Draft:Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA)

The Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA) is an academic collaboration at Yale University that integrates expertise from multiple disciplines to advance sustainable and resilient ecosystems. Founded in 2018 by Anna Dyson, the Hines Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Professor at the School of the Environment, Yale CEA brings together researchers and practitioners from Yale schools of Architecture, Environment, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Engineering and Applied Sciences at Yale University.. Professor Dyson also previously founded CASE (Center for Architecture Science and Ecology) at RPI

Yale CEA was established to unite diverse fields of study and create innovative solutions for pressing environmental challenges. The center synthesizes knowledge from science, art, and the humanities to develop ecosystems that prioritize the needs of living organisms and their environments. To achieve this goal, Yale CEA unites researchers and practitioners across multiple fields, synthesizing innovations in science, art, and humanities towards ecosystems that prioritize the requirements of living organisms and ecologies.

The center's interdisciplinary research focuses on clean energy generation, sustainable water capture and renewable material production in order to bolster biodiversity and resiliency of ecosystems. Additionally, the center investigates the interactions between plants, animals, and the environment, to radically transform the way energy, water, and built infrastructures are designed.

Yale CEA also collaborates with industry partners and policymakers to apply research findings and to develop novel systems that have a positive impact on our environment and society while promoting a more sustainable future.

Research Focus

Yale CEA's transdisciplinary research intersects with various critical areas including air, biotic systems, data, ecosystems, energy, food, health, materials, and water. The center’s designs prioritize the creation of biodiverse environments, integrating these elements to develop innovative architectural solutions that support both human and ecological health. The center’s research is driven by a commitment to sustainability, resilience, and the integration of advanced technologies into architectural design. Key areas of focus include:

Ecosystem-Informed Design: Yale CEA prioritizes research on how buildings and urban environments can be designed to support and integrate with natural ecosystems. This involves studying how built environments can be more responsive to ecological processes, thereby enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem health..

Sustainable Building Technologies: The center’s focus on sustainable building technologies is highlighted by their development of energy-efficient systems, as well as their efforts to minimize resource use and greenhouse gas emissions from building construction and operation

Adaptive and Resilient Architecture: Yale CEA focuses on creating buildings that can adapt to changing environmental conditions, such as climate change. Research in this area includes the development of materials and designs that are responsive to temperature fluctuations, extreme weather, and other environmental stresses.

Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency: The center is a leader in promoting circular economy principles within the construction industry. This involves designing buildings and materials with life-cycle thinking in mind, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and can be recycled or repurposed at the end of a building’s life.

Human-Centered Design: Understanding the relationship between human health and built environments is another core focus. Yale CEA researches how design can improve well-being, comfort, and productivity, particularly through the integration of natural elements and sustainable practices in buildings.

Notable Research Projects

Yale CEA has been at the forefront of numerous innovative research projects that aim to bridge the gap between architecture and ecological systems. Some of the center’s most impactful projects include:

Hybrid Ecosystems for Urban Resilience: The Ecological Living Module NYC (ELM NYC) is a prime example of urban resilience. This project investigates how hybrid ecosystems—combinations of natural and artificial systems—can be integrated into urban environments to enhance resilience against climate change. Partnering with GOA Architecture and UNEP, Yale CEA strives to design a project that demonstrates how integrating green infrastructure and hybrid ecosystems can improve urban resilience. This project incorporates features like vertical gardens to manage stormwater and support biodiversity.

Living Materials: Yale CEA is pioneering the development of "living materials"—biomaterials that can grow, adapt, and self-repair. This research explores how these materials can be used in construction to create buildings that are more sustainable and resilient. For example, the Agricultural By-product Modular Building-Integrated Systems (AMBIS) harnesses the potential of agricultural waste, particularly coconut husks, to create modular building materials. These materials are designed to improve indoor environmental conditions by managing moisture and pollutants in the air, which reduces energy consumption for heating and cooling. By utilizing locally sourced by-products, AMBIS offers sustainable, climate-responsive construction solutions, particularly suited for tropical regions where traditional materials are scarce. This approach addresses housing needs in developing countries while promoting eco-friendly building practices.

Carbon-Neutral and Resource-Positive Building Systems: The center is leading research into systems that aim for carbon neutrality in the construction and operation of buildings. This includes the use of renewable energy sources, carbon-sequestering materials, and strategies for minimizing the carbon footprint of building operations while aiming to design buildings that produce more resources than they consume. As a continuation of the partnership with UNEP, the Nairobi Ecological Pavilion is a 3D-printed, biodegradable bamboo structure designed by SHoP Architects, showcased at the UN Environment headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As the second installation in the ELN program, the pavilion demonstrates sustainable construction using post-agricultural waste materials like coconut, bamboo, and rice. It integrates innovative systems for solar energy, water purification, and micro-farming, aiming to address housing insecurity and reduce the environmental impact of urbanization in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

Responsive Facades: Yale CEA is exploring the development of responsive building facades that can adapt to environmental conditions. These facades use smart materials and technologies to regulate temperature, light, and air flow, enhancing energy efficiency and occupant comfort. The Integrated Concentrating Solar Facade (ICSF), for instance, is a building-integrated photovoltaic system that optimizes energy efficiency by converting solar energy into electricity and heat while improving indoor daylighting and reducing solar gain. ICSF uses miniaturized, transparent modules within building facades to track sunlight, producing power and controlling heat. This system is designed for both new constructions and retrofits, offering significant energy savings and sustainable architectural opportunities. Tested prototypes show high cogeneration efficiency, making ICSF a promising solution for net-zero buildings.

BioDigital Convergence: Electroactive Dynamic Display Systems (EDDS) are cutting-edge façade technologies designed to control solar heat gain and adapt to climate variations. These systems use thin-film electro-polymeric displays embedded within window surfaces, enabling real-time reconfigurable patterns. EDDS allows for dynamic visual and thermal modulation, improving energy efficiency by adjusting to bioclimatic flows and occupant preferences. The design incorporates a computational framework that integrates environmental feedback and occupant input to optimize performance, providing a bioresponsive solution for next-generation building envelopes.This project explores the integration of biological and digital technologies to create buildings that dynamically interact with their environments, offering new possibilities for sustainable architecture.

Publications

Yale CEA has significantly contributed to research on sustainable architecture and the integration of ecosystems within the built environment. The center’s work is widely published in leading journals, books, and conference proceedings, reflecting its interdisciplinary approach to tackling environmental challenges through architecture.

Books and Reports:

• "Ecosystems and Architecture" - Edited by Anna Dyson, this book explores the integration of ecological principles in architectural design, with contributions from numerous experts on topics ranging from biophilic design to climate-responsive architecture (Yale CEA Publications).
• Sheil, B., Skavara, M., Thomsen, M. R., & Ayres, P. (Eds.). (2024). Fabricate 2024: Creating Resourceful Futures. UCL Press. ISBN 9781800086357.
• UNEP. (2023). Building materials and the climate: Constructing a new future. UN.
• NESBIT, J. S. (2022). Nature of enclosure: The work of John Ronan Architects. ACTAR.ISBN 9781638409731.
• Bernstein, P. (2018). Architecture| Design| Data: practice competency in the era of computation. Birkhäuser.ISBN 9783035611885.
• Benjamin. (2017). Embodied Energy and Design: Making Architecture between metrics and narratives. Columbia University GSAPP ; Zurich : Lars Müller.ISBN 9783037785256.
• Burry. (2016). Prototyping for architects. Thames & Hudson.ISBN 9780500343050.
• Bell, M., & Buckley, C. (2014). Permanent change: Plastics in architecture and engineering. Princeton Architectural Press.Lovel, J. ISBN 9781616891664.
• (2013). Building envelopes: an integrated approach. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 9781568988184.
• Trubiano, F. (2013). Design and construction of high performance homes: Building Envelopes, renewable energies and integrated practice. Routledge. ISBN 9780415615280.
• Lorenzo-Eiroa, P., & Sprecher, A. (2013). Architecture in formation: On the nature of information in digital architecture. Taylor & Francis Ltd.ISBN 9780415534901.
• Schneiderman, D. (2012). Inside Prefab. Princeton Architectural Press.ISBN 9781568989877.
• Borden, G. P., & Meredith, M. (2012). Matter: Material processes in architectural production. Routledge.ISBN 9780415780292.
• Klooster, T. (2009). Smart surfaces. Birkhäuser.ISBN 9783764388126.

Other publications including reports for the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Yale CEA’s work also has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and numerous Architectural Design publications including A+U, Metropolis, Dezeen, Architect Magazine, and Dwell.

Awards

Aside from the validation from publications, Yale CEA’s work has received international recognition for innovation in architectural design, scientific research, and artistic achievement, including the First Prize for Innovation from the American Institute of Architects (AIA); Award of Excellence from the US Green Building Council (USGBC); Award for Most Innovative Academic Program from the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA); New York Design Award; Young Architects Program from MoMA PS1; Women in Architecture Awards; Holcim Award; Chicago Atheneum; Good Green Design Award.

Sponsors

Yale CEA collaborates with government, non-profit, and industry sponsors and partners who share its mission to promote social and environmental justice through innovative design. Yale CEA is enabled by sponsored research programs to generate new knowledge and further innovative socio-environmental methods. Past sponsors include:

National Science Foundation (NSF); United States Department of Energy (US DOE); US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA); Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR); New Energy Xcelerator in Upstate New York (NEXUS-NY); New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYC-DDC); Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, San Francisco Foundation; Baruch Foundation, Enel Foundation, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Habitat.