In 2000, Cornell began pulling water from 250 feet below Cayuga Lake to cool its campus; now its energy use has been reduced by 85%

Launched in 2000, Cornell University's lake source cooling system exemplifies sustainable innovation, utilizing the icy waters of Cayuga Lake to meet the campus's cooling demands. This groundbreaking initiative, which commenced construction in 1999, achieved an extraordinary eighty-five percent cut in annual energy consumption, positioning the university at the forefront of eco-friendly solutions for the future.