10/01/2021
By Antonia Krikoris
Facilities Management would like to share this informational notice with the campus community regarding building temperatures during the upcoming fall season.
During this time of year, as New England transitions from summer to fall seasons, we experience wide-ranging weather and temperatures ranging from the 80’s to the 40’s. In the Facilities Management/HVAC industry we refer to this as the ‘Shoulder Season’.
Most buildings on campus are equipped to be in either a heating or a cooling mode at one time, but not simultaneously. Unfortunately, for many buildings, changing from cooling to heating mode is not just as simple as a ‘flick of a switch’. To change systems to accommodate weather can take multiple days for just one building. Converting all buildings on campus takes two to three weeks and is not easily reversible.
We closely monitor temperature forecasts and try to stay ahead of prolonged temperature changes. We want the campus community to understand that, during these unpredictable days, indoor temperatures may drift beyond established guidelines. Statistics show there are typically several isolated days within the cooling season that should require heating and conversely, the same is true for cooling required in the heating season. If the University is forecasted to experience a severe, elongated period of temperature swing, building systems will be ‘reverted’ as quickly as possible.
Our current practice is to target mid-October as the switch over completion date for changing system modes from cooling to heating. This practice is in-line with the industry standard throughout New England. When determining the exact date of switch over for each building, Facilities Management considers prevailing weather, building HVAC capabilities, type of system controls and building usage.
When Facilities Management receives calls during the ‘shoulder season’, we will make all attempts to ensure systems are functioning properly. We ask you to keep in mind that building system controls differ from the controls in your home, and do not allow us to shut down air conditioning and switch building systems to heat on the first cool day of fall - when there is always the potential for a future warming trend. Planning proper attire for the daily weather conditions can help you minimize the effects of these temperature challenges.
We hope this information will give the campus community a better understanding of how our systems work and the challenges we face during the ‘Shoulder Season’ here in New England.
We apologize for any inconveniences or short uncomfortable periods this may cause.