Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.46
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 20, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Cornell University
OP-27: Rainwater Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s Low Impact Development (LID) practices:

In its current form, the program focuses on new development/redevelopment and proper operation and maintenance of stormwater management practices. The Cornell Comprehensive Master Plan addresses campus-wide stormwater management, and outlines the goals and approaches which include retrofitting existing development, where feasible. At a minimum, Cornell's stormwater management efforts must comply with Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and local municipal stormwater regulatory requirements.


Has the institution adopted a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations through the use of green infrastructure? :
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies for ongoing campus operations:
A brief description of any rainwater harvesting employed by the institution:
Rainwater harvested directly and stored/used by the institution, performance year:
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A brief description of any rainwater filtering systems employed by the institution to treat water prior to release:
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A brief description of any living or vegetated roofs on campus:

Several examples of living or vegetated (green) roofs at Cornell have been implemented pursuant to LEED initiatives and for stormwater management benefits. Weill Hall, for example, has a 3 foot thick green roof that tops a group of ultra sensitive laboratories. Burring the labs, which need incredibly specialized lighting and low-vibration conditions, eliminates the need to block out the sun or over condition to meet the programmatic needs. And as a bonus, the underground labs are topped with a green lawn planted with spongy, local vegetation and a helpful water retention system.


A brief description of any porous (i.e. permeable) paving employed by the institution:

Porous paving has been used for two parking lots. Where required, these practices were designed and constructed in accordance with the NYS Stormwater Management Design Manual. (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/29072.html)


A brief description of any downspout disconnection employed by the institution:
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A brief description of any rain gardens on campus:
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A brief description of any stormwater retention and/or detention ponds employed by the institution:

Where applied or required, these practices were designed and constructed in accordance with the NYS Stormwater Management Design Manual. (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/29072.html)


A brief description of any bioswales on campus (vegetated, compost or stone):

Where applied or required, these practices were designed and constructed in accordance with the NYS Stormwater Management Design Manual. (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/29072.html)


A brief description of any other rainwater management technologies or strategies employed by the institution:

Several other stormwater technologies and strategies have been used: bioretention systems, subsurface filter chamber systems, vegetated filter strips, and sediment settling forebays.


The website URL where information about the institution’s rainwater management initiatives, plan or policy is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.