sustainablecampus.cornell.edu...About This Document . In 2007, President David Skorton represented the aspirations of thousands of students, faculty, staff, and alumni by …

About This Document In 2007, President David Skorton represented the aspirations of thousands of students, faculty, staff, and alumni by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging Cornell University to a path toward climate neutrality. As a comprehensive response to that challenge, groups of Cornell faculty, staff, and students developed the Climate Action Plan. It promotes the education and research needed to generate solutions for the challenges of global warning – and will demonstrate these solutions in campus operations.

Completed in September 2009, the first iteration of the Cornell Climate Action Plan was unveiled as part

of the Cornell Sustainable Campus website. Changing technology and circumstances require periodic

modifications to the plan to enable Cornell to fulfill its ACUPCC commitment. Accordingly, the plan was

updated in 2011. The original 2009 version, which has served as a resource to many other institutions,

has been preserved in this pdf document. It contains valuable documentation of the process and tools

used to create Cornell’s Climate Action Plan, and the plan’s original 19 actions.

The current Cornell Climate Action Plan will continue to be presented on the Cornell Sustainable

Campus website, along with all routine ACUPCC progress reports and greenhouse gas emissions

inventories.http.www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/climate-action-plan

2009 Cornell Climate Action Plan MAKING CLIMATE NEUTRALITY A REALITY This pdf is the original 2009 version, without updates

All future versions will be available on the Cornell Sustainable Campus website http.www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/climate-action-plan

http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/climate-action-planhttp://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/climate-action-plan

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As the New York State land grant university and an Ivy Leagueinstitution, Cornell's comprehensive plan for climate neutrality will havean impact well beyond our campus borders. From students, faculty,and staff to researchers and the administration, our actions andinitiatives to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions will engage, educate,and inspire our state, our nation and our world.

Created with financial support from the New York State EnergyResearch and Development Authority and among the first suchcomprehensive programs undertaken by a major university, theClimate Action Plan (CAP) sets the goal of reducing carbon-basedemissions from the Ithaca campus to net zero by the year 2050, thusachieving carbon neutrality. Recommended actions in the plan will help

A welcome message fromPresident Skorton

http://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

the university improve the energy efficiency of its facilities, reducingoperating expenses and realizing savings otherwise subject tocommodity fuel cost fluctuation, projected carbon legislations, andpotential capital expenditure. At the same time, the CAP will helpCornell unify research and teaching around sustainability in itsbroadest sense: economic strength and stability; research andteaching excellence; and outreach programs that fulfill our Ivy Leagueand land-grant missions.

Cornell has done much—its Transportation Demand Managementprogram, Lake Source Cooling Plant, in-construction Cornell CombinedHeat and Power Plant, the Renewable Bioenergy Initiative (CURBI), alongstanding building Energy Conservation Initiative—but there is muchleft to do. Though the CAP provides an initial set of 19 initiatives topursue, it is just a starting point. The opportunities represented bynew technologies and circumstances of culture and economy will surelychange over the course of 40 years. Accordingly, the CAP is a dynamicdocument and evolving initiative.

You are invited to explore the Cornell Climate Action Plan website andrevisit it regularly to see what's been done, what is ongoing, and whatCornell is exploring next.

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News

Events

Download the Cornell ClimateAction Plan Summary:Hi-Resolution for printing—pdfSuggested printing instructions:color, double sided, staple topand bottom. Low-Resolution for viewing—pdf

http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/news/news.cfmhttp://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/events.cfm

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The actual process of creating our Climate Action Plan (CAP) took morethan a year. From the initial activity of internally compiling our carboninventory, to designing a project that involved external consultants,community members, subject matter experts, and a broad spectrum ofCornell stakeholders, our planning effort throughout the process hassought to engage and involve. We sought to conduct this project in alogical, ordered, and replicable fashion. As such, we have made the rawmaterials from early in the development of the CAP available alongsidethe polished finished products. We have consciously done this so thatothers who might seek to take on a similar challenge can benefit from ourexperiences and can refine the process in future iterations.

To fully trace our process, tools, and methods for creating our CAP. Youcan explore the complete diagram and its associated files.


Professor Tim FaheyDept. of Natural Resources

President’s Climate Commitment Implementation Committee (PCCIC)PCCIC Co-Chair

Kyu-Jung WhangVP Facilities Services

President’s Climate Commitment Implementation Committee (PCCIC)PCCIC Co-Chairs

Robert R. "Bert" BlandEnergy & Sustainability

Steve BeyersEnergy and Environmental Engineering

Dan RothEnergy & Sustainability

James R. AdamsEnergy & Sustainability

Karen BrownCampus Life Marketing & Communications

Mary-Lynn CummingsSpace Planning

Donna L. GossManager, Strategic Communications

Linda Grace-KobasStrategic Communications

Daniel GrewCollege of Engineering

Phil McPheronCampus Life

W.S."Lanny" JoyceEnergy & Sustainability

Dean R S KoyanagiEnvironmental Compliance & Sustainability Office

Professor Sidney LeibovichMechanical Engineering

David Jay LiebTransportation and Mail Services

John KieferGreen Development(w/Randy Lacey and Mary-Lynn Cummings)

W.S. "Lanny" JoyceEnergy Conservation

James R. AdamsFuel Mix & Renewables

David Jay LiebTransportation

James R. AdamsOffsetting Actions

Robert R. "Bert" BlandSustainable Decisions

Robert R. "Bert" BlandForecast

Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

Mike WaltersGreen Development

Stan WrzeskiEnergy Conservation

Jerry SchuettFuel Mix & Renewables

John CarterFuel Mix & Renewables

Energy Strategies

Nick TravisSustainable Decisions

Robert McKennaForecast

Jeff BurksCarbon Offsets

Martin/Alexiou/Bryson

Nathaniel GrierTransportation

http://www.aeieng.com/http://www.energystrat.com/http://www.mabtrans.com/

Karen MuckstadtCampus Life

Shane RothermelStudent, College of Engineering

Dennis W. SteinPawPrint

Professor Jeff TesterChemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Mike WalshTrustee Student Representative

David WeinsteinDepartment of Natural Resources

Key Stakeholders Interviewed Consultants Hired

Inventory & Forecast Model

The Forecast model, built from theGreenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory, was acritical tool in our CAP planning process.The model became a consistent, robustvision of a Business-as-Usual Cornell fromwhich all incremental decisions (CAPActions) were assessed. The forecast modelevolved throughout the planning processand is used as a measuring stick for GHGabatement, operating costs, potentialcapital investment, and many otherimportant considerations. For a completereview of the CAP assumptions please referto the Basis Notes document.

Faculty, Staff, Student Working GroupParticipants Enlisted Students & Community Solicited

Wedge Groups Formed

Green Development >>Energy Conservation >>Fuel Mix & Renewables >> Transportation >>Carbon Offsets >>

Idea Brainstorming & Collection

(Idea Collection Tool Template)At the project outset potential CAP ideaswere solicited from the entire Cornellcommunity and the Ithaca communitythrough the use of a Web-based form. Clickhere to view the tool used and the 706ideas generated!A brochure (pdf) was used to encouragenew ideas.

Idea Screening

Ideas were initially screened to determine ifthey aligned with the University Missionand fundamental boundary conditions andthen were: accepted into a "theme" forfuture analysis, eliminated and placed inthe "compost," parked for futureconsideration in the "bike rack," oridentified as a potential research or

Trustee Briefing Internal / External Experts Contacted

Technical Brief Development

Technical Briefs offer detailed descriptionsof the potential CAP actions with specificsrelating to scale of implementation, carbonabatement potential, first cost, operatingcost, and qualitative reviews ofEnvironmental (beyond carbon), Economic,Social, and Institutional considerations(Triple Bottom Line Plus or TBL+).Technical Briefs were used as the inputdocumentation for technical and financialassessments.

Green Development:Energy Use Intensity StandardsSpace Planning and ManagementLand Use

Energy Conservation

Fuel Mix & Renewables:All w/o BiomassLarge Scale Biomass

Transportation:Commuter TravelFleet ServicesBusiness Travel

Stakeholder Reviews Committee Reviews Public Educational Sessions

Portfolio Analysis

Actions passed from the analysisstage were then consideredtogether as an investmentportfolio so interrelationshipscould be identified and optimized.The portfolio is comprised ofspecific near-term actions thatmerit immediate approval forimplementation, mid-term actionsthat are recommended but do notrequire immediate approval andshould be subject to periodicreview, and long-termopportunities that should bemonitored and assessed overtime.

Download the Cornell ClimateAction Plan Summary:Hi-Resolution for printing—pdfSuggested printinginstructions: color, doublesided, staple top and bottom. Low-Resolution for viewing—pdf

Pilot Projects Continued Campus Education Website Development

Feasibility StudiesGrant ProposalsProject Development

Summary Report: CommunityAttitudes toward CornellUniversity’s Climate Action Plan


development opportunity and included in aCAP "test tube rack."

See our Idea Screening Tool See our Theme Screening Tool See our Stage 1 Summary Report

Offsetting Actions: AfforestationAnaerobic DigestionBiocharForest ManagementSoil TillageThird Party Offsets

Climate Action Decision Tool

This comprehensive analytical tool, createdas an Excel spreadsheet, was used toreview the actions. The spreadsheetcalculates emission improvements andfinancial data utilizing of each proposedactions independently and interactivelyagainst a Base Case scenario.

Metric Brief Development

Metric Briefs were used throughout theproject as a tool to quickly convey keycharacteristics of proposed actions in aconsistent format.

Detailed Financial Analysis

Financial models and interactive tools wereused to determine the financial impact ofactions. Commodity price forecasting wascompleted as documented in the BasisNotes. Financial Assessments for eachaction, based on specific action sets, weredocumented for review by the ClimateAction team.

Internalized Cost of CarbonInternalized Cost of Carbon - SupplementCapital and Operating ExpendituresEstimate

http://test.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/climate/docs/CAPModel_r4_AnalyticalTool.xlsm

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The fiscal year 2008 carbon footprint for the Ithaca Campus is estimated at319,000 metric tons CO2-equivalent (CO2-e), which includes carbon dioxide,

nitrous oxide, and methane (the greenhouse gases associated with fossil fuelconsumption). On-site combustion is the largest component at 176,000metric tons CO2-e and represents approximately 55% of our total footprint.

Cornell University also uses a significant amount of electricity. This electricityuse is responsible for 87,000 metric tons CO2-e. At 9% and 8%, the

respective footprints associated with commuting and air travel arecomparable in magnitude. Scroll over the colored emission circles above for adetailed breakdown.

Want more details on Cornell’s carbon inventory? The full 2008 inventory asreported to the American College and University Presidents ClimateCommitment is posted on their website.

For consistency in reporting, emissions are reported by the following threecategories:

Completed in 2000, Cornell’s LakeSource Cooling Plant reduced thecampus energy use for cooling by80% — saving 20 million kWh/year ofelectricity or enough for 2,500homes.

When complete in the fall of 2009,Cornell’s Combined Heat and PowerPlant (CCHPP) will reduce campusCO2 emissions by over 20%.

One-third of Cornell’s faculty andstaff commute by means other thansingle-occupancy vehicles.

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/http://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

Scope 1: Direct and fugitive emissions including electrical generation,heating, cooling, and fleet vehicles

Scope 2: Indirect emissions occurring as a result of purchased electricityconsumption

Scope 3: Indirect emissions occurring as a consequence of an entity'sactivities.

For more information refer to the World Resource Institute GHG Protocol.

http://www.wri.org/

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The diagram above illustrates two initial forecasts for Cornell's annualgreenhouse gas emissions. The "Business as Usual" line indicates thelikely emissions profile had Cornell not invested in significant upgrades tocampus infrastructure and energy conservation. The "Current Path withoutCAP" line indicates the emissions profile that includes all initiatives forconservation and efficiency that occurred prior to the Climate Action Plan(CAP). The five colored areas below the "Current Path without CAP" linerepresent the five categories, or Wedges, of focus for the CAP: GreenDevelopment, Energy Conservation, Fuel Mix & Renewables,Transportation, and Offsetting Actions.

The CAP was developed using the wedge concept originally advanced byPrinceton researchers Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala in the article"Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Yearswith Current Technologies" in the journal Science, in 2004. The originalconcept called for identifying off-the-shelf technologies that, ifimplemented widely, could abate 25 billion tons of CO2 emissions over 50

American College and UniversityPresidents Climate Commitment

The Stabilization Triangle: Tacklingthe Greenhouse Gas Problem withToday's Technologies

Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange

Pew Center on Global ClimateChange

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/http://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/CMI_Resources_new_files/CMI_Stab_Wedges_Movie.swfhttp://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/CMI_Resources_new_files/CMI_Stab_Wedges_Movie.swfhttp://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/resources/CMI_Resources_new_files/CMI_Stab_Wedges_Movie.swfhttp://www.ipcc.ch/http://www.ipcc.ch/http://www.pewclimate.org/http://www.pewclimate.org/http://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

years. In the CAP, the scale of an individual wedge was not restricted,but rather the wedge represents a specific focus area in which abatementideas could be identified and considered— allowing internal and externalexperts to focus their efforts during the planning process.

If global emissions levels are to be successfully cut to 85% of 2000 levelsby 2050—as suggested is necessary by the Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change—strong leadership will be required. The role of collegesand universities, and specifically Cornell, has historically been to providejust such guidance. In the case of global climate change, leadership mustextend to the classroom, in the research setting, and in our everydayoperations. Simply put, it must—it will—be pervasive.

As indicated by the wedge diagram above, the actions to reduce ouroperational emissions have a logical hierarchy. In its green developmentplans, Cornell seeks to avoid future emissions to the extent possible.Growth will happen. Smart growth—efficient, compact, and purposeful—must happen. Where current energy use is concerned, the expansion ofour conservation efforts to reduce the intensity and overall quantity ofconsumption will eliminate emissions and associated energy costs theuniversity currently bears. Our transportation demand managementinitiatives will likely yield avoided emissions through such activities asalternative work strategies or eliminated business travel and reducedemissions from an improved fleet fuel economy and shorter and/or moreefficient commuting.

Green Development

EnergyConservation

AlternativeTransportation

Fuel Mix andRenewables

Offsetting Actions

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The overall plan could produce millions of dollars in net savings over 40years. Green Development recommendations reduce the size of futureconstruction programs, creating superior buildings while reducing energyuse of the projects we build. Energy Conservation recommendations reducecurrent and future campus energy needs while supporting growth in

Over 700 individual ideas wereoffered by the hundreds of Cornellfaculty, staff, students, and localcommunity who participated in theClimate Action Plan process. The 19

building energystandards

space planning andmanagement

improved land use

building energyconservation

conservationoutreach

steam line upgrade

smart grid

commuter travel

business travel

campus fleet

hybrid e.g.s. system

wind power

c.u.r.b.i.

upgraded hydrocapacity

wood co-firing

turbine generatorreplacement

defined offsets

undefined offsets

community offsets


academic and research programs. Transportation recommendations reducefuel expenditures and improve the aesthetic environment of the campus.Fuel Mix and Renewables recommendations focus on regional and globalresearch priorities, jobs creation, and available local resources. OffsettingActions include a Community Energy initiative suggested by localcommunity leaders, as well as agriculture and forest management relatedoffsets on Cornell's own lands.

CAP actions are spread throughout various university operating units andmany build on existing Cornell programs.

Actions incorporate many of thesesuggestions.

These actions were formulated by abroad-based group of facilities andacademic staff, studentrepresentatives, and administrativeleaders who focused on specificaction areas, or wedges. To find outmore about this process, click onthe process link on the left-handmargin of this page.

"With seed funds from the Center for a Sustainable Future and the ClimateAction Plan, teams of faculty are now collaborating on smart-grid technology,energy generation and distribution in the built environment, and behaviorchange. I am grateful that the plan provides a comprehensive framework forour research to be demonstrated on campus it enhances our land-grant missionto educate the public and dramatically reduces our carbon footprint."

Ying Hua,assistant professor ofdesign and environmentalanalysis, teaches anaward-winning course oncollaborative sustainablebuilding practices and seesa crucial link betweenCornell's researchers andthe Climate Action Plan.

"At Cornell, our integrated approach to renewable energy utilization, conductedin parallel with implementing efficiency improvements, sets a high standard forour sister institutions. The value that the university brings to the Climate ActionPlan through research and teaching opportunities, demonstration of uniquetechnologies, and outreach far exceeds the simple value of using specificrenewable resources for campus needs. Cornell's measurable actions areproviding a means for America to enter a new era of innovation and sustainableenergy development."

Jeff Tester, the CrollProfessor for SustainableEnergy Systems, leads aneffort to evaluate whetherengineered geothermalsystems could bedeveloped in the Ithacaarea.

"Transportation systems and travel habits constitute a significant challenge toour ability to reduce the carbon footprint caused by human activities. Travelbehavior is based on more than rational economic criteria; it also involvesemotions, attitudes, status concerns, and perceptions about travel cost andtimes. Cornell has made major progress by addressing these issues through itsincentive programs that are the envy of other communities and institutions. Inorder to further reduce the carbon footprint, as envisioned by Cornell's long-term plan, these programs need to be expanded significantly."

Arnim Meyburg,professor emeritus in theSchool of Civil andEnvironmentalEngineering, is a world-recognized expert intransportation engineeringand planning.

"The Cornell University Renewable Bioenergy Initiative is powerful by itself. Thepotential for research, education, outreach, and job creation are immense,generating broad interest among our funding partners and communities acrossNew York State. The Climate Action Plan, which supports this effort and showsits value within a broader context of sustainable agricultural systems andcommunities, is critical to our plans to continue to reinforce the land-grantmission of Cornell."

Mike Hoffmann, directorof Cornell's AgriculturalExperiment Station inIthaca, works with theClimate Action Plan teamto integrate campuspriorities into actions.

"Through my course Planning the Carbon Neutrality Campaign and collaborativeresearch with Richard Stedman in the Department of Natural Resources, I havebeen able to expose students to real-world communication challenges andadvance our theoretical understanding of climate and energy-relatedperceptions. Now by surveying more than 1,500 local residents and 3,000Cornell students, we are analyzing campus and community attitudes towardspecific proposed Climate Action Plan initiatives, including conservationmeasures and alternative sources of energy."

Katherine A. McComas,associate professor ofcommunication, specializesin science, environmental,and risk communication.

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Green Development



improved land use

EnergyConservation



Offsetting Actions

While the most sustainable structure is the one that is never built,physical growth is necessary to support the university's mission. The CAPextends the planning elements of the Campus Master Plan with actionsthat will increase space efficiency while reducing capital construction,single occupant vehicle impact, and energy use. The array ofrecommended Green Development actions are not focused on specifictechnologies or approaches for carbon abatement, but rather onestablishing effective university policies.

Carbon abatement opportunities in future capital development relate toenergy-efficient building design and optimal use of space in campus landas well as built spaces, creating superior natural environments andbuildings that will serve as physical demonstrations of sustainability tofuture generations.

Green Development prevents unmanaged growth in greenhouse gasemissions and is the most cost-effective path towards future climateneutrality. With diligent implementation, a green development programshould ultimately pay for itself many times over while, in Cornell's case,reducing annual campus carbon emission potentially by tens of thousandsof metric tons of CO2-e by 2050 (compared to a business as usual

Green Development preventsunmanaged growth in GreenhouseGas emissions and is the most cost-effective path towards future climateneutrality. A well-implemented greendevelopment program will pay foritself many times over.


estimate).

Cornell total building square footage expands by 15% since 1990 with 0%carbon footprint increase from Central Utilities.

1999 North Campus Residential Initiative - Cornell's first project to includesustainable design goals.

Alice Cook House, New York State's first LEED-certified residence hall,open in 2004.

Green Building Oversight Committee formed in 2005 integrates "greenbuilding" standards into campus construction programs.

New standard adopted in 2008 mandate that construction over $5 millionbe LEED Silver and 30% more efficient than similar buildings.

Weill Hall opens in 2008 as Cornell's first LEED Gold facility, a cutting-edge research building 40% more energy efficient than similar buildings.

Cornell Plantations manages 4,000 acres of diverse natural areas both onand off campus, including forests that sequester carbon.

Cornell Green Buildings

Master Planning and Land Use

Cornell Commitment to Nature

American Society of Heating,Refrigerating and Air-ConditioningEngineers

What is LEED?

John Kiefer, Planning Design and Construction – Admin and Operations(Cornell Team Lead)Mike Walters, Affiliated Engineers, Inc / AEI (Consultant Team Lead)Steve Beyers, Section Leader, Energy and Environmental EngineeringSectionMary-Lynn Cummings, Space PlanningGilbert Delgado, University ArchitectDavid Hoffer, Student W.S. "Lanny" Joyce, Director of Energy Management, Energy &SustainabilityLiz Kolacki, Planning Design and Construction – Design SectionRandy Lacey, Planning Design and Construction – Design SectionBob Stundtner, Planning Design and Construction – Design SectionMina Amundsen, University PlannerCharlotte Mosher, Johnson School of Management

Report of the Naturalization ActionTeam (pdf)

http://test.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/buildings/initiative.cfmhttp://masterplan.cornell.edu/http://www.plantations.cornell.edu/abouthttp://www.ashrae.org/http://www.ashrae.org/http://www.ashrae.org/http://www.usgbc.org/

Gregory Falco, LEED AP

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The Climate Action Plan (CAP) mandates a well defined energy modelingprotocol and prescribes Energy Use Intensity (EUI) standards by buildingtype to ensure future construction is optimized to limit energyconsumption while respecting initial capital resources. This requires newbuilding design to ultimately limit energy usage to 50% of the industrystandard baseline (ASHRAE 90.1). These are aggressive goals that will

Energy Use Intensity, or EUI, is usedto describe building energyefficiency. Standard EUI units are interms of BTUs per square foot peryear.


While the most sustainable structure is the one that is never built, physical growth will continue to be necessary to support the university’s mission. The CAP extends elements of the Campus Master Plan with actions that will increase space efficiency while reducing capital construction, single-occupant vehicle impact, and energy use. The array of recommended Green Development actions is not focused on specific technologies or approaches for carbon abatement, but rather on establishing effective university policies.

Carbon abatement opportunities in future capital development relate to energy-efficient building design and optimal use of space in campus land as well as built spaces, creating superior natural environments and buildings that will serve as physical demonstrations of sustainability to future generations.

Green Development prevents unmanaged growth in greenhouse gas emissions and may prove to be the most cost-effective path towards future climate neutrality. With diligent implementation, a green development program should ultimately pay for itself many times over while, in Cornell’s case, reducing annual campus carbon emission potentially by tens of thousands of metric tons of CO2e by 2050 (compared to our existing “business as usual” estimate).

Actions to reduce capital construction and energy use, shorten commuting distances,and increase space e�ciency.

REDUCING THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

* Avg Greenhouse Gas Reduction in Metric Tons (CO2-e)

Green Development prevents unman-aged growth in Greenhouse Gas emis-sions and is the most cost-effective path towards future climate neutrality. A well-implemented green development program will pay for itself many times over.

AVOIDREDUCE

REPLACEOFFSET

These actions all serve to reduce Cornell’s energy consumption.

LABOFFICEBUILDING ENERGYSTANDARDSESTABLISHINGOPTIMAL USAGE29,000* learn more

IMPROVED LAND USEINTEGRATINGGREENINFRASTRUCTURETBD* learn more

SPACE PLANNINGAND MANAGEMENTUTILIZING SPACEEFFICIENCY9,000* learn more

LABOFFICEBUILDING ENERGYSTANDARDSESTABLISHINGOPTIMAL USAGE29,000* learn more

IMPROVED LAND USEINTEGRATINGGREENINFRASTRUCTURETBD* learn more

SPACE PLANNINGAND MANAGEMENTUTILIZING SPACEEFFICIENCY9,000* learn more

BASELINE USAGE

84KBTU/SF/YEAR

50KBTU/SF/YEAR

NEAR-TERM TARGET

ELECTRICITY

30.2K

ELECTRICITY

23.8K

HEATING: STEAM

36.1K

HEATING: STEAM

19.1K

COOLING: CHILLED WATER

17.7K

COOLING: CHILLED WATER

14.8K

OFFICE ENERGY

OFFICE

OFFICE

INEFFICIENT SPACE

INCREASED EFFICIENCY FREE SPACE10%

The Campus Master Plan establishes a framework for future physical development of the campus within a compact footprint and a mix of land uses that leads to reduced infrastructure and vehicle miles traveled on campus. This framework can be enhanced and implemented through better integration of landscape with infrastructure and natu-ralization efforts that will improve campus aesthetics and further support CAP carbon reduction goals.

Better land use is foundational to smart growth – resulting in reduced Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT), preservation of open space and natural resources, and energy savings from buildings in compact development patterns. With less per capita energy and resource use, smart growth strategies provide permanent climate benefits including CO2e reductions, better environmental quality and long term savings in infrastructure and operational spending for a healthier community.

Master Plan

Mosaic Poster

* Gross Square Foot (GSF) area assumed as the base for the Campus Master Plan (GMP). The space planning and management initiative in the Climate Action Plan has the potential to further shrink the development footprint and enhance the transition to a greener campus.

A FRAMEWORK FOR CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PROPOSED CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

CAMPUS TODAY

535 ACRESdeveloped land

585 ACRESdeveloped land

16,000,000 GSF 22,000,000* GSF

2038 ACRESopen space

50 ACRESrestored toopen space

2038 ACRESopen space

20502009

require innovation, design discipline, and steady enforcement.

The near term target EUI called for by the CAP was established throughreview of recent Cornell construction projects and the success of Cornell'sLEED/30 standard that previously required new construction projects to becertified under the United States Green Building Council's Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and also achieve aminimum of a 30% reduction in building energy use as compared withASHRAE 90.1 (2007). Energy modeling, conducted as a part of the CAP,suggests the 50% reduction in laboratory and office energy use can beconcurrently achieved with life cycle cost savings.

On average laboratories use 5-10times more energy than dormitorieson a per square foot basis.

For more information on energyefficiency in New York State see NewYork State Energy Research andDevelopment Authority's (NYSERDA)website here.

The American Society of Heating,Refrigeration, and Air-ConditioningEngineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1is the reference for building energyefficiency. For more information onthis standard see ASHRAE's websitehere.

http://www.nyserda.org/default.asphttp://www.ashrae.org/

Green Development



improved land use

EnergyConservation



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More effective use of existing space holds the potential to reduce thematerial, energy, and land resources consumed by new buildings and slowoverall campus growth in the building-square-foot terms. Space planningand management enhancements increase utilization rates and buildingefficiency. These goals are accomplished through a detailed evaluation ofprogram space needs of new construction or renovation projects usingconsistent standards. Implementation will begin through selectiveutilization studies of existing space and development of updated spaceguidelines and space management principles. The CAP anticipatesalternative works strategies will be phased in over time, supporting theeffort to reduce campus square footage growth.

Space is a very visible, fairlypermanent, consistent and somewhatfinite resource. Space creation is theUniversity's largest single capitalinvestment. Created space obligatesthe University to significant, on-going operations and maintenanceexpenses. The CAP supports newpolicies and procedures thatencourage the University communityto manage space in a systematic,purposeful way.


Green Development



improved land use

EnergyConservation



Offsetting Actions

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The Campus Master Plan established a framework for future physicaldevelopment of the campus with a compact footprint and a mix of landuses that leads to reduced infrastructure and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)on campus. This framework can be enhanced and implemented throughbetter integration of landscape with infrastructure and naturalizationefforts that will improve campus aesthetics and further support CAPcarbon reduction goals.

Better land use is foundational to smart growth - resulting in reducedVMT, preservation of open space and natural resources, and energysavings from buildings in compact development patterns. With less percapita energy and resource use, smart growth strategies providepermanent climate benefits including CO2e reductions, better

environmental quality, and long term savings in infrastructure andoperational spending for a healthier community.

Master Plan

Mosaic Poster

http://www.masterplan.cornell.edu/http://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

Green Development

EnergyConservation



steam line upgrade

smart grid



Offsetting Actions

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After Green Development, Energy Conservation is the most cost-effectivepath to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy conservation actionscapitalize on the enormous opportunity represented by the roughly 15million gross square feet of existing Cornell space in Ithaca. Energyconservation actions focus on both technology and behavior. Technologyupgrades, enhancements, and modifications are focused on campusbuildings and are largely an extension of the proven energy systemsmaintenance and retrofit efforts that have held Cornell's energy


consumption at 1990 levels throughout the 15% growth in space andsignificant space upgrades from 1990-2008.

By expanding the success of past efforts and including conservationoutreach and residential and dining facilities initiatives, conservationefforts can reduce GHG emissions associated with existing facilities byalmost 50,000 tons CO2e annually while providing commensurate savings

for the university. Together with green development efforts, theseinitiatives cannot only reduce current campus energy needs but futureneeds as well, without compromising the growth of academic andresearch programs.

Conservation efforts since the 1980s have reduced campus energy useover 35% through variable flow air and water systems, and a 4,000 tonvariable speed chiller that uses 40% less electricity than the constant-speed standard.

Savings since 2002 from the Energy Conservation Initiative exceed $6million annually, with a 20% reduction goal for campus by 2012.

Building energy use data and resulting carbon footprints are available onthe website.

4.4 million gallon thermal storage tank introduced in 1991 allows off-peaking cooling, increasing efficiency by 10%.

Backpressure steam turbine electric generators produce nearly 12% ofcampus electricity at 70% efficiency (a typical power plant is 35-45%efficient.)

Kyoto Task Team chartered; Cornell on track to reduce GHG emissionsbelow 1990 levels by 2010.

Each year Cornell Cooperative Extension helps New York State residentsmake their homes energy efficient and greener through the Save Energy,Save Dollars and Green Building workshops.

Track your buildings energy useEnergy Conservation InitiativeEnergy Saving TipsCornell Energy Fast FactsCornell's District Heating system

Academics and Outreach Greenhouse Efficiency ResearchEnergy Efficiency ResearchConsumer Education for EnergyEfficiency

http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/energy/tracking.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/em/energycons/initiative.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/em/you/default.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/em/fastfacts/default.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/util/districtenergy.cfmhttp://www.vivo.cornell.edu/individual/vivo/individual5599/http://www.human.cornell.edu/che/bio.cfm?netid=jl27http://www.human.cornell.edu/che/DEA/outreach/consumer-education-program-for-residential-energy-efficiency.cfmhttp://www.human.cornell.edu/che/DEA/outreach/consumer-education-program-for-residential-energy-efficiency.cfm

W.S. "Lanny" Joyce, Director of Energy Management, Energy &SustainabilityStan Wrzeski, Affiliated Engineers (Consultant Lead)Steve Beyers, Section Leader, Energy and Environmental EngineeringSectionRick Bishop, Foreperson: BAS Preventive Maintenance & ECILynette Chappell-Williams, Director, WDELQMary-Lynn Cummings, Director of Space PlanningAllen Hebert, Energy Engineer & Manager of Energy Conservation InitiativeprojectsYing Hua, Assistant Professor, Department of Design & EnvironmentalAnalysisAndrew Hunter, Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringD. Randall Lacey, University Engineer, PDCAudrey Lowes, Utilities and Energy managementKaren Muckstadt, Director of Facilities ManagementShane Rothermel, '10 Bio & Environmental EngineeringChristine Stallmann, EHS Director

Energy Conservation Policies inHigher EducationEnergy and sustainability outreachprogramsPower Systems EngineeringResearch CenterNY Heat Smart Program DOE Smart GridGE Smart Grid Website

http://www.aashe.org/resources/energy_conservation_policies.phphttp://www.aashe.org/resources/energy_conservation_policies.phphttp://www.aashe.org/resources/peer2peer.phphttp://www.aashe.org/resources/peer2peer.phphttp://www.pserc.wisc.edu/http://www.pserc.wisc.edu/http://www.nyserda.org/homeheating/index.htmlhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/smartgrid.htmhttp://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/?c_id=googsmartgrid#/landing_page

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Building Energy Conservation encompasses a range of programs that, ifapproved, will address lighting upgrades and retrofits, HVAC systemsenergy conservation, research-focused improvements, and otherconservation programs.

Campus-wide Retrofit Program: Over the next 10 years, ongoing lightingretrofits will be continued so that a remaining two-thirds of campus(approximately 10 million GSF) is converted to high efficiency fluorescentfixtures with occupancy-based controls. This effort alone is estimated toachieve an average annual abatement of ~5,600 tons and reduce annualelectrical usage for campus lighting by 25%.

Second Generation Retrofits: After the current round of campus-wideretrofit program tasks is completed a second effort is envisioned during

From 1985 through the present,nearly 20,000 horsepower of buildingvariable speed drives were installedon fans and pumps in heating,ventilating, and air conditioning(HVAC) systems savingapproximately 30,000,000 kWhannually.

The campus buildings that require100% outside air for ventilationsupply and exhaust over 3 millioncubic feet of air every minute.

1,000 tons of CO2-e could be


years 16-40. 2nd generation retrofits are likely to be heavily solid-stateLight Emitting Diode fixtures that will provide an additional 2,300 tons ofaverage annual abatement and reduce annual electrical demand forcampus lighting by an additional 50% to 0.5 W/sf.

Greenhouse Lighting: The existing high-intensity, outdoor-type lighting inexisting greenhouses will be replaced with lower-intensity, high-efficiencydimmable lighting fixtures, along with a greenhouse-specific lightingcontrol system. Greenhouse lighting fixture and control upgrades willcreate lighting that is more efficient, more uniform, and dims in responseto increased daylight. This will achieve an average annual abatement of~3,800 tons.

Growth Chamber Lighting and Controls Retrofits: Growth chambers userefrigeration, heating, and lighting to simulate environmental conditionsfor plant growth research. Collectively, campus growth chambers use 10%of Cornell's electric energy. This program would retrofit lighting andcontrols in up to 500 growth and refrigerated chambers (100 per year)over the next 5 years. This program would produce an average annualabatement of 9,000 tons.

Fume hoods account for 10% of Cornell's total cost of energy, or $7.5million annually. Working with respective departments, their researchers,and Cornell Environmental Health and Safety, unused fume hoods will bedeactivated and rooms re-balanced to reduce overall air flow requirements(and the corresponding heating, cooling, and dehumidification demands)in many existing laboratory spaces. By deactivating 125 fume hoods(about 10%) an average annual abatement of 1,200 tons will be achievedwith commensurate operational cost-saving.

HVAC Energy Conservation Initiative 1: The current Energy ConservationInitiative (ECI) by the Cornell Energy and Sustainability DepartmentEnergy Management Section will be continued and expanded to cover allIthaca Campus facilities, including significantly increasing conservation-focused maintenance and doubling capital investment in conservationprojects. Conservation-focused maintenance will be expanded in contractcolleges to include occupied space controls facilities. A new conservation-focused PM (Preventive Maintenance) program will be added for CampusLife (residential and dining) and the professional schools (Hotel, Law,Business). The expanded initiative will require additional staffing andcreate 13,500 tons of average annual abatement.

HVAC Energy Conservation Initiative 2: ECI 2 provides for the retrofit ofheat recovery devices and replacement of pneumatic space controls withdirect digital controls providing for increased management of energydemand, along with other longer payback measures. ECI 2 will includeoff-central-campus facilities that were not included in the initial five yearsof ECI 1. This continued initiative will last from years 6-15 and create22,000 average annual tons of abatement.

reduced annually if every labvariable volume fume hood sash wasclosed when not in use.

60 tons of CO2-e could be reduced

annually if 1000 under-deskconvection heaters were changed toradiant heaters.

Windows and doors will be caulked and weather-stripped to reduceoutside air infiltration. Windows required for ventilation will remainoperable. The first year?s pilot effort will focus on the 10 worst buildingsfrom the older areas of campus, identifying the most effective package ofmeasures and means to implement them. That package will then be usedto improve 30 buildings the following year. Weatherization will create 170tons of average annual abatement with high visibility and occupantcomfort improvement.

There is professional consensus that a higher quality air flow, properlycontrolled, creates a safer work space with lower quantities of air. Lab airflows will be modified, and the resulting energy cost savings will be usedfor space administration, monitoring and testing to verify that labenvironments will indeed be safer. Environmental Health and Safety staffnecessary to effect this initiative will be paid for with a portion of thesavings that will be realized before the end of the pilot period. Thisprogram will be applied to 200 lab spaces each year for five years and onaggregate reduce ventilation rates from 8/4 (occupied/unoccupied) airchanges per hour to 6/3.

Interval data will be analyzed with software created to provide staffinvolved with energy management a powerful interface with buildingoperation and control information. Analysis tools will be used to directconservation-focused maintenance efforts. Data and analysis tools will bewidely available to PDC Control and Refrigeration Shop staff, buildingmanagement, energy engineers, and design engineers.

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Savings may be possible at low cost through changes in the day-to-dayactions of the campus community in usage of lighting, fume hoods, andelectric plug load (office and laboratory equipment)—using humanbehavior to drive energy conservation. Indeed, while difficult to predict,the potential for cost-effective energy savings through this action isenormous. To achieve this, conservation outreach is a necessity. Over thenext 1-2 years, a pilot program is proposed to educate users andcontinue to foster a culture of conservation at Cornell. The pilot wouldinclude the use of both monthly and real-time energy use and cost data.An inventory of Best Practices would be developed for each occupancytype (classroom, office, lab, residence, kitchen, etc.). Conservationrepresentatives—"Eco-Reps"—would advise, encourage, and conductperiodic checks to ascertain whether Best Practices are beingimplemented.

Each Eco-Rep would be supervised by a Building Manager/Coordinator for

CO2e reduced if every student on

campus used power saver featureson computer:1300 tons per year (representingjust over 1% of Cornell's annualelectricity usage)

CO2e reduced if 1000 new office

printers were energy star certified:60 tons per year

CO2e reduced if every staff member

turned off 2- 4' fluorescent lamps for2hrs /day:120 tons per year


academic buildings or Residence Life staffer for campus housing. Technicalsupport would be provided by Cornell Energy and SustainabilityDepartment Energy Management Section , while programmatic supportwould be provided by Cornell's Sustainability Coordinator in the CornellEnergy and Sustainability Department.

These pilot programs would characterize potential energy savings/CO2e

reductions and ascertain the most effective ways to staff, support andmanage a campus-wide effort in subsequent years.

CO2e reduction if 1000 students

used "smart" plug strip with printersand laptops plugged in:170 tons per year

>

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Estimates show that losses range from 8 to 12 percent throughout theentire campus steam distribution system. Newer installations at Cornellare very energy efficient and well insulated, so losses are fairly low.However, there is some older piping in place that has fairly high heat lossand is in Cornell capital planning for future repair/upgrade. This isparticularly true of a piece of the system to the east of the central plantextending out to Guterman Lab and the Veterinary College.

The Guterman line has a current insulation value of approximately R-2. Ifthis 12-inch line were upgraded to pipe having insulation with an R-16rating, the heat loss would be reduced by about 340 Btu per hour perlinear foot. The line is estimated to be roughly 4,000 feet long, whichequates to about 13,600 mmBtu per year in heat savings.

There are over 13 miles of steampiping on campus, and another 12miles of condensate return.

In the 1980's steam could be seenrising from several quads oncampus, evidence of a deterioratedsteam system.

Today, thanks to decades of steadyimprovement and upkeep, steamlosses are only a fraction of pastlosses.


This savings will result in lower energy input for steam production. Cornellhad planned to replace the Guterman line in about 10 years for reliabilityreasons. If this project is moved closer in time, due to an emphasis onenergy savings, the higher present value of the future expense can beoffset by the expected energy savings.

The Guterman line is one of the fewremaining areas needing an upgrade.

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Cornell already has well-integrated building management systems toadjust temperature, lighting, and other indoor environment settings,according to time of day, occupancy, season, and room use and isinvesting in state-of-the art electrical transformers and switchgear acrosscampus, allowing our energy managers to track energy usage in realtime. Smart Grid features can build on these resources by adding anadditional level of sensors and controls into the electrical distributionsystems at the building or equipment level.

Information provided by a Smart Grid system, integrated with existingdata, will allow Cornell to be better stewards of our limited energyresources. By monitoring all of our energy and distribution sources as wellas campus energy demand and modulating operation of chilled waterpumps, gas turbines, or even (future) geothermal pumps to matchsystems needs in real time, such variable-output renewable energysources as wind, solar, and hydropower can be more effectively utilized.

New York State Smart GridConsortium

US DOE Office of Electricity Deliveryand Energy Reliability

The Smart Grid: An Introduction(.pdf)

US DOE, Smart Grid System Report

Smart Grid City, Boulder, CO

NEMA Facts on Smart Grid

http://www.nyssmartgrid.com/index.htmlhttp://www.nyssmartgrid.com/index.htmlhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/smartgrid.htmhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/smartgrid.htmhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/DOE_SG_Book_Single_Pages.pdfhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/DOE_SG_Book_Single_Pages.pdfhttp://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/SGSRMain_090707_lowres.pdfhttp://smartgridcity.xcelenergy.com/index.asphttp://www.nema.org/gov/energy/smartgrid/whatIsSmartGrid.cfmhttp://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

Full integration of grid- and building-energy system information andcontrols would provide both practical and multidisciplinary academicbenefits; by better understanding how our actions effect energy demand,the Cornell community would have greater control over building energyuse.

Looking beyond university boundaries, Cornell's internal smart grid wouldhave the potential to communicate with broader smart grid efforts acrossNew York State and the country. The New York State Smart GridConsortium is currently working with university, industry, and governmentpartners to achieve its strategic smart grid vision and become the modelfor the nation. The US Department of Energy recently dedicated $1.25million towards the creation of a Smart Grid Clearinghouse website, and$57 million for seven smart grid demonstration projects throughout thecountry.

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Existing transportation systems and paradigms are slow and difficult tochange. While GHG emissions reductions are greater in other wedgeareas, the actions in the Transportation Wedge have significant publicvisibility as well as broad (regional, national, and global) applicability. Theactions included in this wedge represent a reduction in currenttransportation-related GHG emissions of about 25%. Transportation-related CAP actions are strongly intertwined with University policy andexisting and future land-use patterns.

By building on the success of Cornell's comprehensive transportationdemand management program and expanding efforts to promote andenable lower-carbon travel and alternative work strategies, transportationinitiatives have the potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions12,000 tons by 2050, netting almost $12 million (NPV) in reduced parkingconstruction and fuel costs, and improving the campus environment.


OmniRide introduced in 1990, providing free transit anywhere in TompkinsCounty for faculty and staff who give up a parking permit.

RideShare created in 1992 as a carpool incentive to reward employees forsharing their commute.

Cornell purchased two new mail trucks in 1995 and converted them tonatural gas as the primary fuel, installing natural gas fueling stations forovernight refueling.

Four GEM (Global Electric Motorcars) vehicles purchased in 2003 for staffto use in the field; these two-person, electric-only, zero-emission vehiclesrun all day on a charge and recharge overnight.

Beginning in 2005, all new-to-Cornell students received their first-yearOmniRide pass at no charge, with passes heavily discounted for futureyears.

In 2008, Cornell helped launch community-based Carshare and Vanpoolprograms.

Transportation Options at Cornell

Demand Management Program

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Commuting Alternatives

Carpooling at Cornell

Cornell Fleet Service

Cornell Travel Services

David Lieb, Transportation Services (Team Lead)Nathaniel Grier, Martin/Alexiou/Bryson (Consultant Lead)Spring Buck, Transportation ServicesLois Chaplin, Cornell Local Roads ProgramJoe Lalley, Facilities ServicesBill Stebbins, Transportation Services

Ithaca Carshare

Bike Ithaca

Flexible Work Schedule Resources

http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/gettingaround/gettingaround.cfmhttp://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/gettingaround/demand.cfmhttp://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/gettingaround/alternative.cfmhttp://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/parking/commuting/http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/RideBoard/http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/fleet/http://travel.cornell.edu/http://www.ithacacarshare.org/http://bikeithaca.org/http://www.we-inc.org/flex.cfm

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This action promotes the use of less carbon-intensive travel modes forbusiness trips. Education and awareness are central components. With ahigh reduction goal, this would also include a portal to assist infinding/booking lower-carbon travel. A vital component would be increaseduse and availability of teleconferencing tools and facilities. The currentfiscal environment creates an incentive to reduce costs throughsubstituting teleconferencing tools for travel where appropriate.

Reductions in business travel emissions are difficult. Business travel is notcentrally controlled or regulated by the university—generally the mainlimitation being individual budgetary restrictions. Business travel alsocomplements Cornell's educational mission, whether by researchersattending conferences or by staff supporting the ongoing operations of theuniversity.

The recommended approach to reducing this sector's carbon footprint isthe development of a business travel model decision system. Thisprogram would assist travelers in understanding the impacts of theirtravel and seeking a less carbon-intensive alternative where feasible.Education and awareness will be central to achieving reductions inbusiness travel-related emissions. This will include raising awarenessabout not only the impacts of such travel, but also the array of lesscarbon-intensive options available (e.g., ground vs. air travel, direct vs.

On a per-mile basis, the greenhousegases from flying are 1.5 times asmuch as driving.

If four people carpool to aconference 250 miles away insteadof flying, they could save roughly1.2 tons of CO2-e (and roughly

$1,000).


indirect flights).

Another key component of this plan would be increased investment in andreliance on teleconferencing. Travelers would be encouraged to considerteleconferencing in place of an actual trip. To this end, teleconferencingcapability standards will be established for individual computers as well asfor centralized meeting facilities. Building and renovation standards shouldrecommend the installation or upgrade of effective teleconferencingfacilities, as appropriate.

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This CAP action builds on current Transportation Impact MitigationStrategies (TIMS) programs, incorporating both incentives and programflexibility, including alternative work strategies such as flex-time and flex-place, coupled with disincentive pricing strategies.

Cornell has a long-running program in transportation demandmanagement (TDM) which seeks to provide commuters with options otherthan the single-occupant vehicle (SOV). Just under half of all employeecommuters regularly travel to campus by a means other than SOV; therates are much higher for students, with roughly four-fifths of graduatestudents and nearly all undergraduate students using an alternativemode.

The action sets long-term goals above and beyond the TIMS as well asintermediate targets to track interim success. At a minimum, the planstrives to reduce the rate of employee SOV usage by 25 percent within15 years and hopes the decrease might be as high as 50 percent. Theaction targets all modes, but will emphasize vanpool, transit, and biking,areas that, it is felt, mesh well with the current commuting needs. Thiswill be accomplished with initiation of a vanpool program this fall, in

The average vanpool rider emits 3.5times less CO2-e than the typical

Tompkins Consolidated Area Transitrider who already is already 25percent more efficient than anaverage SOV commuter.

If you can fill all the seats, thereduction is even greater. Riders in afull vanpool van emit 1.6 times lessCO2-e each than do riders in a full

bus and nearly 10 times less CO2-e.

If you work from home 1 day aweek, you will reduce yourtransportation carbon footprint by 20percent.

The typical Tompkins County


cooperation with the local transit agency and local governments. Cornell isone of three partners in the transit agency and will continue to supportimproved and expanded service, including express park and ride, aservice particularly well-suited to the many suburban and rural employeesof the university. A key program change will be to introduce additionalflexibility in benefits to cater to those with more variable travel demandswho may not be able to commit to a single mode. Additionally,improvements in flexible work arrangements are expected to reduce theaverage daily commute trips to the university.

Additional operating and capital costs of the action for the first 15 yearsare projected to be between forty and seventy percent less than projectedcapital expenditures for new parking over the same period. Over thatsame time frame, it is expected that the program will reduce the demandfor parking on campus that roughly $25 million in capital expenditures fornew parking will be avoided.

household makes nearly 6 vehicletrips per day. If you can eliminatejust 1—by sharing a ride, walking, orchaining trips, for example—thatamounts to over 350 trips per year,3,000 miles of travel and over 1-1/2tons of CO2-e.

Transportation Demand ManagementProgram (TDM)

Transportation Impact MitigationStrategies (TIMS)

Cornell's Local Bus Service (TCAT)

Cornell's Transportation Webpage

http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/parking/commuting/http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/parking/commuting/http://www.tgeisproject.org/http://www.tgeisproject.org/http://www.tcatbus.com/http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/

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Establishing a higher fleet fuel efficiency standard will reduce fuelconsumption by university-owned vehicles. The CAP action also includes aprogram to improve the mix of available fleet vehicles, allowing users torent smaller or hybrid vehicles as appropriate. As technology developsand becomes standardized, alternative fuel vehicles may also beintroduced.

Given that business travel and service use is critical to the operations ofthe university, the primary potential for reduction of greenhouse gasemissions lies in the improvement of the fleet average fuel economy.Currently, average fuel economy for the contract college fleet is justbelow 20mpg. Because of different reporting requirements, the fueleconomy of the remainder of the Cornell-owned vehicles is less wellknown, but is estimated to be in the upper teens, perhaps 16-17mpg.Improvement of the contract college fleet average fuel economy to 35mpg would result in nearly a 50% reduction in fuel consumption, and thusgreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, for these vehicles. However, ascorporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards will be rising at thesame time, achievements beyond the base case would come from anaccelerated schedule of reducing fuel usage as well as the subsequentestablishment of a fuel standard that exceeds the national fleet average.Achieving these improvements in fuel economy would be accomplishedthrough purchase policies that focus on higher efficiency vehicles, often

Fleet vehicles are typically turnedover every 4 years on average. Thisreplacement rate (over 25% eachyear) provides a ready opportunityfor continuous improvement inmileage standards.


meaning smaller vehicles, and fewer SUVs and pickup trucks.

A secondary approach to achieving carbon reduction from fleet servicesoperations would lie in the pursuit of alternative fuel sources with lowercarbon footprints. While there is some current use of compressed naturalgas (CNG), on-campus vehicle availability and filling requirements make awholesale conversion impossible at present. Electric vehicles should beconsidered where appropriate but also often do not satisfy the daily needsof the users. Conversion to a bio-fuel is possible though currently there isnot a sufficiently large and continuous supply available locally to providesubstantial impact. This approach, however, will likely be the focus ofefforts for further fleet fuel-reductions beginning in 10 to 15 years asrelevant technologies have further matured.

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Cornell began operation of its new combined heat and power (CHP)system in late 2009, reducing total campus GHG emissions by about 20%through improved efficiency and the substitution of natural gas for coal.Additional fuel mix and renewable energy actions will account for themajority of the necessary carbon reduction in the CAP—almost 200,000tons of carbon abatement in 2050.

Renewable energy initiatives focused on regional and global researchpriorities, jobs creation and available local resources are combined tosubstantially replace the current fossil fuel needs of Cornell withrenewable energy. Options that replace fossil fuels tend to require more


capital investment that pays back over time. Some of the more innovativeoptions require research monies to make them financially viable and toencourage further development, extending their usefulness to the broadercommunity, potentially creating local and regional jobs, and ideallytransforming the marketplace.

Contingent on Cornell's success in receiving funding targeted for theseefforts, their culmination can reduce Cornell's energy and carboncompliance costs and eliminate 170,000 tons CO2-e on an average annual

basis, while advancing Cornell as the premier multi-source renewableenergy research institution in the nation.

Fall Creek hydroelectric generation plant opened in 1904, producing morethan 1.5 times Cornell's total electric use; today it produces 2% ofCornell's electricity.

Central Heating Plant (CHP) built in 1922 to provide central steam heat.

Original co-generation plant installed in 1986-87.

Cayuga Lake source cooling system became operational in 2000,conserving 80% of electricity for cooling.

Solar panels installed on Day Hall, the Cornell Store, and the HoffmannChallenge Course since 2006, producing more than enough energy topower McGraw tower.

Combined Heat-and-Power plant (natural gas) became operational in late2009, reducing GHG emissions 20% from 1990 levels, and cutting coalconsumption approximately 50%.

Farm Services developing a biodiesel reactor to turn dining hall waste oilto biodiesel for use on campus.

Hydroelectric Power

Solar Power

Cornell Lake Source Cooling

Combined Heat and Power Project

CURBI

http://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/util/electricity/production/hydroplant.cfmhttp://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/energy/solarpanels.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/util/cooling/production/lsc/default.cfmhttp://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/eco_news_events_spotlight_detail.cfm?cmd=detail&no_id=144http://www.cuaes.cornell.edu/cals/cuaes/ag-operations/curbi/

Shoals Marine Lab's wind turbine and solar panels power buildings and labinstruments that monitor chemistry-climate connections for New England.

James R. Adams, Director of Utilities, Energy & Sustainability (Team Lead)Jerry Schuett, Consultant, Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (Consultant Lead)Stacey Edwards, Utilities EngineerW.S. "Lanny" Joyce, Director of Energy Management, Energy &SustainabilityTim Fahey, Professor - Department of Natural ResourcesDrew Lewis, CU Agricultural Experiment Station, Manager of TechnologyServices/Agricultural OperationsPat McNally, Environmental Health & SafetyEdward R. Wilson, Sustainable Energy Team Manager, Energy &SustainabilityDavid Weinstein, Senior Research Associate, Natural ResourcesJohn Carter, Consultant, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.Rob McKenna, Consultant, Energy Strategies, Inc.

DOE Geothermal TechnologiesProgram

USGS National Geothermal ResourceAssessment

Map of wind resources in TompkinsCounty, NY

NREL Biomass Cofiring overview

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/index.htmlhttp://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/index.htmlhttp://energy.usgs.gov/flash/geothermal_slideshow.swfhttp://energy.usgs.gov/flash/geothermal_slideshow.swfhttp://www.tompkins-co.org/emc/images/80m_wind_large.gifhttp://www.tompkins-co.org/emc/images/80m_wind_large.gifhttp://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/28009.pdf

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This comprehensive "hybrid" action envisions a marriage of two innovativedemonstration-scale research projects on the Cornell campus, EngineeredGeothermal Systems (EGS) and Bio-Mass Gasification. Together with theexisting Lake Source Cooling system, this action could allow Cornell tosubstantially heat and cool the campus using natural, renewableresources and stored heat energy from the earth, as illustrated by thediagram above.

EGS, commonly referred to as, "Deep Hot Rock" is an emergingtechnology that proposes to utilize the heat energy available deepbeneath the earth's surface (about 2 - 4 miles) to generate districtheating and electricity via generation and distribution equipment locatedat the surface. The initial EGS action, which is of national interest, willrely on federal funding and will provide multidisciplinary researchopportunities while providing partial campus heat. State-of-the-art organic

How deep? How hot? Cornell andIthaca sit atop a more shallowgeothermal resource compared toother areas of New York and thenortheast U.S.

Subject to grant funding, Cornell will


Rankine cycle heat engines, another technology of national interest, arealso included for generation of electrical power during periods in whichcampus heating needs are lower.

Cornell's Croll Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems in the College ofEngineering, Jeff Tester, is a national expert in EGS. As an extension ofhis research and in coordination with the CAP, Professor Testercollaborated with other faculty, Cornell Facilities and the EnvironmentalCompliance and Sustainability Office to submit a research grant proposalto the US Department of Energy for funding this demonstration project.

Ultimately, the EGS installation could be expanded, converting the entirecampus steam system to hot water heat distribution, with EGS providing amajority of campus heating needs. Rather than over-build the EGS tomeet peak heating season loads, the CAP evaluation includes a hybridsystem that would link the EGS system to a biomass-to-biogas systemdesign based on the results of the Cornell University Renewable BiofuelsInstitute (CURBI), an initiative described as a separate action in this plan.During very cold weather when EGS alone is not enough, the biogaswould be used to provide the additional hot water needs of campus.Converting biomass to biogas opens up the possibility of co-generation ordirect combustion, as appropriate to the energy needs of campus.

Completely realized this energy supply innovation would provide for nearly113,000 tons (CO2 equivalent) of average annual carbon abatement—

35% of the total 2050 footprint.

study an on-campus application thatwill target hot rock located between12,000 and 18,000 feet below theearth's surface.

According to Jeff Tester, Cornell'sCroll Professor of Sustainable EnergySystems in the College ofEngineering and expert in EGS, atwo-well binary system (illustratedabove) could produce up to 20 MWof thermal energy—about 600,000MMBtu per year. This equates toabout half of Cornell's current annualthermal demand.

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The CAP-proposed wind power project includes eight 1.5 MW windturbines with a combined rated capacity of 12 MW, connected directly intothe Cornell electric system. Assuming a capacity factor of 29 percent,annual output from the turbines would total about 30,500 MWh.

A challenge for Cornell will be to match generation capacity to campusneeds. The majority of that production will occur during October throughApril when Ithaca experiences the most wind, the same time period thatthe Cornell Combined Heat and Power Project can provide the mostelectricity. Cornell's need for a broad portfolio of "stored" and "naturallyfluctuating" energy resources reflects the challenge of broader society,which also seeks to improve its stewardship of energy resources. WhileCornell anticipates supplying some of the renewable energy from the windturbines to the electric grid as it balances campus electrical supply anddemand, it also seeks to create models for "on-demand" energy(geothermal and stored biomass) and "as supplied" energy resources(wind, solar, and conventional hydropower) to demonstrate broad-basedsolutions that address this challenge.

The U.S. Department of Energy isdeveloping plans to obtain as muchas 20% of the nation's electricityfrom Wind by 2030.

New York State's Renewable PortfolioStandard sets the bar at 25%renewable energy by 2013. WindPower has the highest renewableenergy growth potential in theportfolio.

While turbine design continues toevolve, Cornell researchers in theSibley School of Mechanical andAerospace Engineering have joinedthe search for even more reliableand efficient turbine designs.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_2030.htmlhttp://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

Cornell continues to seek out and track a broad range of renewableenergy options. Currently, wind power is one of the most cost-effectiveoptions available. Though a specific project site has not been finalized,preliminary estimates are that the cost of a wind project would be about4 times less expensive (on a per-KW basis) than a solar photovoltaicsystem, based on existing technology and the availability of solar energyin our climate. However, researchers continue to seek out newer, morecost-effective applications for both wind and solar technologies. As timemoves forward, Cornell will continue to review the cost efficiencies ofvarious renewable technologies to implement the best energy options.

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The Cornell University Renewable Bioenergy Initiative (CURBI) is in theinitial stages of a feasibility study that will determine how best to use 57campus waste streams and other university-owned biomass resources togenerate renewable energy for the university. The feasibility study,supported by a matching grant from the New York State Energy Researchand Development Authority (NYSERDA), is considering several options,including direct combustion, anaerobic digestion, and pyrolysis/gasificationas potentially "stackable" technologies-so that waste products from onesystem can be used by another. For example, switchgrass could be usedas a feedstock for a cellulosic ethanol process. The waste bagasse fromthat process could then be used in an anaerobic digester to produce auseable fuel. And finally, the waste from the digester could feed apyrolysis/gasification process to produce a combination of syngas andbiochar.

Although the exact combination and utilization of energy conversiontechnologies is yet to be determined by the CURBI feasibility study, aconservative estimate of 50 percent efficiency translates to about 150,000MMBTU of fossil fuels offset by available biomass resources. Assuming

CURBI includes the development ofan on-campus, renewable biofuelsresearch center that provides hands-on training for students whileoffsetting campus fossil fuelpurchases.

What do all those terms mean? Youcan find out more details by visitingthe CURBI Site.

DEFINITION TABLE:

PYROLYSISA process that produces gas byheating organic matter in theabsence of oxygen. The resultantbiogas or synthetic gas is high incarbon monoxide, hydrogen, andother gases.

http://www.cuaes.cornell.edu/cals/cuaes/ag-operations/curbi/http://www.cornell.edu/http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/

that energy offsets the use of natural gas for steam production, CURBIhas a carbon reduction potential of about 8,700 metric tons of CO2-e per

year. Additional carbon reduction may be achieved by production ofbiochar, which both sequesters carbon and promotes the growth of newbiomass when applied to soil.

BAGASSEMaterial, often fibrous, left after aproduct -in the form of juice-hasbeen extracted from a plant.

BIOCHARA valuable soil amendment with amultitude of beneficial propertiesthat also sequesters carbon forgenerations, making it the onlycurrently known "carbon negative"biomass conversion technology.

SYNGASsynthetic gas, a misnomer for the"natural" renewable hydrocarbon gasmixture produced from biomass thatcan be used as a fuel for acombustion turbine to create heatand electricity, or in a simpler boilerto produce heat.

ANAEROBIC DIGESTIONA biological fermentation processthat occurs in sealed units attemperatures elevated slightly aboveambient conditions, producing acombustible mixture of methane andcarbon dioxide containing smallamounts of other gases.

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1. Restructure the Intake:Although it has been updated since the hydroelectric plant was originallyconstructed, the intake structure was designed for lower flows thancurrently required for optimum output. Nearly 4 percent of systempressure is lost from the trash rack to the penstock. Reconfiguring thebellmouth entrance and replacing the entrance gate within the existingintake structure could eliminate just over half of this pressure loss, adding300 Mwh per year and reduce GHG emissions by about 120 metric tonsCO2 per year.

2. Re-line the Penstock:Relining the existing penstock with high density polyethylene (HDPE)would reduce pressure loss due to friction at an estimated cost of $1million. The increased pressure would provide a 4.2 percent increase inoutput or 250 MWh per year and reduce Cornell GHG emissions by about100 metric tons CO2 per year.

In 1981 Cornell restored, andcontinues to operate, thehydroelectric plant built in the early1900's. The facility generates anaverage 5,000 MWh (5 million kWh),enough for 600 homes.

Cornell's co-founder, Ezra Cornell,once operated a second hydropowerstation which diverted some flowaround Ithaca Falls, located loweralong Fall Creek. The remnants ofthe former penstock still existing atthis site, which is now owned by theCity of Ithaca.


3. Rebuild the Turbines:The turbines currently operate at about 65 percent efficiency—considerably lower than their rated efficiency of 80 percent. This 15percent increase in efficiency equates to about 900 MWh per year inadditional output or about 370 metric tons of CO2 each year in GHG

emission reductions and is the result of guide vane and turbine runnerwear on both turbines. Replacing these components of the turbines wouldreturn them to their rated efficiency.

4. Optimize Draft Tubes:By connecting tubes to the turbine exits and extending them below thetailwater surface, the total water pressure could be increased by 5percent. This added pressure would increase output from the plant by asmuch as 350 MWh per year and reduce Cornell GHG emissions by about140 metric tons CO2 per year.

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10 percent of the coal burned in two main Cornell solid fuel boilers couldbe replaced with wood (on a weight basis) with limited modifications toupgrade or add solid fuel handling and storage.

Co-firing 10 percent wood on a weight basis equates to about 4.5 percenton a Btu basis assuming 5,400 Btu/lb wood at 40 percent moisture.Moisture contained in the wood requires additional energy to heat and boiland effectively lowers the heating value of the wood by about 1,100Btu/lb to about 4,300 Btu/lb. Faculty from Cornell's College of Agricultureand Life Sciences have estimated the future cost of wood based on thecradle-to-grave costs of sustainable forest management, harvesting, andtransportation. While the first costs of such a resource would likely exceedthat of coal, the overall costs are lower when impacts to people andplanet are considered.

In addition to the capital required for fuel storage and handling upgrades,an additional 0.5 full-time employee (FTE) will be required to manage theadditional complexity of the systems. This option is viable until mid-2011(when Cornell has committed to elminate coal use). In the future, Cornellseeks to completely replace coal with other renewable sources, includingbiomass gasification to turn biomass into a gas that can be combusted in

Sustainable Forest Management willadd to the cost of the woodresource, but these practices arecritical to this option being viable inthe long run.


a boiler or co-generation turbine.

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The power output of Cornell's Central Heating Plant Cogeneration facilitycould be increased by approximately 550 kW at peak load conditions witha more efficient backpressure steam turbine generator (TG-1). Whereasthe existing steam turbine generator is rated at 1,810 kW, a newer multi-stage turbine can achieve 2,360 kW. The new turbine's higher full andpart load efficiency would increase annual generation by approximately1,900 MWh per year based on the generator operating 3,500 hours.

The ability to pass additional steam through the new generation will resultin "cooler" steam being exported to campus for heating during the wintermonths. This steam is still adequate for campus needs, but a slightlygreater supply will be needed to meet our steam demand. Cornell's costsavings calculations have accounted for the additional fuel needed todeliver the total energy to heat the buildings, while making moreelectricity during the "cogeneration" process.

Assuming that increased capacity would offset electricity purchased fromNYSEG, the reduction in Cornell's GHG footprint would be about 650metric tons of CO2 per year.

Cornell has two steam turbines.Together, they generated about 10%of the electricity used on campus in2008. One of these turbines isalready being rebuilt (and thereforenot included as a future action in theClimate Action Plan). Together, thetwo turbine improvements wouldincrease the power output to about13% of campus needs, with thesame input energy requirements.

Cornell's Combined Heat and PowerProject (CCHPP) adds combustionturbines to Cornell's energy mix.These combustion turbines willgenerate electricity from thecombustion of natural gas, with theexhaust heat used to provide steam.


Together with our existinghydropower plant and the two steamturbines, Cornell will be able toproduce almost 85% of its ownelectricity in 2010 and beyond.

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