Yale Divinity School Regenerative Village

Project Description

The Yale Divinity School’s Regenerative Village residential complex aims to be the first Living Building certified university residences, as well as one of the largest Living Building projects in the world. The Regenerative Village will demonstrate environmental leadership at the highest level and serve as a replicable model for other divinity schools, places of worship, and academic institutions worldwide. The 127,000-square-foot Living Village will house 155 students at the Divinity School at below-market rental rates, and will feature vibrant community spaces, including a welcome center, communal kitchens and dining areas, lecture halls, gardens, meditation and study areas, lounges, a fitness center, a café, and an interfaith sacred space for worship. It will also serve as a model for religious institutions to apply ecotheology in their own communities and places of worship.

The Living Building Challenge presents the most rigorous standards in the sustainable building industry. Through the framework of its seven petals (Place, Water, Energy, Health, Materials, Equity, and Beauty), the project seeks to create a healthier, more culturally rich, and ecologically restorative campus. As a key member of the master planning team led by Bruner/Cott Architects and Planners, Biohabitats led planning and concept level and schematic design related to the achievement of the Water petal. This involved determining a campus water balance, assessing the feasibility of various alternatives for integrated water strategies including rain harvesting, and wastewater treatment and water reuse systems.