A Message from President Lehman: Of Parking Lots and Sustainability -Cornell University President Jeffrey S. Lehman issued the following statement June 8 concerning the parking lot that is under construction as part of the West Campus Residential initiative.

West Campus Buildings Granted LEED Certification -Cornell University has announced that two new buildings in the first phase of its West Campus Residential Initiative (Alice H. Cook House and Becker North) have been granted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

West Campus Residential Initiative Sustainable Design Information (Nov. 2003) -Cornell building projects have for many years been designed to minimize life cycle costs rather than minimize first cost. Examples of this include design for flexible use, use of long life construction materials and methods, use of heat recovery techniques and electronic variable speed motor controls in mechanical systems, and use of low energy lighting systems. Central campus buildings are designed to provide a "100 year useful lifetime". Consequently Cornell incorporated "green building" concepts long before the phrase came into popular use. The North Campus Residential Initiative buildings went a step further and included the broad based Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria in the scope of design for both residence halls and the Appel Commons building. A significant goal for the WCRI is to improve on the work done on north campus and design the west campus buildings to make them eligible for LEED certification. Cornell plans to seek LEED certification for WCRI Project #1 and have that project become Cornell's first LEED certified building.

Presentation on Alice H. Cook House LEED Certification Process  -Alice Cook is a green building on campus.