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.
Repairs and Maintenance
We maintain buildings and grounds throughout Yale, spanning central, medical, and west campuses as well as other University satellite facilities. Our mobile workforce comprises skilled tradespeople, including plumbers, electricians, HVAC mechanics, carpenters, locksmiths, masons, and other experts 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 services before submitting a request.
Campus Planning and Construction
We provide strategic campus planning and programming services 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 at Yale. Additionally, we manage systems that track the University’s space assets for the athletic, central, and west campuses.
♦ Learn more about Yale’s built environment priorities and progress.
We implement all construction projects at Yale, 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 for a variety of renovations and new construction projects.
♦ Learn more about Yale’s design standards for capital projects.
♦ Learn more about the process for residential college renovations.
Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance
We offer trash and recycling removal as well as horizontal and vertical surface cleaning, which includes floor vacuuming, spot cleaning of walls and glass, dusting, cleaning of chalk and 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 priorities and progress.
We provide landscaping and snow removal services for all existing buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout Yale, spanning central, medical, and west campuses as well as other University satellite facilities. As part of this service, we are committed to responsible land and water management.
♦ Learn more about Yale’s stewardship priorities and progress.
We provide support for maintenance and repairs of Yale’s buildings and grounds using a team of skilled tradespeople.
♦ Determine what type of service is required before submitting a request.
Heating, Cooling, and Energy
We manage all aspects of the generation, distribution, and metering of energy for all Yale 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 the University is operating at the correct heating, cooling, and lighting levels, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
♦ Learn more about Yale’s climate action priorities and progress.
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 School of Medicine 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.
♦ Stay informed about utility shutdowns.
We also establish Yale’s standards for space heating and cooling, which are defined below.
| Summer Occupied | Summer Unoccupied | Winter Occupied | Winter Unoccupied | Winter Recess | Relative Humidity | Air Supply | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| location | |||||||
| Dormitory | 75° F +/- | N/A | 68° F +/- | 65–68° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | N/A |
| Classroom | 75° F +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrolled | 68° F +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer unoccupied off |
| Offices | 75° F +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrolled | 68° F +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer unoccupied off |
| Laboratory as Required | 75° F +/- | 78–80° F night setback | 68° F +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | 50% RH | Summer/winter unoccupied setback |
| Library | 75° F +/- | 78–80° F night setback | 68° F +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | 30–50% RH | Summer/winter unoccupied setback |
| Book Stacks | 70° F +/- | 70° F | 68° F +/- | 68° F | 68° | 50% RH | On |
| Assembly, Dining Hall, etc. | 75° F +/- | HVAC off/temp. uncontrolled | 68° F +/- | 65° F night setback | 60° F T-setback | N/A | Summer unoccupied off |
Recycling and Waste Management
We support the University’s single-stream recycling program, which allows for 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 material use priorities and progress.
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 since 2017, has maintained or reduced the overall amount of waste produced annually.
♦ Find more information and guidelines on waste collection and measurement at Yale.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program
In conjunction with Yale University’s Safety Committee, the Office of Facilities partners with the Office of Environmental Health & Safety to administer the automated external defibrillator (AED) program. Our responsibilities include reviewing and approving the acquisition and placement of all AEDs on University property, advising on the manufacturer and unit type to be purchased or received via donation, evaluating and approving the required training programs, and ensuring AEDs are inspected according to manufacturer guidelines.
♦ Learn more about the AED program at Yale.