Central Power Plant

Upon approaching the Central Power Plant, one may at first be confused as to the purpose of the building. The simultaneously neo-Gothic and Georgian architectural styles of the building allow it to blend well into the design of many other residential areas of Yale University, though the peculiar insides of the power plant stick out of the top, revealing that this is not a typical university building. In this way, the building reads akin to a series of beautiful high walls that are concealing the on-goings within. Additionally, with its monumental size and stature, two tall smokestack towers, and the gated entrance, the building mimics a sort of fortress, exuding a strong sense of power. This is of upmost importance because the building itself is a source of power, providing about half of the Yale campus with electricity, steam heat and chilled water (1). In accord with the University’s sustainability initiatives, the power plant uses a cogeneration technique to generate power, allowing for significant energy efficiency (2). This plant was built in 1918 by Day & Klauder (4), and has reliably provided many buildings on campus with electricity and heat ever since (2).