Hotel Marcel
New Haven, CT
After it was left vacant for two decades, New Haven’s brutalist Pirelli Building is now a net-zero, all-electric boutique hotel and conference center named after its original designer, Modernist architect Marcel Breuer.

Becker + Becker strives to revitalize urban communities through the retrofit of historic buildings, and Hotel Marcel sets the bar high for future retrofit projects. The Hotel Marcel team used an integrated design strategy and interdisciplinary solutions to solve unique project challenges. They also pursued EnerPHit and LEED Building Design + Construction (BD+C): Hospitality Platinum certifications. After a full year of operation, they will submit utility documentation for New Building Institute’s Net Zero certification.
Becker + Becker’s objective to pursue Passive House certification resulted in energy savings, increased occupant comfort, and building durability. 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 systems offset 100% of the building’s greater energy loads, working toward the net-zero operation. The solar PV canopies for electric car charging and rooftop solar enable the building to react to demand response signals from the utility grid.
Project Team
- Architect, Developer & Owner: Becker + Becker
- Construction Manager: Consigli Construction
Building Details
- Adaptive reuse of Pirelli Building designed by Marcel Breuer in 1967
- Listed on Connecticut Register of Historic Places in 2000
- Boutique hotel and conference center
- Restaurant, gallery, meeting space
- 110,000 GSF; 165 hotel rooms
SWA Services
- Accessibility consulting
- Enclosure consulting
- Passive House design
- Sustainability consulting
Certifications

EnerPHit

LEED
Our Work
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 (SHPO) to replace the original single-glazed windows. Learn more >>
Video Tour
Video Credit: Consigli Construction
Press Coverage
One-of-a-kind Hotel Runs Entirely on Electricity, Showing the Future of Sustainable Hospitality
CBS Saturday Morning
Project Awards

2023 Connecticut Preservation Awards
Award of Merit

2022 CTGBC Green Building Awards
Award of Excellence