Cornell University
PAE-4: Sustainability 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.

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. A material handling assessment will be complete in July ‘11 and a test burn is anticipated in the spring of 2012. •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 countries 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: •Design sustainability module for campus managers •Integrate sustainability literacy into staff and student orientation •Assist staff green team formation •Launch pilot-scale 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

The President's Sustainable Campus Committee will prepare an annual update through the Sustainable Campus website