NUMBER:                              300

SUBJECT:                             AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING POLICY 

AUTHORIZING BODY:      VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

RESPONSIBLE OFFICE:    FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

DATE ISSUED:                      JUNE 1990 

LAST UPDATE:                    DECEMBER 2001

RATIONALE:  The following policies are intended for balancing environmental comfort and occupant productivity, with the need to manage energy consumption:  This policy conforms with ASHRAE (American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) standards.

  POLICY:   AIR CONDITIONING POLICY

1. Starting Air Conditioning in the Cooling Season

Central air conditioning systems will be started for environmental comfort during the first full work week in June unless the following conditions occur earlier:  

a.  Average space temperature in the building exceed 75°F for four hours on three consecutive days, and the windows in the building cannot be opened.  The Plant Operations Manager, with consultation from the Energy Manager, will determine whether weekend weather would have caused spaces to overheat.  The Plant Operations Manager will also determine whether the University's first response will be to pre-cool the building at night using outside air, rather than starting electrical or mechanical machines.

The exceptions to this policy are the Biomedical Research Support Facility and the Meadow Brook Theater, where a maximum effort will be made to provide comfortable conditions during May, and throughout the performance season.

2. Termination of Air Conditioning After the Cooling Season

Campus air conditioning will be terminated after the last week in September unless the above conditions (1.a) persist.

3. Operation of Air-Conditioning Systems

Central air conditioning will operate during regular business hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. for administrative areas and 8 a.m. -10 p.m. for classroom areas, Monday  through Friday.  Air conditioning will be provided for those weekend classes scheduled by the Registrar.  The Registrar, after consultation with the Energy Manager, shall schedule classes so as to minimize air conditioning costs outside regular business hours.  Air Conditioning  shall also be provided for Kresge Library, Honors College and Athletic Facilities should their operating hours extend beyond regular business hours.  Special areas designated for 24/7 continuous occupancy  (e.g., Police Dispatch, Central Heating Plant, and Computer Lab outside 201 Dodge Hall) shall be continuously air conditioned during the cooling season.  Consistent  with the energy conservation efforts, air conditioning systems  will be operated in a programmed set-back mode after regular business hours, on weekends, and during holiday periods, unless specially authorized for special events (including classes not scheduled through the Registrar) by the Vice President for Finance and Administration. The Vice President shall be appraised of the cost impact of the air conditioned spaces rather than leaving them in the unoccupied mode, and will charge back utility costs as deemed appropriate for non-general fund activities.  The target cooling temperature range is 75°F to 78°F.

4. Purchases of Room Air-Conditioning Equipment

The following conditions must be met:

1. The requesting party will submit a Work Request for Campus Facilities and Operations (CF&O) to evaluate the existing central cooling system first, to see if any repairs and/or modifications to the system can alleviate the need for supplemental cooling, and
2. Where continuous or supplemental cooling is required, it must satisfy a laboratory or program requirement rather than comfort cooling, and

3. The requesting department will provide funding for the equipment purchased and the cost of installation.   Divisional Vice President's approval is required for the purchase of air-conditioning units

    

HEATING POLICY

1. Starting Heating Systems in the Heating Season

Many of the University's central heating systems start automatically when outside air temperatures drop below 55°F to 60° F. (variance dependent on building thermal mass characteristics). Manually controlled central heating systems will be started for environmental comfort during the first full work week in October unless the following conditions occur earlier:

a. When central and unitary air-conditioning systems have been turned off and the average space temperature in the building is below 68° F.

2. Termination of Heating After the Heating Season

Many of the University's central heating systems stop automatically when outside temperatures raise above 60° F  to 65°F. (variance dependent on building thermal mass characteristics). Manually controlled central heating systems will be terminated after the third week in May unless the above conditions (1.a.) persist.

3. Operations of Heating and Ventilation System

 Central heating and ventilation will operate during regular business hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. for administrative areas and 8 a.m. -10 p.m. for classroom areas, Monday through Friday.  Heating and ventilation will be provided for those weekend classes scheduled by the Registrar.  The Registrar, after consultation with the Energy Manager, shall schedule classes so as to minimize heating and ventilation costs outside regular business hours.  Heating and ventilation shall also be provided for Kresge Library, Honors College and Athletic Facilities should their operating hours extend beyond regular business hours.  Special areas designated for 24/7 continuous occupancy  (e.g., Police Dispatch, Central Heating Plant, and Computer Lab outside 201 Dodge Hall) shall be continuously heated during the heating season.  Consistent  with the energy conservation efforts, heating systems  will be operated in a programmed set-back mode after regular business hours, on weekends, and during holiday periods, unless specially authorized for special events (including classes not scheduled through the Registrar) by the Vice President for Finance and Administration. The Vice President shall be appraised of the cost impact of the heated and ventilated spaces rather than leaving them in the unoccupied mode, and will charge back utility costs as deemed appropriate for non-general fund activities. The target  heating temperature range is 68° F -  72°F. The target unoccupied set-back temperature range is 60° F to 65°F.

4. Purchase and Use of Unit Heaters

The University prohibits the use of electric space heaters as being high-energy consumers and a fire safety concern.  The only exceptions would be where existing building systems cannot maintain comfort with the university policy range of 68° F to 72°F.  In this case the University  would supply supplemental space heaters; properly sized, UL rated, equipped with safety shut off, and not to exceed 1500 watts for electrical circuit protection.  Space heaters not having Facilities Management approval, and University identification, shall be subject to confiscation without notice.  The appeal process, where warranted, would be via the respective Vice President's office.

OFF-HOURS HEATING, VENTILATION AND/OR AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC)

Send requests for off-hours HVAC via e-mail, fax or campus mail to:

Contact:  Terry Stollsteimer, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management

Room: Facilities Management Building

FAX:  248-370-4442

E-mail: stollste@oakland.edu

 

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