Not an energy efficient design for Wyoming winters, or efficient use of materials, all those perimeter cells. Give them common walls.
Yeah, but it is part of their spirituality (to allow them to do do the "hermit" thing)
The Carmelite Rule states "Let each one remain in his cell, or near it, meditating day and night on the law of the Lord and keeping vigil in prayer, unless occupied with other lawful duties." The cell is also the place where the hermit sleeps and takes his meals alone, except on Sundays and special days where the hermits eat in a common refectory.
(the above is from another Carmelite monastery)
I wouldn’t expect that those perimeter cells will be especially energy-inefficient, because I wouldn’t expect them to be very warm, except in the summer.