The Office of Facilities provides services that support construction projects, maintenance, and operations for all buildings and facilities throughout the University. Across all of these services, sustainability is a high priority and plays an important role in achieving Yale’s sustainability vision.
Learn more about our types of service requests before submitting a request.
Repairs and Maintenance
Repairs and Maintenance
We maintain buildings and grounds throughout Yale, including Central Campus, the Medical Center, West Campus, and other University satellite facilities. Our mobile workforce provides skilled tradespeople, including plumbers, electricians, HVAC mechanics, carpenters, locksmiths, masons, and many other trades, who perform the ongoing maintenance and repair of Yale buildings and systems. These services are dispatched through central operations via the Facilities Operations Customer Service Center.
Learn about the different types of service requests before submitting a request.
Campus Planning and Construction
Capital Project Planning and Project Management
We provide strategic campus planning and programming for existing and future facilities. Our team determines the most effective approach (i.e. renovation, adaptive reuse, building addition, new construction, or a combination) to meet space needs. We also develop the scope, schedule, and budget for all capital projects and secure the approvals necessary to initiate projects. Additionally, we manage systems that track the University’s space assets for the Central, Athletic, and West campuses. Learn more about Yale’s built environment sustainability priorities and progress.
We implement all construction projects, from design through construction to occupancy. We work with external architectural consultants, engineering design consultants, and construction contractors to maintain the scope, schedule, and budget of major, mid-size, and smaller renovations and new campus construction projects.
Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance
Custodial Services
We offer trash/recycling removal and horizontal and vertical surface cleaning, which includes floor cleaning, vacuuming, spot cleaning of walls and glass, dusting, cleaning of chalk/white boards, desks, and tables. Learn about our cleaning frequencies by space type.
Facilities staff have adopted a set of Green Cleaning Standards, based on LEED standards, designed to reduce the exposure of faculty, staff, students, and visitors to chemical, biological, and particulate matter that may be harmful to human health, and the natural and built environments. Learn more about Yale’s Health and Well-being sustainability priorities and progress.
Landscaping/Snow Removal
We provide landscaping and snow removal services for all existing buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout Yale University, including Central Campus, the Medical Center, West Campus and other University satellite facilities.
As part of this service, we are committed to responsible land and water management. Learn more about Yale’s Stewardship sustainability priorities and progress.
Maintenance Services
We provide support for maintenance and repairs using a team of skilled tradesmen, including plumbers, electricians, HVAC mechanics, carpenters, locksmiths, masons and many others trades.
Heating, Cooling, and Energy
Campus Utilities
We manage all aspects of the generation, distribution, and metering of energy for all university campuses, including the Central Power Plant (CPP), Sterling Power Plant (SPP), West Campus Power Plant (WCPP), and Central Campus Chiller Plant (CCCP). These plants generate and/or distribute steam for heating, chilled water for air conditioning, and electric power to buildings through underground distribution systems.
We ensure that Yale is operating at the correct heating, cooling, and lighting levels, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about Yale’s Climate Action sustainability priorities and progress.
Energy Management
We produce thermal energy for most buildings in the Central and Science areas of Yale’s campus through the Central Power Plant. The Sterling Power Plant serves the Medical School Area and Yale New Haven Hospital. Learn more about Yale’s committment to clean energy.
As part of this process, we identify optimum energy use through Direct Digital Control systems in individual buildings, which are monitored by a Central Building Utilities Metering System. Discover energy usage for specific buildings at Yale and stay informed about utility shutdowns.
We also establish Yale’s standards for space heating and cooling:
| Summer Occupied | Summer Unoccupied | Winter Occupied | Winter Unoccupied | Winter Recess | Relative Humidity | Air Supply | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| location | |||||||
| Dormitory | 75 +/- | N/A | 68 +/- | 65°-68° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | N/A |
| Classroom | 75 +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrolled | 68 +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer Unoccupied Off |
| Offices | 75 +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrolled | 68 +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer Unoccupied Off |
| Laboratory as Required | 75 +/- | 78°-80° F night setback | 68 +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | 50% RH | Summer/Winter Unoccupied Setback |
| Library | 75 +/- | 78°-80° F night setback | 68 +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | 30-50% RH | Summer/Winter Unoccupied Setback |
| Book Stacks | 70 +/- | 70° F | 68 +/- | 68° F | 68° | 50% RH | On |
| Assembly, Dining Hall, etc. | 75 +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrollec | 68 +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer Unoccupied Off |
Recycling and Waste Management
Recycling Services
We support the university’s single stream recycling program, which allows the depositing of cans, bottles and other glass, hard plastics, and metals in the same bin with mixed paper. Learn more about best practices for signage and bins, to ensure that trash, recycling, and compost bins are used correctly. If necessary, contact your facilities superintendent to request a recycling bin. Learn more about Yale’s Materials sustainability priorities and progress.
Waste Management
We manage the collection of waste using processes that advance Yale’s sustainability goals. By 2024, Yale hopes to achieve a diversion rate of 60% to align with the State of Connecticut, and maintain or reduce overall amount of waste produced annually since 2017. Review additional information and guidelines on waste collection and measurement at Yale.