Construction Update Spring/Summer 2009

The Office of Facilities at Yale University provides oversight for the development and implementation of all construction projects including the renovation, modernization and maintenance of existing facilities, energy and infrastructure upgrades, and construction of new facilities.

Highlighted in the column to the left are projects that fall under the “major” construction project heading as defined by the Office of Facilities, Department of Construction and Renovation. Major projects at Yale University are capital construction projects with a project cost exceeding 4 million dollars. Yale University is currently in the midst of the largest building and renovation program since its transformation during the period between the World Wars, as is evidenced by the volume of projects that we currently have in construction.

Part of Yale’s commitment to programmatically renovate existing buildings includes the residential college renovation program. Every academic year since 1999, a residential college has been renovated or added to, dependent on need. The Swing Dorm space is utilized while the construction is in progress. Currently, Calhoun College is undergoing a massive exterior and interior renovation, scheduled to be completed by August of 2009. Beginning in the summer of 2009, construction on Morse and Stiles Colleges will begin. Since there will be two residential colleges impacted by the refurbishment and addition of a 20,000 square foot below grade addition, only one college will be vacated and moved to the Swing Dorm at a time. This will complete the residential college renovation program.

Directly across from Morse and Stiles Colleges, visitors will note the scaffolding surrounding the Payne Whitney Gymnasium (PWG). Constructed of Briar Hill sandstone, PWG is undergoing a six phase exterior renovation including new windows and roofing as well as the restoration of the detailed stone façade and exterior doors. The final phase of construction is not expected to be completed until the winter of 2011.

In addition to the exterior renovation of PWG, three more exciting athletic projects are in construction during the 2009 academic year. Responding to the demand for more tennis courts and better facilities to host intercollegiate play, The Cullman-Heyman Tennis Courts have been in the process of being renovated and added to for most of the past year. In the fall of 2008, visitors will find four new indoor tennis courts and beautifully updated accommodations for their use. In addition, beginning this autumn, through the gifts from the Kenney and Jensen families, the erection of the Kenney Family Field Center (KFFC) and Jensen Plaza (JP) will begin. The KFFC and JP projects will provide an addition on the east side of the Yale Bowl for a team and alumni room and a landscaped plaza for visitors to explore the granite pavers noting the names of Yale University football players. The Ingalls Rink Renovation and Addition will meet the present and future needs of the men’s and women’s varsity hockey programs and the Yale skating community. An additional 14,000 GSF will be added to the existing building in a below grade addition on the west side of the facility. The construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2009.

Our commitment to preserving what is venerable, while updating and upgrading to meet today’s needs is most evident in the renovation and additions to Hendrie Hall and 143 Elm Street. Hendrie Hall was originally the home of the Yale Law School when it was built in 1894. Over the years, this elegant building with its limestone façade and Renaissance Revival style has housed the Divinity School, Drama offices, as well as its present use by the Department of Music, WYBC and student agencies. The comprehensive renovation and addition to this building will provide improved space for teaching, rehearsal and facilities. 143 Elm Street , a Greek Revival structure built in 1831, was purchased for use by the Yale University Press in 1918. In 1960, it was converted into a University office building. Today, it is being renovated and added to serve the programmatic needs of the Dwight Hall Organization.

Yale University has an impressive body of academic work to keep safe and secure. Two projects that are in construction this year will help keep rare books and articles protected for years to come. The Beinecke Rare Book Library, adjacent to the Sterling Law Library, is in the middle of a phased-in program to replace and renovate aging infrastructure systems. The Library Shelving Facility project, located off campus at 147 Leeder Hill Dive in Hamden, is installing new security upgrades and three new environmentally controlled storage modules.

The Yale University Art Gallery-Swartwout/Street Hall Renovation project will soon complete the programmatic work that has been ongoing for the last few years at the Art Galleries. Construction will begin for this comprehensive renovation in December of 2008 and be completed by the winter of 2010.

The twenty-first century has been a time of great progress for Yale University in developing our Sustainability Program. Yale's Office of Sustainability, http://www.yale.edu/sustainability/, which reports jointly to the Office of Facilities and the Office of the Provost, was created to generate increased momentum and facilitate the process of developing and implementing best sustainability practices at Yale.

Yale committed in 2005 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below the 1990 level by the year 2020. This represents a 43% reduction from the 2004 level, even while plans call for 15% growth in the University’s physical infrastructure.

Yale’s environmental commitment is clearly evident through its growing investment in green architecture. The current, accepted measures of sustainability for Yale Facilities include a minimum of Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation rating on all new construction, as well as Green House Gas Emission Reductions as outlined above.

Perhaps the greatest new construction example of green architecture can be seen in the design of Kroon Hall for Forestry and Environmental Studies. LEED uses six categories to rate performance; sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design process. The LEED rating is administered through the US Green Building Council and is the gold standard for sustainable design. Kroon Hall and the connected service node, with ground source heat pumps, 100 kilowatt photovoltaic system, efficient energy and mechanical systems, locally manufactured materials and an overall biodiverse design is on track to achieve the highest LEED rating (Platinum) when it is completed in the early part of 2009.

The Greenberg Conference Center, a major addition to the Betts House that will add more conference space for international visitors, is following the Kroon Hall lead and seeking a LEED rating as well. A rating of “Gold” is on the horizon for this addition which comprises an amphitheater, a 100 seat dining room, and a caterer’s kitchen.

The University Health Services Building, to be located on the corner of Canal and Lock Streets, will be a state of the art facility, built with the goal of expanding and enhancing the Yale Health Plan services. Comprised of 143,522 GSF of space, the safety and security has been taken into consideration with the design including a large security monitoring station and ample parking directly connected to the building. A Gold LEED rating is being sought for this environmentally friendly new construction.

The construction of a new Social Science Academic Building was the result of a 2003 planning study. The construction of this building is the first phase of the Social Science Initiative, which allows for the future development of other sites now occupied by Political Science and Sociology Departments. The new building, which will be located on Prospect Street, is seeking a SILVER LEED rating.

LEED designated projects. The Ingalls Rink Renovation, mentioned above, is seeking LEED Silver. Stoeckel Hall, one of several buildings that houses Yale’s School of Music Program, is undergoing an expansive renovation, which includes a connection to the campus chilled water system for cooling, new interior sound proof walls, doors and windows, and new exterior windows and doors. The Sterling Chemistry Lab is to be renovated and the Kline Chemistry Lab is to be replaced with new undergraduate teaching labs, classrooms, social and research space. SCL-KCL is seeking a LEED Silver rating.

A great source of alternative energy, Microwind Turbines, are currently being installed near the Kline Biology Tower. Turbines are being placed on the covered walkway that surrounds the courtyard. The turbines will catch the wind as it travels up the side of the building and generate electricity. These compact units, seven feet tall and weighing 60 lbs, can produce electricity with breezes of only seven miles per hour! Yale University’s landscape is continuously changing and evolving. From new construction to renovations, green building and alternative energy sourcing, Yale Facilities is on an aggressive path to lead the way in facility growth and restoration, while also being thoughtful global citizens.