Overall Rating Platinum - expired
Overall Score 85.42
Liaison Lisa Kilgore
Submission Date March 4, 2021

STARS v2.2

Cornell University
OP-5: Building Energy Efficiency

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.98 / 6.00 Mark Howe
Program Manager
Energy Managment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Site energy use per unit of floor area

Performance year energy consumption

Electricity use, performance year (report kilowatt-hours):
kWh MMBtu
Imported electricity 33,435,140 Kilowatt-hours 114,080.70 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site, non-combustion facilities/devices (e.g., renewable energy systems) 7,133,027 Kilowatt-hours 24,337.89 MMBtu

Stationary fuels and thermal energy, performance year (report MMBtu):
MMBtu
Stationary fuels used on-site to generate electricity and/or thermal energy 2,984,724 MMBtu
Imported steam, hot water, and/or chilled water 0 MMBtu

Total site energy consumption, performance year:
3,123,142.59 MMBtu

Performance year building space

Gross floor area of building space, performance year:
15,834,777 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor area
Laboratory space 1,774,062 Square feet
Healthcare space 156,336 Square feet
Other energy intensive space 491,539 Square feet

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
20,187,112 Gross square feet

Performance year heating and cooling degree days 

Degree days, performance year:
Degree days
Heating degree days 6,577 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 508 Degree-Days (°F)

Total degree days, performance year:
7,085 Degree-Days (°F)

Performance period

Start and end dates of the performance year (or 3-year period):
Start date End date
Performance period July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020

Metric used in scoring for Part 1

Total site energy consumption per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
21.84 Btu / GSF / Degree-Day (°F)

Part 2. Reduction in source energy use per unit of floor area

Baseline year energy consumption

STARS 2.2 requires electricity data in kilowatt-hours (kWh). If a baseline has already been established in a previous version of STARS and the institution wishes to continue using it, the electricity data must be re-entered in kWh. To convert existing electricity figures from MMBtu to kWh, simply multiply by 293.07107 MMBtu/kWh.

Electricity use, baseline year (report kWh):
kWh MMBtu
Imported electricity 219,309,140 Kilowatt-hours 748,282.79 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site, non-combustion facilities/devices (e.g., renewable energy systems) 4,627,180 Kilowatt-hours 15,787.94 MMBtu

Stationary fuels and thermal energy, baseline year (report MMBtu):
MMBtu
Stationary fuels used on-site to generate electricity and/or thermal energy 2,044,800 MMBtu
Imported steam, hot water, and/or chilled water 0 MMBtu

Total site energy consumption, baseline year:
2,808,870.72 MMBtu

Baseline year building space

Gross floor area of building space, baseline year:
14,346,948 Gross square feet

Baseline period

Start and end dates of the baseline year (or 3-year period):
Start date End date
Baseline period July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

A brief description of when and why the energy consumption baseline was adopted:
---

Source energy

Source-site ratio for imported electricity:
3

Total energy consumption per unit of floor area:
Site energy Source energy
Performance year 0.20 MMBtu per square foot 0.21 MMBtu per square foot
Baseline year 0.20 MMBtu per square foot 0.30 MMBtu per square foot

Metric used in scoring for Part 2

Percentage reduction in total source energy consumption per unit of floor area from baseline:
29.47

Optional Fields 

Documentation to support the performance year energy consumption figures reported above:
---

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices in regard to energy efficiency:
Cornell's outreach and education efforts are numerous,
Outreach/engagement efforts include:
Building energy dashboard
Student sustainability leaders
Green Ambassador program
Green Certification Program for Offices/Labs and Events
Sustainability Clubs
Energy smackdown competition
Education efforts include the following:
Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise
Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Cornell Energy Institute

A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution:
All digitally controlled buildings are scheduled to relax temperatures during unoccupied periods to reduce energy use.

A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
Beginning in FY16, a campus wide LED re-lamp program was initiated. The program was completed in FY17. The program reduced electric consumption by approximately 9 million kwh. Prior LED lighting upgrade projects include (1) high bay lighting in many of Cornell's Athletics facilities.
For more information about specific projects and locations: https://energyandsustainability.fs.cornell.edu/em/projsum/default.cfm

A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
n/a

A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution:
The Cornell Central Energy Plant (CEP) is a combined heat and power plant. Cornell placed into service two Solar Titan 130 Combustion Turbines (2@15 MWe)with Rentech dual pressure Heat Recovery Steam Generators in December of 2009. In addition, there are two back pressure steam turbines (8 MWe total) that produce electricity with steam prior to the steam being used for heating purposes on campus. The CEP has allowed the university to discontinue the use of coal (2011). Energy generated with co-generation technology includes electric and steam.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment, and systems with high efficiency alternatives:
All buildings central mechanical systems are re-commissioned on a 24-36 month cycle.

Website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Electricity from on-site renewables
hydro plant, 7,034 MWh,
campus roof PV 98.5 MWh (Human Ecology, Klarman, Day Hall, Campus Store, Fernow Hall, Snee Hall

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.