Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Winter 2015 Newsletter
In This IssueFRES in the News
FRES Fan Mail
Quick Links...FRES HomePenn Home
Penn ConnectsGreen Campus Partnership
Key Dates...
January 19 Martin Luther King, Jr.
University Holiday
March 7-15Spring Break
April 4
Administrative Professionals Day
April 22
Earth Day
April 29Last Day of Classes
HR Corner898-HELP Line
The University has now launched the HELP Line, a 24-hour-a-day phone number for members of the Penn community who are seeking time sensitive help in navigating Penn's resources for health and wellness. Any member of the Penn community can utilize this service by calling (215) 898-HELP.
Calls will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Division of Public Safety (DPS) professionals trained in mental health referrals by staff from
A Message from Anne Papageorge
Giving Back Beyond the Holidays
Welcome to 2015 and all of the possibilities it brings! As we all consider what we might do that is new, better or different this year, let's think about extending our gifts to our FRES coworkers and the community around us. We made a wonderful start in 2014, with our fundraisers, walking groups, and educational mentoring programs- more about these below in our newsletter. For 2015, our Engagement Committee is already planning for Take Your Child to Work Day, more health awareness activities, and some food competitions: The next one may identify any star bakers among us.
As we roll up our sleeves and begin the work of 2015, I'd like to thank each of you for making possible every success that we shared in 2014: the re-opening of a restored ARCH, the release of a University Bike Plan, several retail openings including Federal Donuts, Hello World, and United by Blue, groundbreaking for the Neural and Behavioral Sciences building, the opening of EVO at Cira Centre South, and industry awards, recognitions and press articles about our projects that are too numerous to mention here.
You can see that there is a lot of give and take among us that makes our lives - and the lives of others - more fulfilling. With this in mind, I encourage all of us to engage with our colleagues daily, for a sincere hello, a cup of coffee, or just a moment out of our day to show our appreciation of each other.
With all of this in mind - let the new semester begin!
Anne PapageorgeVice President - Facilities & Real Estate Services
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
2014 Chili Cook-Off
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
Employee Assistance
Program (EAP)Penn's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides eligible faculty and staff and their immediate family members access to free, confidential, around-the-clock counseling and referral services for personal and professional life issues. EAP services are available by phone, online, and through face-to-face sessions. Call Penn Behavioral Health 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-888-321-4433.
See more on HR programs and other
Penn Human Resources.
(Requires PennKey and Password)
Contact:Chereese Martin, FRES
Director of Human Resources at [email protected] or
215.573.7702.
FRES Photo Galleries
Visit FRES Flickr for images from these events and more:
October 23 2014
Penn Park Orchard Planting
October 31 2014
Halloween
December 2014FRES Holiday Party
Administration UpdateFRES Gives Year Round
The FRES staff organized several charitable events during this fiscal year, July 1, 2014 - present.In September, in conjunction with Children's Hospital, FRES Boosters supported the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome by doing a 4-day walk-a-thon. We had 26 walkers from the various FRES departments sign up, trekking a total of 52 miles. This event raised $556 for this special cause. View a video from the event.
In October, FRES' Engagement Committee sponsored a Chili Cook-Off and raised $380. The proceeds went to Philabundance and Cast Your Cares, an emergency relief food distribution center located here in University City that provides groceries for Philadelphia families in need. View Chili Cook-Off photos.
FRES' Green Team organized an Ugly Mug Competition as part of the FRES Holiday Party in December. Staff voted for their favorite "ugly" mug - with designs ranging from clay creations to a John Wayne coffee
cup - with dollar bills and the proceeds were donated to Greensgrow Farms ($15.53) and the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House ($48.72).
The FRES Penn's Way Team raffled surprise gifts to employees who participated in giving to the University campaign. Gifts were four holiday dinner baskets, four Penn Men's basketball tickets and eight dinner coupons for two at campus restaurants (courtesy of the Real Estate Department). See winners listed in the sidebar.
In addition to the raffle winners, FRES' Penn's Way Team invited representatives from four organizations - United Way, AchieveAbility, Peter's Place, and People's Emergency Center - to come and host an information session for FRES staff.
Mentoring Programs: Guidance for Area High School Students
In the upcoming year, both Penn Medicine and FRES are hosting ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) mentorship teams. Founded in 1994, this program's
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Save the Date: Power Down Challenge
February 2015
The Power Down Challenge is a month-long building energy reduction competition hosted by Penn's Green Campus Partnership. Select residential and campus buildings will compete against each other during the month of February to reduce electricity usage and help contribute to the University's Climate Action Plan goals. Even if your building is not a participant in the 2015 Challenge, think about ways you can power down, unplug, or turn off in support of this energy-saving activity. View Energy Conservation Tips.
Save the Date March 4, 2015
Employee Recognition
Event
FRES Employees will be honored for years of service
and recognized for outstanding achievement,
such as in our STEP UP program on Wednesday,
March 4. Those employees eligible to attend will receive
an invitation.
Penn's Way Raffle Winners
mission is "to engage, excite and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry." It draws high school students from many Philadelphia public schools and gives them
exposure by working with real professionals in real work environments. The Penn Medicine South Tower project and the New College House will be used as the base projects for the exploration. The Penn teams include students from Mastery Charter-Shoemaker, Motivation High School, Universal Audenreid Charter High School, and the Science Leadership Academy.
As a result of discussions with Facilities and Real Estate Services, the Philadelphia GBCA (General Building Contractors Association) formed a steering committee this past summer comprised of representatives from the contractor community, Penn FRES, and the Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD), to create a Pre-Apprentice Training Program. The program will be offered to High School Juniors in Philadelphia schools who have an interest in pursuing a career in the building trades upon graduation. CHAD faculty will be writing a curriculum targeting skills necessary to pass the apprentice exams of the various building trades, including Carpenters, Laborers, Cement Masons, Operating Engineers, Rod Setters, and Painter/Tapers.
Penn was asked to be involved in the formation and support of the program due, in part, to our continued interest in a highly qualified and diverse construction workforce. Marketing materials are expected to be sent out in mid-to-late January to high school administrators to generate interest in the program. Open houses for interested students are scheduled for Spring 2015 and the first class will convene in September 2015. Twenty-five students are expected to be a part of the inaugural class. The program will be taught in two semesters and students completing the program will take the apprentice exams in the spring of 2016. View a photo gallery of students at work in these programs.
Lea School Tours Penn LandscapeFourth graders from the Henry C. Lea School (4700 Locust Street) visited
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Holiday Dinner Basket: Baked Turkey, Ham, or Chicken1. Dawn R. Dunbar2. Isaac William Thompson3. Corey Melik Cooper4. Linda J. Whistleman
Penn's Men's Basketball Tickets1. Dennis Flannery2. Michael S. DePaul3. Donald Kelley4. Kevin Semaj Archer
Dinner coupons for two at campus restaurants1. Ibraham Mussa2. Carl Joyner3. Colleen Kilgallen4. William I. Graw5. Jane Elisbath Chybinski6. Birikti Eyeab Gebrehiwot7. Lucyna Fortuna8. Edward Patton Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this year's University Penn's Way program.
New Hires SeptemberMathew Teter - Energy Planning AssociateLeon Donaldson - Truck DriverJeffrey Phlegar - Truck Driver OctoberScott Hutcheon - Electrical OperatorLouis Panella - Electrical OperatorMark Anthony Placido - Gardener NovemberMaxine James - AccountantDarrin Linn - Control Center SupervisorCrystal DeJesus - CustodianThomas Jones - CustodianMarc Palladino - Carpenter Welcome to FRES!
Retirees September 2014Grace Manuel33 years of service November 2014George Kelly27 years of service Frank Sistrunk26 years of service Thank you for your service
the Penn campus in November for an overview of Sustainability and Erosion: Land & Water as a real-world enrichment of their classroom studies on the subject. The students, teachers and chaperones toured Penn Park and Shoemaker Green while the FRES hosts explained about underground cisterns and specific landscape features of each location that assist with rainwater management. A trip onto Franklin Field introduced the group to artificial turf; this moment on the legendary football field was the day's highlight for many of the schoolchildren on tour.
Members of the FRES staff organized three presentations for the young guests:
Composting and Planting seeds in a pot - presented by Chloe Cerwinka and Mark ConwayBugs and Pollination - presented by Bob Flowers and Joe GaitherErosion and the Environment - Tour in back of the tennis courts to show examples of water/ground erosion - presented by Bob Lundgren
A pizza lunch in Weightman Hall greeted the students after their tour, and each 4th grader went home with a Penn-logo backpack filled with a rain poncho and either Marigold or Green Bean seeds with planting instructions.
Winter "Red Days" - New Energy Conservation Notices Last winter's Polar Vortex caused significant price fluctuations to both natural gas and electricity market prices. Our efforts to hedge electricity costs did protect the University, but steam was not hedged and saw the full brunt of the price volatility. Overall, Penn experienced a 50% increase in steam costs due to that one month (January 2014) of extreme prices.
As we enter into this winter, the fundamentals that caused last winter's volatility still exist, which could cause similar commodity price swings given the same weather patterns. To mitigate this, we are now getting price data in real time. When we see conditions where we think prices will be high, we will send out a Winter "Red Day" notice to Building Administrators, Sustainability Coordinators, and Staff & Faculty Eco-Reps one day in advance. While Summer "Red Days" focused on a few hours in the afternoon, the Winter "Red Days" urge conservation for the entire day.
Those receiving these notices are asked to (1) be aware of the projected high price period and (2) to institute actions within their building(s) to conserve energy use as much as practical. Those actions should be coordinated with OCC and Area Managers as appropriate. Winter "Red
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
to Penn!
Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec 2014 Eminent Service/Exemplifies Penn Pride Cheryl Randall Perry BloomfieldRobert SteinRyan Rose
Proactive/Above and BeyondCarmen Favano Chardae WhitingDenise SeymourDeven GoldsmithGloria NicholsHymon GilmoreJay SaddingtonKaren HugheyMargo Pietras-BarnesMichael DiannoRay Miller Ron WallRyan RoseSonya MobleyThomas MurphyTiffani Baker Teamwork/CollaborationBryant Barr Donna Bristow Gaetano NicosiaHenry RischowKevin LeashyKevin McGrathLorenzo JacksonLynn RotoliMark FerraioloMike GrazianoMike NullRobert AngstadtRobert AngstadtSeth FitzgeraldSteve DezziSteve VerdoneTerry McEachern
Urgent Action/Emergency ResponseChet Morley Gene HalloranJohn LongoPat GallagherWeldon Blount Sr.
FRES Holiday Party 2014
Special thanks to those who made the office look so festive, those who helped with the details of planning today's party, and those who helped ensure that it would be completely Zero Waste:
Day" conservation is related to both electrical and especially steam energy.
Recognition in the FieldSingh Center Named Best New Educational BuildingArchitect Magazine has acknowledged the Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology as the best new educational building of the
year, as announced in the December 2014 issue.
Singh Center Earns Two Awards from Engineering News-RecordThe Krishna P. Singh Center for
Nanotechnology has won two awards in the Engineering News-Record's 2014 Best Projects in the Mid-Atlantic: Project of the Year, and Best Higher Education/Research Project. ENR's independent jury of industry experts recognized a total of 29 projects in 17 construction categories to represent the region's best.
Shoemaker Green Takes DVGBC Groundbreaker AwardOn September 18th at the Suzanne Roberts
Theatre in Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley Green Building Council honored those transformative people, organizations, and projects that are moving our market, impacting the region, and influencing others to do the same around the corner or around the world. Penn's Shoemaker Green was recognized for Achievement in Public Green Space. Read more on the DVGBC website.
Shoemaker Green Wins 2014 ASLA Design Award Andropogon and Associates, designers of Penn's Shoemaker Green, received a 2014
Honor Award for that project from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Read more on the ASLA website. View the many other accolades that Penn buildings and landscapes have received on the Awards & Recognition page on the FRES website.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Chloe CerwinkaMark ConwayMike CoyneLauren DatesKe FengSarah FisherJoe GaitherJulian GoreskoRoshell HillMarketa JohnsonJuanita LewisCecilia MaddenHasanaat PropheteJamie RauerAdrian ReynoldsJennifer RizziBeth Schwartz Thanks to our participating campus retailers:
Greek LadyBeijingNew Deck TavernNom Nom RamenGia ProntoHip City VegDoc Magrogan'sHarvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar
And very special thanks to our caterer, Feast Your Eyes, who on top of providing amazing food, has worked so hard to help us achieve a zero waste event.
2014 Holiday Party Photo
Album (click to view)
If you 'starred' in the photo booth at the FRES Holiday Party and you'd like a copy of your photo, please email Cecilia Madden at [email protected].
Real Estate News
Real Estate Development
Ceremonial Groundbreaking for Pennovation Center
University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann and David L. Cohen, chair of Penn's Board of Trustees, along with a number of Penn students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and members of the region's business and tech community, celebrated innovation at Penn through a
series of events on Friday, October 31. All festivities took place at Pennovation Works, the 23-acre site located at 34th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue, formerly known as South Bank.
A series of talks by Penn faculty doing impactful and innovative research opened the day. This year's Silfen Forum followed, a conversation between President Gutmann and special guest Walter Isaacson entitled, "From Idea to Innovation: The Impactful University." Finally, a banner and confetti fireworks marked the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Pennovation Center, a central building on the site that is being repurposed as a hub to facilitate and accelerate entrepreneurial activities, creative collaborations, and new approaches to the commercialization of research discoveries at Penn, with an opening anticipated in 2016.. View photos from the event.
Arts & Culture
Arts Residency Programs Outlined at Moore College
Artist-in-residency programs invite local and international visual artists, musicians, and other performers to Philadelphia to connect with other creative people and explore their crafts. The Moore College of Art & Design recently hosted Spacemaking - Surveying New Residency Programs in Philadelphia, a
presentation on arts residencies in the city. The panel included Gina Renzi, Director of The Rotunda, who described the success of the 40th Street AIR program and the recent sound art residency, SANCTUARY. Ms. Renzi, a member of the FRES Real Estate team, talked about the programming, application process, and other many details of working
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
with artists over an extended period such as a residency.
In its 11th year, the 40th Street Artist-in-Residence Program awards West Philadelphia artists one year of free studio space at 40th & Chestnut Streets. In exchange, residents share their talents within West Philadelphia by leading workshops, teaching classes, or exhibiting.
SANCTUARY was a series of sound-based and site-specific works created for The Rotunda's rarely seen main sanctuary. This space - which is covered by a massive 4-story, 80-foot diameter dome - housed new works by seven Philadelphia-based artists. The works were created during a multi-month artist residency in the space and offered an opportunity for the public to reimagine the architectural, cultural, and historic context of The Rotunda from a variety of perspectives. See the calendar on The Rotunda website.
Completed ProjectsCentury Bond Funding Brings Renovations to Chem '73
Chem '73, the 1973 Wing of the Chemistry Laboratories in Penn's School of Arts & Sciences, is the first building in which a comprehensive mechanical and lighting systems renovation under Penn's Century Bond program has been completed.
This 150,000 square foot building is home to lab, lecture, and offices spaces, an auditorium and a library - all functioning with what, in many cases, were the original internal systems for cooling, heating and lighting. Chem '73 had been on a list of research buildings targeted for renovation based on its advanced age and the deteriorated condition of its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). When the Century Bond funding became available in spring 2012, several buildings on this list were studied to determine their feasibility for renovation, examining cost, condition, and payback based on utilities savings, among other factors. Ultimately, eight Penn buildings were identified for Century Bond funding, and Chem '73 was selected as the first project.
Conducting extensive HVAC system work in an occupied building increased the visibility and complexity of the project, according to Michael Dausch, Executive Director of Design & Construction in Penn's Facilities & Real Estate Services. A temporary air handling unit (AHU) on the roof served each floor during the demo work. This set-up, combined with the fact that the building's ductwork did not need replacing, enabled the building to remain occupied during the HVAC system renovation.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
The Chem '73 HVAC renovations converted the ventilation controls from a constant to a variable air volume system, automatically adjusting the amount of fresh air brought in to the building according to the level of occupancy. New, more efficient air handler units were installed, as were automated Phoenix supply and exhaust valves throughout building and at fume hoods to deliver the precise amount of air flow necessary for occupancy comfort and research needs. New rooftop Strobic exhaust fans were installed with redundant capacity and variable frequency drives, which are tuned to the rest of the building airflow controls.
Inefficient T12 fluorescent lighting fixtures were replaced with new T8 fixtures, which reduced the number of lamps by 70% and reduced the wattage of the lamps from 40 watts to 28 watts. Additional electrical savings have been realized by incorporating occupancy and vacancy sensors throughout the building.
The project wrapped up on time and on budget in early September 2014. Ken Ogawa, Executive Director of Operations & Maintenance in Penn's Facilities & Real Estate Services, reports that energy use is running at about 67% below the pre-renovation levels after two months of building operation.
To maximize the benefits of this new building, the Penn Sustainability Office is planning a series of sessions to educate occupants on the operation of their "new" building. Senior Project Manager Margo Pietras-Barnes presented the Chem '73 project as a case study in energy saving building renovations to students in the School of Design Masters of Environmental Building Design program.
Projects in Design & Construction
Contributions to all projects are made by the Office of the University Architect and the Department of Operations & Maintenance to bring buildings from the design stage to occupancy and operation.
Perry World HouseSite work continues at the future Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk. This new building, designed by 1100 Architects, will retain and incorporate portions of the existing building. The Perry World House will become the central home on campus for global activities
and initiatives. The building, with several classrooms, a multipurpose lounge, a conference room, a World Forum, and staff offices, will be a gathering place for faculty and students from all 12 of Penn's schools to engage with international scholars and policymakers on pressing global issues of the 21st century. Construction on this $17.85 million project
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
began in October 2014, with occupancy scheduled for spring 2016.Design & Construction team: Jennifer Wetzel, Marc CooperArchitect: 1100 ArchitectsConstruction Manager: Daniel J. Keating Co.
Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics
Construction will begin in late 2015 on this $77.6 million project, designed to be the new consolidated location for Penn's departments of Political Science and Economics in the School of Arts & Sciences. The Penn community has already seen utility work
commence at this site as the fall 2014 semester came to an end. This project will renovate the West Philadelphia Trust Building at 133 S. 36th Street connected to a new six-story addition to the north. A plan for classrooms, faculty offices and a 120-seat auditorium includes headquarters space for six academic and research centers. Occupancy is scheduled for summer 2018.Design & Construction team: Edward Benfold, Chris KernArchitect: KPMBConstruction Manager: Hunter Roberts Construction Group
Topping Off at Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building
On Dec. 4, 2014, on a crisp sunny morning, members of the University of Pennsylvania community gathered for a "Topping Off" ceremony securing the uppermost beam atop Penn's new Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building. The ceremony signified the
substantial completion of the steel structure of the six-story, $68.6-million project. The NBS building will integrate psychology, biology and behavioral sciences under one roof with research laboratories, teaching facilities and space for students to collaborate and study.
Steven J. Fluharty, dean of Penn's School of Arts & Sciences, spoke at the ceremony saying, "This project has become a reality because of a group of very generous donors who banded together to help the School realize its vision."
As part of a longstanding tradition in construction, staff and administrators from the School of Arts & Sciences and Facilities and Real Estate, members of the construction and architectural teams, as well as leadership donors, were given the opportunity to sign the beam before it
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
was hoisted via crane to the top of the NBS Building's massive steel frame.
Located between the Leidy Labs at 3740 Hamilton Walk and the Carolyn Lynch Labs at 433 South University Ave., the NBS Building constitutes the second, and final, phase of the School's life sciences expansion project that began with construction of the Lynch Laboratories. Preparation for the construction began in the fall of 2008, and completion of the main building is expected in spring 2016.
View photos from the December "Topping Off" event.
Design & Construction Department: Jim Palka, Chris KernArchitect: SmithGroup JJR Architects and EngineersConstruction Manager: P. Agnes Inc.
Towards a Greener CampusPenn Announces Climate Action Plan 2.0
Five years after releasing its original Climate Action Plan, the University of Pennsylvania announced on October 21 the completion and launch of Climate Action Plan 2.0, a roadmap for environmental improvement and sustainability on campus to 2019 and beyond. Building on the successes of the last five
years, Climate Action Plan 2.0 sets forth challenging new goals for campus building and landscape performance, expanded educational opportunities for students, and enriched support for faculty research. "Penn is proud to be at the forefront of sustainable practices and conservation," President Amy Gutmann said. "As an environmental leader among American colleges and universities, we are putting our knowledge to work in comprehensive ways to improve our community and preserve the planet for generations to come." Penn launched the Climate Action Plan - the University's collective commitment to reduce carbon emissions, engage the community, and expand sustainability-related teaching and research - in 2009, two years after Dr. Gutmann became the first Ivy League president to sign the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The goals and recommendations included in Climate Action Plan 2.0 build upon those outlined in the original Climate Action Plan. Key Accomplishments of Penn's Climate Action Plan 2009-2014
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Bolstering the CurriculumMore than 170 courses focused on or related to sustainability22 faculty and 12 students participated in Integrating Sustainability across the Curriculum (ISAC)
Reducing our Carbon (FY2007-FY2014)18% reduction in carbon emissions6.6% reduction in normalized energy consumption
Growing GreenerSix new buildings achieved LEED Gold certification27 acres of new green space added
Minimizing WasteNearly 26% of our waste recycledReduction of landfill waste by almost 10%
Commuting with Fewer Emissions50% of Penn commuters now use public transit, walk or bike
Engaging the Penn Community49 Green Fund grants to faculty, students, or staff350 students and 100+ staff have volunteered as Eco-Reps
Read Penn's Climate Action Plan 2.0.View our video,Penn's Climate Action Plan 2.0: Creating a Culture of Sustainability View photos from the October 21 Climate Action Plan 2.0 Launch EventDownload Infographics illustrating achievements of Climate Action Plan 2009-2014
ReThink-ing our Waste Stream at FRESReThink Your Footprint is our annual awareness campaign about waste management - asking all of us at Penn to reduce, reuse, and recycle. As a University, Penn has already made great strides in reducing overall waste and managing its
trash, and this year in Facilities & Real Estate Services, we continue to build upon this work. NEW CENTRAL BINS - FRES now offers a trio of bins in our kitchen areas - with the option to compost - a new feature in our office. Many commonly used food and drink items have been labeled to help beginners understand how to sort items like paper towels and coffee creamer packets. ZERO TRASH CANS - All FRES employees were offered the opportunity to trade in their desk-side trash cans for a mini-bin. Those who downsize to the mini-bin more actively take things to the main
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Shelly Dillard, Morris Arboretum Propagator, holding
a few of our Elm seedlings.
waste areas for compost, recycling, or landfill disposal. 90% DIVERTED -ReThink 2014 started off with a zero-waste QuakerFest picnic, held during Homecoming Weekend. Ninety percent of the waste from this event was diverted from landfill. FRES teams from Housekeeping and Urban Parks assisted with the coordination of this large-scale event. 3,100 POUNDS - Three separate e-waste collections across campus afforded students, staff, and faculty a secure way to safely dispose of computers, printers, phones, and various cables and accessories. More than 3,100 pounds of these materials collected at the School of Medicine, Engineering, Arts & Sciences, and our Facilities office were taken by a local, state-certified e-waste recycler, ensuring that valuable materials would be extracted and recycled in an environmentally safe manner.
Penn's Tree Committee Sees Progress Penn's Tree Committee, led by FRES' Landscape Architecture team, is comprised of representatives from the Morris Arboretum, USDA Forest Service, University City District, University City Green, FRES, and Penn Faculty. This membership shares a common goal of improving the preservation and maintenance of Penn's urban forest while creating more opportunities for
research and outreach. At its September meeting, the Tree Committee reviewed a revised document expanding and outlining the upcoming scope of Morris Arboretum's activities managing Penn's trees and consulting on tree-related issues.
Both FRES and Morris saw value in creating a "memorandum of understanding" written as a living document, but allowing for the scope to change over time as new challenges or requirements arise. Some of their services include continued monitoring of the health and wellbeing of our urban forest, alerting us to any egregious safety hazards, as well as recommending specific tasks such as root collar excavation and air spading to improve the health of specific trees. Morris will continue to oversee our American Elm management program, allowing us to preserve our specimen American Elms, particularly our historic Treaty Elm in front of College Hall, a direct descendant of William Penn's Treaty Elm, which was planted in 1896. For the last 2 years, we have taken cuttings from this historic tree, and are currently growing them out at the Morris Arboretum for replanting on campus once they are of adequate size.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
As the Emerald Ash Borer gets closer to our region, Morris is overseeing our Ash management program as well, and will begin protecting our specimen Ash trees from these pests next spring. Also starting next spring, Penn will begin planting and maintaining interesting trees from the Morris Arboretum, including trees grown from plant explorations, unusual/ notable species and species for trial in urban areas. For example, Morris has collected seeds from the northernmost Live Oaks, currently growing in Virginia, which they are propagating for trial on our campus, as our campus is significantly warmer than the Morris Arboretum due to the urban heat island effect. They have also wild-collected Chinese Ash, which are likely resistant to Emerald Ash Borer and grow in a similar climate, which we will also introduce for trial on our campus.
They will also help us update our tree policy to improve and expand our planting, removal, and replacement guidelines, especially related to campus construction, utility work and general repairs and maintenance. FRES is partnering with Lara Roman, Research Ecologist from the U.S. Forest Service's Philadelphia Field Station, on a "Dynamic Canopy" study to analyze how our tree canopy has changed in population, species composition and size class distribution, by interpreting multiple sets of detailed tree records and aerial photographs. Preliminary results show that within our core campus, we have more than doubled our canopy cover from 8% in 1970 to over 20% in 2012. "This demonstrates an amazing commitment and vision from our administration over the years to build up our landscape, making it an integral part of our University campus," said Bob Lundgren, University Landscape Architect._____________________________________________________________
Bill & Kathie Hohns sponsor the Penn Tree Program, led by Morris Arboretum, in partnership with Penn Traditions and FRES. The Class of 2018 selected a Bald Cypress tree. Pictured (L to R): William (Bill)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs185/1101560378399/archive/1117434382409.html[1/16/2015 10:23:16 AM]
Hohns, W'74 and Morris Arboretum Advisory Board member, Kathlene (Kathie) Hohns, Jesus Perez, Class of 2016 President, Darren Tomasso, Class of 2017 President, and Vadim Ordovsky-
Tanaevsky, Class of 2018 President.
FRES in the News
FRES Entry Makes Finals of AppITUP ChallengeThe 2014 AppIt Up Challenge had 11 semi-finalists, among them, "Energy Rebates," submitted by Ken Ogawa, Executive Director of Operations and Management in FRES. The "Energy Rebates" app searches for potential tax rebates available for installing energy efficient systems, as well contracts to install them. This was selected as the top app in the "Climate Change and Resiliency" category. AppItUP is a new mobile application idea challenge designed to gather the best app ideas from the Penn community and connect them with the funding and technical expertise necessary to make them a reality. AppItUP is organized by the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Center for Innovation and PCI Ventures. The overall winning idea will be selected in April 2015.
Click here to check out the latest articles and stories about FRES projects from various publications.
FRES Fan Mail
Click here to view the latest compliments and congratulations for FRES employees from our colleagues around the University.
