Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.69
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 8, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Cornell University
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Robert Bland
Sr. Director
Energy & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a sustainability plan that meets the criteria for this credit?:
Yes

A brief description of how multiple stakeholder groups were involved in developing the plan:

The Sustainability Plan was developed by the President's Sustainable Campus Committee over a one-year period with participation from staff, faculty, and students. The plan brought together outcomes from several related planning processes that each involved extensive participation from all campus constituencies including the the Cornell University Strategic Plan, Cornell's Economic Impact on New York State, The Campus Master Plan, and the Cornell Climate Action Plan.


A brief description of the plan’s measurable goals :

Buildings Goals:
•A requirement of LEED Silver and 30% less energy use than ASHRAE standards for all new buildings and renovations over $5 million with a goal of achieving 50% less energy use.
•Establishment of energy modeling and building energy intensity standards
•Reduction of average energy intensity to 150,000 BTU/SF/YEAR in labs and 50,000 BTU/SF/YEAR in office spaces

Climate Goals:
•Annual GHG reporting to EPA, ACUPCC, and campus community
•Collaborate with Focus Teams to update the CAP and provide comparative analysis on impacts of CAP actions
•Collaborate with faculty on optimization of forest management strategies for carbon sequestration and biodiversity and analyze appropriate offset and sequestration options

Energy
•Biomass in the Central Energy Plant – Feasibility studies are underway.
•Energy Conservation Initiative – Cornell has approved up to $45 million dollars to fund energy conservative Initiatives. ECI staff are regularly assessing projects and moving cost effective projects forward.
•Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)- Conceptual studies are being completed under the direction of Professor Jeff Tester. Identification of funding opportunities continues to be pursued.
•Wind - Wind energy is seen as critical to our country's long range energy supply. Activities by staff and faculty will pursue a consortium of key stakeholders to advance wind energy’s potential locally as well as nationally.
•Smart Grid - The concept of employing Smart Grid throughout the electric system is viewed as cutting edge technology that will lead to optimized electric system efficiencies. This concept will be advanced through strategic faculty recruitment and considered for deployment within the Cornell Ithaca campus electric system.

Food Goals:
•Implement composting and single stream recycling education
•Increase local food purchases

Land Goals:
•Follow Campus Master Plan Guidelines for development, infrastructure and landscape
•Maximize the planning and effective use of space and facilities
•Integrate green infrastructure into campus landscapes
•Manage the gorges for habitat and resource conservation, and recreation

People Goals:
•Expand sustainability module for campus managers
•Integrate sustainability literacy into staff and student orientation
•Develop replicable Green Office and Green Lab programs
•Continue to expand Eco-Reps program

Purchasing Goals:
•Encourage Energy Star product purchasing
•Increase percentage of sweatshop free apparel
•Collect greenhouse gas data on air and commuter travel
•Support recycled paper and compostable product purchasing
•Encourage reduced packaging

Transportation Goals:
•Commuter travel carbon reductions
•Business travel carbon reductions
•Fleet improvements
•Support student-run Big Red Bikes program
•Promote Ithaca Carshare to students, staff, and faculty

Waste Goals:
•Recycling - Implement single-stream recycling campus wide, and coordinate with student groups and university departments in Recyclemania game
•Construction & Demolition - Reduce Construction and Demolition Waste through improved infrastructure and policy
•Reuse – Improve and grow storage and reuse programs campus wide
•Compost – Coordinate with student groups and university departments for educational campaign on compost, and increase compost collection locations and tonnages
•Dump and Run – Grow existing Dump and Run program
•Reduce Hazardous Waste

Water Goals:
•Maintain water filtration and storage systems
•Ongoing, building and landscape related storm-water planning and management
•Watershed/ecosystem protection
•Reusable Water Bottle Sales
•Water Conservation Education


A brief description of how progress in meeting the plan’s goals is measured:

The President's Sustainable Campus Committee prepare an annual update that is distributed through the Sustainable Campus website.


The website URL where more information about the sustainability plan is available:
The year the plan was developed or last updated:
2,011

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.