3. Collaborator's name, title, and affiliation, when applicable: Joanne Moliski, student; Anthony McClellan, UIC Campus Auxiliary Services

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1 1. Project Title: Sustainable Renovation of the Student Services Building Entryways 2. First and Last Name: David Klawitter 3. Collaborator's name, title, and affiliation, when applicable: Joanne Moliski, student; Anthony McClellan, UIC Campus Auxiliary Services 4. Explicitly state how the project adheres to the three pillars of sustainability: Our Green Fee proposal strongly adheres to the three main pillars of sustainability environmental protection, social equity, and economic benefit very well. The environment is benefitted by having the permeable pavement allow rainwater to naturally be filtered through the sediment, and by having native planting, which use less water than traditional, non-native planting. Social equity is touched on because this site will allow handicap access to the new site and to SSB, which will provide equal access for all peoples to see the new sustainable construction and to access a service on campus. The economic benefit of this project is great. The native planting will greatly reduce the water, fertilizer, and maintenance needed for the landscaping on site; and the permeable pavement will prevent flooding damage.

2 Sustainable Renovation of the Student Services Building Entryways With Permeable Pavement and Native Planting Green Fee Proposal David Klawitter Joanne Moliski

3 Overview The Student Services Building (SSB) at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is an area identified by Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS) as in need of renovation and updating. Plans for updating the site have already been determined by CAS. However, when our team reached out to CAS to suggest to them incorporating permeable pavement and native planting into their plans to create a more sustainable project, CAS was very supportive of the idea and said they were able to incorporate these ideas into their plans very easily. Our Green Fee proposal strongly adheres to the three main pillars of sustainability environmental protection, social equity, and economic benefit very well. The environment is benefitted by having the permeable pavement allow rainwater to naturally be filtered through the sediment, and by having native planting, which uses less water than traditional, non-native planting. Social equity is touched on because this site will allow handicap access to the new site and to SSB, which will provide equal access for all peoples to see the new sustainable construction and to access a service on campus. The economic benefit of this project is great. The native planting will greatly reduce the water, fertilizer, and maintenance needed for the landscaping on site; and the permeable pavement will prevent flooding damage. Native Plants Native plants have many benefits for the environment. The roots of the species that are commonly used to replace turf grass (which has approx 4 inch roots) can go down many feet. This allows them the capability to sustain floods and droughts. During flooding, they absorb large amounts of water, preventing water damage to the area. During a drought they use retained water to survive and are not dependent on sprinkler systems. Native plants can provide shelter and food for migrating birds and for butterfly populations, both of which are under threat by traditional city landscaping. Certain plants can be utilized in combination to improve soil quality. 2

4 Disabled persons may have difficulty accessing many natural environments and environmentally focused project spaces. By creating a place that is wheelchair friendly, more people of different ability levels can be exposed directly to and learn about environmentally friendly projects as well as benefit from the aesthetically pleasing native plant landscaping. Because it is a public space, these benefits are also available to any person who for whatever reason may not have many opportunities to be exposed to nature or sustainable design. Additionally, as water sources become more taxed and water rights come under threat, utilizing native plants that do not require watering is a socially responsible action to implement. Though a native plant landscape does require maintenance for roughly two years as the plants become established, after these two years they require minimal upkeep. This serves as a cost savings by allowing the university to divert labor to other areas. Native plants require no sprinkler system and minimal to no watering. Paying to for the water is expensive enough without factoring in the cost of a sprinkler system, labor to water the plants, and all other associated costs. This small scale example can serve as a study on the feasibility of largescale implementation. The cost savings of these benefits on a large scale would be enormous. Permeable Paving The paved landscape of UIC and the greater Chicago area pose a large problem for pollution and water quality. Paved surfaces cause rainwater to flow across pavement to the nearest sewer, carrying any pollutants it picks up along the way. Removing these pollutants takes time, energy, and money. This water represents a big environmental, health, and financial problem for urban areas. The simple solution is allowing water to naturally penetrate the ground and be filtered by soil as it flows to the nearest body of water Lake Michigan. Permeable pavement would allow for this. Our Green Fee proposal incorporates permeable pavement on a portion of the plot. Not only will this prevent flooding, allow water to naturally be filtered by the soil, and act as an educational piece for students to see 3

5 the benefits of this sustainable pavement, but it will also allow for UIC to study the effects and benefits of allowing water to seep into the ground. The research aspect of this project is crucial because it will act as a precedent at UIC for how well permeable pavement can work and how it can be incorporated into new construction. It also serves to provide more information on how permeable pavement performs especially in Chicago so it can be improved and implemented more widely in the future. Not only would UIC be leading the way for our campus, but also for Chicago as a whole. As a research institution focused on leading the way, incorporating permeable pavement into our charge for sustainability is a must. Additionally, this pavement will be used to create access ramps for the handicapped to the Student Services Building (SSB) at UIC and beautify the site, thus allowing the greater community to access the new site and experience the environmental and aesthetic benefits of this newly renovated site touching on the area of social equity. Final Thoughts These two items can easily be incorporated into planned construction by CAS, and so the construction would not be of any further inconvenience to the UIC community. Furthermore, UIC would be leading the way in sustainable renovations of outdoor areas by installing and demonstrating these sustainable features. This is not only something to benefit UIC in aesthetics, but also to boost UIC s leadership on sustainability, provide students with more knowledge of what sustainable construction can look like, and provide a basis for other UIC Departments, including CAS, to incorporate sustainability into their future plans. 4

6 Detailed Budget Permeable Pavement COST ESTIMATE FOR PERMEABLE PAVEMENT Square Footage (ft 2 ) Avg Material Cost, per ft 2 ($/ft 2 ) Avg Labor Cost, per ft 2 ($/ft 2 ) Avg Total Cost, per ft 2 ($/ft 2 ) Avg Total Cost Cost of Non- Permeable Pavers Total Cost for Site Difference Between 8,600 8, * * $ 103,200 $ 182, $ 79, ($) * The installation cost and material cost are factored in together for the non-permeable pavement. Notes: This project will fund the difference between the pavement already planned, and permeable pavement. $79, is that difference. Estimates based on square footage for given proposal. Engineers could not be reached for estimate on square footage or cost. Estimated costs from: Native Planting Description Native plants for an assumed 6,500 sq ft of area, at the average plant plug cost with an included contingency for shipping Cost $ 7, Total Cost Item Permeable Pavement Difference Native Plants TOTAL Cost $ 79, $ 7, $ 86, Thus, we see that the total cost estimated for the improvements to this project are $86,

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