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University of Minnesota Morris

600 E. 4th St. , Morris, MN 56267
SUN-E (Students Using Natural Energy)

A group of diverse, highly committed students from the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM) have been hard at work to continue the reputation of providing a “sustainable, renewable education” on campus. The projects and initiatives that already have been taking place at UMM (campus wide recycling, new geothermal energy, biomass gratification, renewable energy produced by two wind turbines, etc.) continue to provide a solid, progressive and encouraging background for this group of students to implement new projects.
Most recently, this group of UMM students applied for and received a CERTs grant. This grant has helped to provide financial assistance with the specialized labor that is required for their solar thermal project.

The SUN-E team (Students Using Natural Energy) successfully worked to put energy efficient solar thermal panels on the Regional Fitness Center (RFC). The RFC was chosen as the ideal spot to install solar thermal panels because individuals from both the Morris community and University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) use the RFC facility—this project has educated a wide range of individuals on ways to become more energy efficient. The main goal of the solar thermal panels has been to help heat the pool, thus lowering UMM’s natural gas consumption and carbon footprint.

We are very pleased to report our progress to date on our Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon funded SUN-E project. We had set out to have solar thermal panels installed at the RFC, as well as create a well-organized public outreach campaign, which includes public events, an educational kiosk, and a student-produced documentary. Below, we have listed our progress in tackling each objective.

Objective One: Public Events (Seth)

The SUN-E Team has organized three major outreach events to date. We held a roundtable discussion with a group of local seniors who use the pool on a daily basis in hopes of explaining how the project works and how a solar thermal system could work at a residential level. We were joined by Morris Mayor Sheldon Giese and Wayne Morford from the RFC. In addition, we held a family event that accomplished many of the same things. On the same day, we held our man event, which was our Solar Swim that attracted over 70 students. We were joined by Dan Thiede from CERT’s for both events, and the groups received a special message via video from Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. Students and families enjoyed learning about solar thermal and also free swimming while a live DJ played a variety of music. It was a very fun and successful event.

Aside from our own events, we have taken advantage of other oppurtunities to educate the community and other students. In April of 2011, we took part in a local sustainability fair, which showed off the efforts of many local and campus groups to promote sustainability. We also will be presenting our project at the upcoming Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability Regional Conference, which takes place September 23rd and 24th.

Objective Two: Educational Kiosk (Melinda)

We installed a 32” touch screen kiosk on the wall of the RFC lobby, so that visitors can learn more about the solar thermal system and look at live data about system performance. Currently, the kiosk is still being worked on; the kiosk was installed as an exact duplicate of another kiosk already located in our campus’ Welcome Center, and we have been working to make subtle changes to the RFC kiosk to reflect it’s different location. This has primarily been accomplished through a new home screen for the kiosk, featuring the solar thermal panels and including language specific to the project. We are still working to ensure that the live data is uploaded correctly on both kiosks, but when both are complete, the kiosk should contain historical energy production or historical CO2 reduction data, an animation depicting how the solar thermal system works, instantaneous data about system performance, and a description of how the solar thermal project progressed.

Objective Three: Student Documentary (Dana)

Right now, we are finishing up our interviews with key people who’ve played a role in the project. Once this is finished, I cut the footage up in the editing software and make a short video that will go on the informational kiosk and hopefully online.
Troy Goodnough, good0044@morris.umn.edu

MnSCC Grant!

Solar power

We are very pleased to report our progress to date on our Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon funded SUN-E project. Although we have experienced delays in finalizing the grant contract and in the installation of the solar thermal panels, we have made significant progress. Below, we describe the progress to date by objective and present updates on project timing by sub-task. Modifications of our timelines are bolded and italicized and indicated in the sub-task sections below. Please contact Karen Mumford at 320-589-6344 or mumford@morris.umn.edu, if you have any questions or need additional information.
a. Update on the status of the workplan, including each objective and task; and b. indication of whether project is on schedule
Objective 1: Install solar thermal panels on the RFC pool
The solar thermal panels are in the process of being installed. Engineering details, location for panels, and architectural renderings have been completed. The installation schedule was delayed due to reconfiguration of panel location and time required to purchase the panels. Installation of panels should be completed by June 2010 and performance verification by September 2010. Task A: Work with McKinstry to implement the installation plan Sub-task 1: Verify engineering details with McKinstry, December 2009 (completed) Sub-task 2: Install solar thermal system on the RFC, March 2010 (expected to be completed June 30, 2010) Sub-task 3: Verify initial system performance, May 2010 (to be completed
July 30, 2010) Sub-task 4: Monitor ongoing system performance, June 2010 (August 2010)
Objective 2: Implement the Education and Outreach Campaign
Outreach efforts are underway. Our student project leader, Naomi Wente, was hired for the summer and she has already been in contact with Wayne Morford and key community members to plan the Solar Swim event. The installation of the panels was delayed, therefore the proposed Solar Swim will be scheduled for later this summer or early fall. Invitations and promotional materials will be developed after installation and system verification. The SunRay films initiative has commenced. Development of a video plan and objectives is underway. Photos and video footage have been shot to document the installation of the solar thermal panels. Key stakeholders have been contacted to participate in the video. We anticipate completion of filming by September 2010. We are currently identifying the best technology and approach for developing an informational kiosk, Kiosk del Sol. A green kiosk was recently installed on campus for another project and we plan to develop the Kiosk del Sol based on our experiences with this initial kiosk. We are also reviewing materials to identify key components and educational user-friendly information to be placed at the kiosk. We anticipate completion of the Kiosk del Sol in September, 2010. We are currently developing a campus-wide Green Ambassadors program in which students will be trained to conduct tours and about all the green initiatives at UMM. The thermal solar system is an important component of the training, thus our Solar Ambassadors initiative will be strategically integrated with the Green Ambassadors program. Training materials are currently being developed. We anticipate our ambassadors to be trained and ready to lead tours by September 2010. Plans for the Solar Festival will be developed during the summer of 2010 and invitations for an October 2010 event will be sent out by September 2010. Finally, for Task F, preliminary information has been collected on solar thermal energy and the technology being used at UMM. A web-based story is under development to be posted on the UMM website after review by MPCA. Task A: Solar Swim event
Sub-task 1: Work with Wayne Morford, RFC, to schedule two Solar Swim days, February 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 2: Prepare and send out invitations and other materials to promote the event, May 2010, September 2010 (to be initiated following system installation and verification)
Sub-task 3: Create displays and booths for the events to provide information and educational programming and materials about solar thermal technology and its role at the RFC, May 2010 (to be initiated following system installation and verification)
Task B: SunRay Films
Sub-task 1: SUN-E team members will collaborate with UMM media services to plan the development of the educational video about the solar thermal project at the RFC, February 2010 (on-going) Sub-task 2: Prepare the film script and begin filming, March 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 3: Process, edit, and disseminate the film to local access channels and the UMM website, November 2010 (to be completed after filming concludes)

Task C: Kiosk del Sol
Sub-task 1: Review information to identify the best screen-based technology for an information kiosk or display at the RFC, March 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 2: Review materials and prepare a plan for dissemination of educational information and real-time data on a flat screen kiosk display at the RFC, June 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 3: Enter selected informational materials onto the kiosk and provide technology connections to real time solar thermal energy production data, June 2010 (to be initiated August 2010)

Task D: Solar Ambassadors.
Sub-task 1: Identify team members who are willing to go out to schools and community gatherings to discuss the solar thermal project at the RFC and the benefits of solar thermal technology, February 2010 (to be initiated in fall semester, 2010)
Sub-task 2: Prepare and manage a calendar with a schedule of outreach events and specific team members who will present at various events, Fall 2010, ongoing after completion of the grant period, October 2010 (to be initiated in fall semester, 2010)

Task E: Solar Energy Festival
Sub-task 1: Plan and schedule festival during UMM’s Fall 2010 Homecoming, February 2010 (Summer 2010)
Sub-task 2: Plan displays, educational materials, presentation, and activities to be held during the festival, May 2010 (Summer 2010)
Sub-task 3: Prepare and send out invitations, advertisements, and activities to be held during the festival, September 2010.
Sub-task 4: Manage festival activities and events, October 2010.

Task F: Educational brochures, press releases, and news stories
Sub-task 1: Identify and collect information about the solar project at the RFC as well as information about how the technology works and its benefits, March 2010 (Summer 2010)
Sub-task 2: Draft educational materials for review by project team, May 2010 (Summer 2010)
Sub-task 3: Print final version of materials for placement in strategic locations as well as in local newspapers, September 2010.

c. Update of the budget showing how much of the grants funds and matching funds have been spent, including the cost of materials, labor and other expenses
The University of Minnesota’s Sponsored Financial Reporting office will provide an invoice for spending in the first quarter of the project. Thus far, expenses have yet to be charged to the grant but we are expecting costs such as the solar panel expenses and undergraduate salaries to be charged to the grant account very shortly.
d. Results achieved
We have completed several key sub-tasks necessary in meeting our project objectives. The solar panels are in the process of being installed therefore we do not have measures of energy savings or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. We anticipate providing these measures during the fall of 2010.

SUN - E

Solar power

We are very pleased to report our progress to date on our Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon (MNSCC) funded SUN-E project. Although we experienced initial delays in finalizing the grant contract and in the installation of the solar thermal panels, we have made significant progress. Below, we describe the progress to date by objective and present updates on project timing by sub-task. Modifications of our timelines are bolded and italicized and indicated in the sub-task sections below. Please contact Karen Mumford at 320-589-6344 or mumford@morris.umn.edu, if you have any questions or need additional information.
a. Update on the status of the workplan, including each objective and task; and b. indication of whether project is on schedule
Objective 1: Install solar thermal panels on the RFC pool
The solar thermal panels have been installed, though we are still in the process of monitoring their performance. Task A: Work with McKinstry to implement the installation plan
Sub-task 1: Verify engineering details with McKinstry, December 2009 (completed)
Sub-task 2: Install solar thermal system on the RFC, March 2010 (completed )
Sub-task 3: Verify initial system performance, May 2010 (completed)
Sub-task 4: Monitor ongoing system performance, June 2010 (ongoing, we are working to get ensure the system is able to log historical information )

Objective 2: Implement the Education and Outreach Campaign
Outreach efforts continue to proceed. Our student project leader, Naomi Wente, was hired for the summer and she established contact with Wayne Morford (Regional Fitness Center director) and key community members to plan the Solar Swim event. During the fall semester, three new SUN-E students were hired to continue these efforts, including, Dana Droog, Seth Elsen and Melinda Kawalek. Together, this team of students is working on the implementation aspects of the education and outreach campaign. Due to the delay of the installation of the panels, the Solar Swim has now been scheduled for February 12, 2011. Invitations have been sent out to Minnesota Cutting Carbon schools to alert them about the Solar Swim date and time. Promotional materials are being developed now that the solar thermal system has been installed. The SunRay films initiative has commenced. Development of a video plan and objectives is underway. Photos and video footage were shot to document the installation of the solar thermal panels. Key stakeholders have been contacted to participate in the video. Since summer 2010 we have continued to gather film footage and edit our footage into a film product. The video production effort has helped the team develop new skills. The team has been busy assembling footage, making some mistakes, re-conducting some interviews, and learning a lot. We anticipate completion of filming by April 2011. We are currently in the process of implementing and installing an informational kiosk, Kiosk del Sol. A green kiosk was recently installed on campus for another project and we developed the Kiosk del Sol based on our experiences with this initial kiosk. We are also reviewing materials to identify key components and educational user-friendly information to be placed at the kiosk. We anticipate completion of the Kiosk del Sol by February 2011. We are currently developing a campus-wide Green Ambassadors program in which students will be trained to conduct tours and share information about all the green initiatives at UMM. The thermal solar system is an important component of the training, thus our Solar Ambassadors initiative will be strategically integrated with the Green Ambassadors program. Training materials are currently being developed. We anticipate our ambassadors to be trained and ready to lead tours by February 2011. Plans for the Solar Festival will be developed during the spring of 2011 and we hope to kick off this event on during earth day celebrations. Finally, for Task F, preliminary information has been collected on solar thermal energy and the technology being used at UMM. A web-based story is under development to be posted on the UMM website after review by MPCA. Task A: Solar Swim event
Sub-task 1: Work with Wayne Morford, RFC, to schedule two Solar Swim days, February 2010 (we have scheduled a set of days in February 2011 to conduct these events)
Sub-task 2: Prepare and send out invitations and other materials to promote the event, May 2010, September 2010 (invitations have been sent out to MNSCC schools for the February 2011 event)
Sub-task 3: Create displays and booths for the events to provide information and educational programming and materials about solar thermal technology and its role at the RFC, May 2010 (in progress)
Task B: SunRay Films
Sub-task 1: SUN-E team members will collaborate with UMM media services to plan the development of the educational video about the solar thermal project at the RFC, February 2010 (on-going) Sub-task 2: Prepare the film script and begin filming, March 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 3: Process, edit, and disseminate the film to local access channels and the UMM website, November 2010 (to be completed after filming concludes, current target date is April 2011)

Task C: Kiosk del Sol
Sub-task 1: Review information to identify the best screen-based technology for an information kiosk or display at the RFC, March 2010 (completed, the kiosk is installed in the RFC)
Sub-task 2: Review materials and prepare a plan for dissemination of educational information and real-time data on a flat screen kiosk display at the RFC, June 2010 (on-going)
Sub-task 3: Enter selected informational materials onto the kiosk and provide technology connections to real time solar thermal energy production data, June 2010 (ongoing, we plan to install materials into the kiosk in January 2011)

Task D: Solar Ambassadors.
Sub-task 1: Identify team members who are willing to go out to schools and community gatherings to discuss the solar thermal project at the RFC and the benefits of solar thermal technology, February 2010 (we have identified students and will be training them in January 2011)
Sub-task 2: Prepare and manage a calendar with a schedule of outreach events and specific team members who will present at various events, Fall 2010, ongoing after completion of the grant period, October 2010 (after our training in January 2011 we will schedule outreach activities with the Solar Ambassador team)

Task E: Solar Energy Festival
Sub-task 1: Plan and schedule festival, February 2010 (We have several key events we will target: Campus Energy Challenge in February 2011, Earthday celebrations in April)
Sub-task 2: Plan displays, educational materials, presentation, and activities to be held during the festival (Winter/Spring 2011)
Sub-task 3: Prepare and send out invitations, advertisements, and activities to be held during the festival, (Winter/Spring 2011)
Sub-task 4: Manage festival activities and events, (Winter/Spring 2011).

Task F: Educational brochures, press releases, and news stories
Sub-task 1: Identify and collect information about the solar project at the RFC as well as information about how the technology works and its benefits, March 2010 (ongoing)
Sub-task 2: Draft educational materials for review by project team, May 2010 (ongoing)
Sub-task 3: Print final version of materials for placement in strategic locations as well as in local newspapers, September 2010. (We have had some information appear in print, like our alumni magazine. We plan to put out some new press releases in February 2011.)

c. Update of the budget showing how much of the grants funds and matching funds have been spent, including the cost of materials, labor and other expenses
The University of Minnesota’s Sponsored Financial Reporting office will provide an invoice for spending on this project.
d. Results achieved
We have completed several key sub-tasks necessary in meeting our project objectives. We have installed the solar thermal system on the RFC and the system is operating as planned so far. We have installed an informational kiosk in the RFC and will be shaping the content. We have sent out invitations to the Solar Swim and are anticipating a good February event. And we have obtained some video footage and interview footage that will be the basis of our video. This experience has been valuable to the student SUN-E team — they are gaining professional skills, and are providing visibility for this community-based renewable energy system in a way that would not have happened without Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon involvement and