New residence hall is designed to earn living-building certification from the Living Building Challenge, the most rigorous sustainable building certification program in the world.

Yale Divinity School (YDS) has opened its new Living Village regenerative residence hall — an innovative student-housing complex that aligns with the school’s commitment to ecotheology and environmental stewardship. Carol B. Bauer Hall at the Living Village welcomed its first student residents in August.

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Living Village Complex featuring the Carol B. Bauer Hall at Yale Divinity School Campus

Yale President Maurie McInnis and Yale Divinity School Dean Gregory E. Sterling cordially invite all to celebrate the grand opening of the Living Village complex featuring Carol B. Bauer Hall. The event takes place on Monday, October 6, at 4 PM, at Yale Divinity School, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT.

The Living Village is designed to earn full living-building certification from the Living Building Challenge (LBC), the most rigorous sustainable building certification program in the world. The student housing complex is built on the LBC’s seven principles, which include sustainable water practices, clean energy, and safe building materials. The Living Village is on track to become the largest residential facility to achieve the LBC’s Living Certification, according to the International Living Future Institute, which administers the Living Building Challenge.

“The Living Village and its main building, Bauer Hall, are more than a dormitory; they make a bold theological statement on the importance of sustainable living and environmental stewardship. The design of the building emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life and humanity’s responsibility to care for the Earth,” Sterling said.

“By integrating ecotheological principles, YDS has created a living space that meets the physical needs of students while fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world. The new residence hall will also educate and inspire its residents and provide a housing experience aligned with the YDS community’s values,” Sterling added.

The Living Village is a featured component of Yale’s Planetary Solutions initiative, which works to advance Yale’s commitment to generating innovative ideas in support of a thriving planet.

The Living Village is equipped with numerous advanced systems that allow it to achieve living building designation. For example, the solar shingles and a nearby photovoltaic canopy will produce 110% of the energy needed by the building, with the remaining 10% used to offset power used on the existing YDS campus. Rainwater will be captured and stored in two underground cisterns and reused for spray irrigation and laundry. Wastewater will be processed onsite and with the goal of being reused for toilets and drip irrigation. All stormwater will be captured onsite and absorbed into the ground rather than running off into city storm system.

“The project is a signal of a commitment to a regenerative future. In this time of climate crisis, the school is modeling a regenerative student residential complex — a place that strives to give back more than it takes and helps this community answer profound theological challenges,” said Lindsay Baker, CEO of the Living Future Institute.

Bauer Hall at the Living Village is named in honor of Carol B. Bauer, a Connecticut philanthropist and longtime chaplain at Norwalk Hospital. Carol Bauer has helped train numerous YDS students doing chaplaincy internships at the hospital en route to their own careers as chaplains. She and her husband, George Bauer, have made generous gifts for the Living Village. George Bauer is a business executive, investment banker, and property developer who serves on the YDS Dean’s Advisory Council. (Learn more about the Bauers and their crucial role in the development of the Living Village.)

In addition to living quarters and spaces for students to congregate, the Living Village will feature a vast array of plant life, including an orchard and food garden, once all the landscaping is finished. It also has a water sculpture designed by students from the Yale School of Architecture as well as an outdoor amphitheater.

“Yale’s commitment to climate action is strong,” said J. Mike Bellamy, vice president for facilities, campus stewardship, and sustainability. “The Living Village showcases how transformative architecture can have positive environmental impacts while advancing Yale’s mission. The complex reduces carbon emissions, and its landscape restores the connection between people and nature.”

The project was managed by Yale’s Office of Facilities in collaboration with Yale Divinity School. The primary architectural firm was the Boston-based Bruner/Cott, a leader in environmentally responsible architecture. Höweler + Yoon served as the design architect, and Shawmut Design and Construction was the construction management firm.

“The Living Village at Yale Divinity School is a significant achievement in sustainable design,” said Jason Jewhurst, partner and principal at Bruner/Cott. “It exemplifies how we can build in new ways that respect and protect our environment while providing beautiful and functional spaces for students to live and learn. This project has been a labor of love, and we are thrilled to see it come to fruition.”

Sterling hopes the Living Village has positive influence far beyond the Divinity School’s hilltop campus in New Haven. “The environmental crisis is not simply a political issue. It is not simply an ideological issue. It is a moral issue. This building will sensitize not just the people who live there, but the many who will visit and pass by,” he said. “We want the Living Village to shape people’s consciousness and make them sensitive to the needs of the environment, and encourage them to do everything they can, wherever they go, to help advance care for creation.”

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