2008 – In Undergraduate Student Government elections,
overwhelming 73% of voting students passed the Green Fee proposal in
campus wide referendum.
July 2008 – Then-Chancellor Sam Goldman appointed the first SIU
Sustainability Council to make campus-wide recommendations concerning
sustainability and allocate revenue generated by the Green Fee.
May 7, 2009 – The SIU Board of Trustees unanimously passed the $10 per
semester student Green Fee. The fee went into effect Fall 2009.
Green Fund Projects
Sustainability Council 2012
Students:
•Makayla Bonney, Chair – graduate student in Geography
•Alison Crim – undergraduate in Geography
•Eric Wilber – J.D. Law student
Faculty:
•Matt Therrell – Geography & Environmental Resources
•Craig Anz – Architecture
•Steve Belletire – Art & Design
Staff:
•Justin Harrell – Engineer at Physical Plant Service
•Chef Bill Connors – Food Service Chef and University Housing
•Corne Prozesky – Associate Director at Recreational Sports &
Services
SIU Climate Assessment 2001-2010
https://sites.google.com/a/siu.edu/siuclimate/
• 80% of GHG emissions are from
buildings
• On campus 3 MW coal plant 40%
of emissions, but generates 14%
of annual energy
• 50, 000 tons of coal per year
• Purchased electricity 40% of GHG
emissions, 86% of annual energy
• Natural Gas between 2-4% of
GHG emissions
SIU Climate Assessment-Travel
• 2010 Faculty, staff, and student
commuting and financed travel
annual GHG emissions average
of 8%
• 8622 travel destinations
• Great Circle Mapper
www.gcmap.com and Google
Maps
• Faculty/staff by automobile
2,054,708 miles
• 70% of overall emissions is from
air travel 6,700,374 miles
SIU Climate Assessment- Solid Waste
Average 5000 tons per year
No methane recovery at Southern Illinois Landfill
Solid Waste Offsets from Compost and Recycling
Sustainability Action Plan Strategies
1.Energy Efficiency Feasibility Study 120,000 MW
2.Clean and Renewable Energy Sources
3. Reduction in Transportation Emissions
4. Reduce Business Travel
5. Improve Grounds Operations
6. Solid Waste Offsets from Composts and Recycling
FY 2010- FY 2012 22% increase in tons recycled
7. Increased Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
• Task 1 Plant Services and Operations have reduced
electricity use by 14% since 2001
– Motion sensors/energy strips
– Maximum natural light
– Move to LED
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Task 2 Four new facilities, LEED standards?
Task 3 Improve building envelopes
Task 4 Measure efficiency of current green roof
Task 5 Improved monitoring through energy
dashboard
Renewable Energy Sources
• Task 6- Photovoltaics currently 28 kW
• Task 7- 1.6 MW Wind turbine feasibility study
Reductions in Transportation
Emissions
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Task 8- Ride share program (in student center)
Task 9- Carpooling and efficient car parking
Task 10- Bike lanes and rental program
Task 11- Telecommuting
Task 12- Online courses
Reduce Business Travel Emissions
• Task 13- Track business
travel mileage
• Task 14- Student project to
determine travel
destinations served by
Amtrak
• Task 15- Hybrid or biodiesel
fleet
• Task 16- Carpooling and
rideshare
• Task 17- Online meetings
Improving Grounds Operations
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Task 18- Rain barrels potential for irrigation
Task 19- Permeable pavement
Task 20- Green star certification for grounds crew
Task 21- Increase native plants on campus, reduce
mowing
• Task 22- Integrated pest management strategies
• Task 23- Spot fertilize
• Task 24- Buffer strips to improve water quality
Solid Waste Offsets from Composting
and Recycling
• Task 25- 22% increase in solid waste recycled
FY 2010-FY 2012
• Task 26- Amount of food waste
vermicomposted
Increased Involvement of
Interdisciplinary groups
• Task 27- Annual commuter survey
• Task 28- Annual paper used by department
• Task 29- Incorporating all tasks above into
curriculum
• Task 30- Sustainability Network
1. Proximity
2. Student, faculty, and staff population
3. Existence of coal fired power plant on campus
4. Innovative alternatives
University of Illinois at Chicago
UIC- seven climate action plan strategies
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1. Energy Efficiency and Conservation
2. Clean and Renewable Energy
Sources
3. Improved transportation options
4. Improved Grounds Operations
5. Recycling and reduced waste
streams
6. Employment strategies
7. Education, Research, and Public
Engagement
UIC increased emissions in 2010 to due
to purchasing electricity on the
wholesale market, away from energy
provider with more nuclear power
Cornell University
• 2010 received first annual
climate leadership award
• “No coal pledge”
• Reduced GHG emissions by
25% since 2009, combined
heat and power plant
• Coal replaced with natural
gas
Ball State University
• In February of 2009, transition to phase out four coal
fired boilers to geothermal fields.
• The geothermal system is the largest in the United
States, 4100 boreholes and two energy stations.
• Eliminate 85,000 tons of carbon dioxide
• Electricity demand for the geothermal system will
still result in approximately half of the boiler
emissions.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Abbott's natural gas capacity can provide almost enough steam
to meet campus demand by itself
- Since 2008 reduced emissions 11%
- Reduction in building energy use 40% by 2025
- Eliminate coal combustion by 2017
Portland State
- Solid waste is 41% of all emissions
- Currently 30% recycled, aiming for 90% diversion by 2030
- 100% of electricity from renewable sources in 2010
- EcoWiki (sustainability action hub) and sustainability pledge
- Goal carbon neutral by 2040
• Coal conversion to
natural gas
– Reduction in CO2e???
– Bottom up life cycle analysis
of shale gas
• Geothermal- large
investment $$$
• Recycling diversion
rates
• Illinois Renewable
Portfolio Standard 25%
by 2025
– 1.6 MW wind turbine 4%
– Photovoltaic systems
• Sustainability Council
and Student Network