From September 14-20, Cornell students, faculty, and staff are invited to go off-line, off-screen, and off-tech to participate in Cornell Unplugged 2026.  

Explore what’s new on the Sustainable Cornell website, including a refreshed name, updated content, and new tools that highlight Cornell’s sustainability goals and progress.

Look up: A new rooftop heat recovery system in Olin Hall is quietly transforming how Cornell saves energy. Part of a campus-wide effort that shattered cost and carbon targets, it’s a powerful example of Cornell’s Living Lab approach in action.

As part of Cornell’s ongoing energy conservation efforts, this initiative modernizes HVAC infrastructure with advanced digital controls, sensors, and variable speed equipment. By improving airflow management, heating and cooling efficiency, and system commissioning, the project supports long‑term energy savings and improved indoor environmental quality.

Unplug and power down your space before winter break

Cornell University is piloting a mobile battery system to replace diesel generators at major events and potentially provide emergency backup power across campus. 

Lake Source Cooling was a bold idea that redefined campus energy use—and 25 years later, it continues to keep Cornell cool through creative, efficient design.

Cornell Campus Sustainability Office | Spring 2018

Power your home with the sun!

Sustainability Life Recipe Series

Hidden beneath Cornell’s campus, a vast energy system powers the university. A major upgrade is now slashing emissions and advancing Cornell’s net-zero goal.