Sustainable Transportation and Grounds in UIC - University of ...

Report to UIC 48 Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability and Energy
• Hold quarterly UIC-sponsored information sessions on
progress of grounds initiatives and for employee
education.
• Institute regular mailings, flyers, posters to be posted and
distributed on campus and to UIC employees homes on
impact of landscape to the environment
• Hiring of a grounds coordinator to manage sustainable
landscape initiatives
6. Capture stormwater onsite; capturing stormwater onsite is one
way to reduce stormwater flow into Chicago’s combined
stormwater and wastewater sewer system. This water flows to the
Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation District plants where the
combined flow is treated as wastewater. However, when rainfall is
high the plants cannot process all the wastewater at once and it is
stored in the deep tunnel system. If the tunnel system capacity is
exceeded, then the combined stormwater and wastewater is
released untreated into Lake Michigan. We recommend:
• Utilize rain barrels or cisterns to capture run-off from
building roofs.
• Direct stormwater run-off from low-lying areas, near
driveways or in parking to bioswales and rain gardens.
That also reduces the amount of stormwater that must be
pumped and the energy required to pump it.
• Utilize green roofs. The rooftop gardens capture the rain
in their soil reducing the amount of run-off. In addition,
green roofs reduce the heat island effect and insulate the
buildings, reducing the energy needed to heat and cool
them.
• Install permeable pavement captures rain where it falls
and should be considered for use in parking lots
whenever feasible.
7. Composting: If composting can be done on-site at UIC, this
provides a rich source of organic material that can be used to
fertilize plantings and flower beds throughout the campus. We
recommend:
• Seek opportunities to fund a pilot composting program.
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