Fall 2025

This semester, the team focused on developing preliminary decarbonization strategies for four Cornell properties. Building on the financial analysis conducted last year, as well as recent changes in energy policy, the team found limited existing financial incentives for Cornell to pursue building decarbonization. The work shifted toward creating specific, building-by-building plans informed by available energy data and initial cost comparisons between existing boiler systems and potential heat pump alternatives. In addition to evaluating the technical and financial feasibility of different strategies, the team began engaging with policy to explore how institutional and regulatory changes could create stronger incentives for building decarbonization.