Seeing St. Mary’s in a New Light
St. Mary’s Road is an important corridor on campus, linking south Champaign with key U of I facilities like the National Petascale Computing Facility, home to world-class supercomputers, the Research Park, and of course, access to Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) buildings and parking lots. So, what exactly will you see? Well, for one, you’ll see better. Improved lighting and easy-to-find crosswalks will aid pedestrians … Continue reading Seeing St. Mary’s in a New Light
F&S, UIPD Help Save a Life
Brian Barto (water station), Lucas Burton, and Bryan Helfrich (carpenters) recently exhibited calm and grace under pressure when they assisted another F&S employee, Vinh Nguyen, who was experiencing a life-threatening health emergency. Their quick action allowed emergency personnel to get to the scene quickly to administer life-saving techniques and transport him to the hospital. “I and my family are forever grateful to everyone who was … Continue reading F&S, UIPD Help Save a Life
Letter from Dr. Ehab Kamarah
As the university welcomes students back to on-campus learning, we again recognize the efforts of those like our building service workers, who adjust to new challenges brought by the response to the pandemic, and other staff who stayed on the front lines even during the height of stay-at-home orders. Properly and safely running essential services across campus had to continue. And yet our staff continue … Continue reading Letter from Dr. Ehab Kamarah
Shop Spotlight: Elevator Mechanics
F&S elevator mechanics ensure safe operation, maintain each component, and make repairs when necessary. Plus, of course, they are dispatched when an elevator is stuck with passengers aboard in any of 184 buildings with elevators on campus. Two primary styles of elevator populate campus, one the “hydraulic,” the other called “traction.” Essentially, the hydraulic style, uses a piston from below the elevator car to push … Continue reading Shop Spotlight: Elevator Mechanics
From Good Intentions to Energy Generation
By Colleen Ruhter, F&S Safety and Compliance Did you know just 60-70 percent of food in the United States is actually eaten? The other part is wasted – either during production, distribution, preparation (peeling, chopping), or is simply not eaten by the consumer. At Illinois’ six main dining facilities, over 3,500 pounds of food waste per day is generated (from loss during preparation and what … Continue reading From Good Intentions to Energy Generation
Big Plans Ahead
Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Daniel Burnham, legendary architect: Plan of Chicago, 1892 World’s Columbian … Continue reading Big Plans Ahead
Summertime Construction
When the COVID-19 pandemic response started in March 2020, hammers stopped hammering and construction came to a standstill for some time. But once health and safety measures were taken into place, F&S Capital Programs had plenty to tackle. The university decided to suspend construction activities for certain capital improvement, small construction, and energy conservation projects. Now, a summer full of construction again hits the Illinois … Continue reading Summertime Construction
What It Takes to Be a Champion
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to the U of I Master Plan, measures more than a whopping 8,000 acres of land in the Master Plan Area. On that land grows too many trees to count… or so you thought. F&S helps count and maintain all 16,534 trees on U of I grounds. All are viewable through the U of I’s “TreeKeeper” database: https://illinoisedu.treekeepersoftware.com/index.cfm?deviceWidth=1280. That … Continue reading What It Takes to Be a Champion
A Big Operation in the Cold
Cause and effect: What started with a water pressure failure led to a loss of electric power—but where? Then, when the location was found, Facilities & Services professionals were ankle-deep in new, cold challenges. During a mid-afternoon shift on a frigid Sunday, F&S Utilities & Energy Services (UES) professionals observed a loss of pressure in the Campus Chilled Water System. The system which typically operates … Continue reading A Big Operation in the Cold
Saving Air Now for Energy Later
F&S’ power production on campus is really great due to the incredible array of production services on campus with the two solar farms, the off-campus wind power purchase agreement, and at Abbott Power Plant. The Abbott combined heat and power facility provides both electric and thermal energy across campus. It has existed for over 80 years, and has a long history of supporting research collaborations. … Continue reading Saving Air Now for Energy Later