ATMOSPHERE & SUSTAINABILITY

Residents of The House will enjoy access to the campus 2.5 acres of green lawns, pedestrian paths and open spaces and almost 800,000 square feet of campus building space designed specifically for collaboration and connection—all with the city skyline as a backdrop. The entire campus was designed to push the boundaries of current sustainable practices, built according to LEED, Net Zero and Passive House principles. Because of this, the new Cornell Tech campus will be one of the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient in the world.

Add in stunning views of the East River and unbeatable access to the Manhattan, and you have a new type of urban campus that is intimately integrated with the city in both mission and design.

WHAT IS PASSIVE HOUSE?

Passive House (PH) is the most rigorous energy efficiency standard in the world. Developed in Germany, these building standards cut energy consumption by 60-80% compared to code buildings. At The House, this translates to a projected savings of 882 tons of CO₂ per year compared to a similar code building—equal to approximately 5,300 new trees being planted.

Passive design strategy carefully models and balances a comprehensive set of factors—including heat emissions from appliances and occupants—to keep the building at comfortable and consistent indoor temperatures throughout the heating and cooling seasons. As a result, Passive buildings offer tremendous long-term benefits, including reduced operating costs for its residents, in addition to their energy efficiency.

THE BENEFITS OF LIVING PASSIVE

The building is equipped with an energy management system which allows each resident access to the real-time energy use of their apartment. We share how the building is performing on a digital touchscreen in the lobby.