Dear Campus Community,

April is here, and warm days are on their way. As a reminder, the process and equipment used to cool large commercial buildings is vastly different than the “air-conditioner” you use at home. Most campus buildings are cooled from a central chiller plant, with a complex arrangement of large-scale equipment that takes several weeks to prepare to operate. This process cannot begin until temperatures are consistently above freezing, to avoid damaging the equipment. In general terms, Facilities Management targets April 15 to be prepared to run cooling, but it always depends on the weather.

The HVAC technicians have begun the process of preparing for cooling season and anticipate being able to operate by April 15. If there are warm afternoons ahead of that, they will do their best to adjust outside air dampers to help with comfort but will not be able to provide mechanical cooling. This is not related to the age or condition of the equipment, it is simply part of the process of starting up large commercial cooling plants. We appreciate your patience and understanding while the equipment is being prepared and wish you a mild spring.

Susan Lindemann
AVP for Facilities Management