Hotel Marcel

Project Overview

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The iconic Pirelli Building adjacent to I-95 in New Haven, Connecticut, was designed by Marcel Breuer in 1967. What began as an office and lab owned by Armstrong Rubber—then Pirelli tire company, then IKEA—is now a Passive House-certified, net zero-ready, all-electric boutique hotel and conference facility designed by architect firm Becker + Becker, operated by Hilton, and named after the building’s original designer.

Hotel Marcel sets the bar high for future retrofit projects. Prior to its adaptive reuse, the building was left vacant for two decades and was added to the Connecticut Register of Historic Places in 2000. The project team used an integrated design strategy and interdisciplinary solutions to solve unique challenges throughout the design and construction phases.

The goal to meet Passive House standards resulted in energy savings, increased occupant comfort, and building durability. Hotel Marcel is certified EnerPHit (Passive House Institute) and LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C): Hospitality Platinum. After a full year of operation, the team submitted utility documentation for New Building Institute’s Net Zero certification.

The hotel features an all-electric commercial kitchen to service hotel guests, complete with electric appliances and ventless hoods. On-site, rooftop, and carport photovoltaic (PV) systems offset 100% of the building’s energy loads, working toward the net-zero operation. The solar PV canopies for electric car charging and rooftop solar also enable the building to react to demand response signals from the utility grid.

Photos courtesy of Becker + Becker

Our Work

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More about our consulting work on Hotel Marcel

Accessibility: Our accessibility consultants continue to provide compliance services to help ensure that the project meets accessible design and construction requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Chapter 11: Accessibility of the CT State Building Code. Learn more >>

Certification: SWA provided LEED and Passive House certification services, including review of interior materials, Passive House design analysis, plan reviews, and on-site testing and verification required for certification. Learn more >>

Enclosures: Our team performed condition assessments and moisture and thermal analysis and recommended continuous insulation and thermal break strategies, as well as continuous air-barrier design for the existing precast concrete façade. In addition, SWA led the installation of “historically correct” triple-glazed windows in coordination with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office to replace the original single-glazed windows. Learn more >>

Press Coverage

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One-of-a-kind Hotel Runs Entirely on Electricity, Showing the Future of Sustainable Hospitality

CBS Saturday Morning