The city of Ithaca has achieved LEED Gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities program, thanks in part to a multi-year collaboration with students from Cornell University.
Cornell students drove citywide sustainability push
Since 2022, a team from Cornell University Sustainable Design (CUSD) worked alongside Ithaca officials to compile the extensive documentation needed for the certification—recognized globally as a benchmark for municipal sustainability. The student-led group collaborated with departments across the city to analyze metrics related to energy, water, waste, transportation, and land use.
More than 60 students contributed to the effort, representing disciplines such as civil engineering, environmental analysis, and urban planning. Their work earned Ithaca a Gold rating—the second-highest level under LEED for Cities, behind only Platinum.
Certification recognizes holistic progress
The LEED evaluation considered a broad range of data including greenhouse gas emissions, green spaces, transit systems, and quality of life indicators. Ithaca scored high in multiple categories, especially in integrative planning and resource efficiency.
“This project gave our students a chance to work in real-world conditions while supporting the city’s sustainability goals,” said Sirietta Simoncini, a Cornell lecturer and faculty advisor for the project. “It required a resilient, interdisciplinary team to tackle the challenge.”
A new model for city-university collaboration
Unlike most municipal LEED applications, Ithaca’s submission was largely student-driven. With guidance from city sustainability planner Savannah Vega and engineering firm Tetra Tech, students gathered data, conducted workshops with local officials, and revised their application based on initial feedback from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The city ultimately scored 60 out of a possible 110 points, enough to secure the Gold certification in late 2024.
“This is a new model,” Vega said. “We wouldn’t have had the capacity to do this alone. The students made it possible.”
Report aims to inform future planning
The team is now developing a public-facing report to highlight Ithaca’s strengths and identify areas for improvement. The findings will be used to inform future projects, including the development of Ithaca’s Cherry Street district.
For the students involved, the experience offered more than just a résumé boost.
“It was really valuable to see how the city functions beyond the university,” said Jiayi Guo, a design and environmental analysis major who co-led the team. “We didn’t just earn a certificate—we built something that others can learn from.”
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