Cornell University Cornell Sustainable Campus

Green buildings strive to be as environmentally responsible as possible. A building's site, the materials from which it is made, practices used to construct it, and the systems that heat and cool it all play a part. In new construction, Cornell has followed the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED^®) rating system on several buildings to achieve sustainable, healthy places in which students, faculty, and staff learn, live, and work. During renovation and routine maintenance, Cornell also looks for environmentally friendly options. Cornell's Green Building Oversight Committee (GBOC), has drafted Sustainable Design Guidelines for all of our construction projects.

Green Buildings Initiative

This university initiative sets forth the process for ensuring that new buildings reflect sustainability standards. Recently the Board of Trustees voted to make all building projects that exceed $5 million to achieve Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Standards.

In 2008 Cornell's Trustees approved the LEED/30 policy recommended by GBOC. This policy includes the directive that Ithaca Campus new construction projects over $5M total project cost be required to attain LEED certification at a minimum of Silver level, and that these projects achieve a minimum 30% energy savings compared to the baseline established by ASHRAE 90.1, the national standard for energy efficient buildings.

LEED Buildings

Weill Hall

Alice H. Cook House

The Alice H. Cook House is the first LEED certified green residence hall in New York State. It also is on two bus routes. Revamping Cornell's 11.5-acre West Campus-including the demotion of existing buildings and the construction of five dormitories and program houses-is being guided by green principles.

Projects pursuing LEED Certification

• Animal Health Diagnostic Center
• Combined Heat and Power Building
• Human Ecology Building
• Martha Van Renneslaer '33 Phase I renovations
• Milstein Hall
• Physical Sciences Building
• Rice and Fernow Hall
• Riley Robb Biofuels Research Laboratory
• Warren Hall

Other Sustainable Construction Projects

Solar Decathlon House

Cornell University won second place last October in Washington, D.C., in the 2005 Solar Decathlon-a competition to design and build energy-efficient solar homes - and has been chosen to enter one of 20 teams for the 2007 biennial competition.

 

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar

Master Planning and Land Use

A key player in the push for promoting sustainable futures will be the Cornell University Planning Office and the Campus Planning Committee. Balancing the needs of campus growth, community members, and visitors with the stewardship of Cornell's uniquely beautiful campus is a challenging task. Campus-wide planning incorporates and promotes long-term sustainability goals through strategies such as efficient land use, integrating transportation and landscape systems, collaborative stakeholder engagement, and ultimately results in a safe and accessible environment for the campus community.

Cornell Green Cleaning

The Department of Building Care strives toward a more sustainable future by providing the best possible results, utilizing the least invasive cleaning products, equipment and protocol. In an effort to become less dependent upon chemicals, the department methodically reviews all available cleaning products that are not only "Green Certified" but are also truly useful in achieving our mission of maintaining a clean and safe environment for the Cornell community. All Building Care cleaning products are only added to the product line after a thorough review for safety by Cornell EH&S. In addition to employing "Green Certified" products, the department also provides comprehensive training to all of its 300+ employees to achieve sustainable cleaning without compromising the health and safety of our customers.

©2006 Cornell University