300 Air Conditioning and Heating

RATIONALE: To establish clear guidelines for authorization and implementation of the University Standards to provide a quality environment for occupant comfort and saving energy for all campus buildings.

POLICY: The following criterion are established under this policy for all campus buildings to provide a quality environment for occupant comfort. These criterion are consistent with American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards.

• Cooling Occupied mode: Inside temperature range - 75° to 78°degrees F
  
  
• Heating Occupied mode: Inside temperature range - 68° to 72° degrees F

Any exception to this policy requires written approval from the Associate VP for Facilities Management. As needed, specific criterion may be documented, on a case-by-case basis. This policy excludes areas where the function of the spaces or special processes occurring inside the spaces (e.g. Labs) require special handling.

As an energy saving measure, the Registrar, after consultation with the Energy Manager, shall schedule classes so as to minimize heating and cooling costs outside regular business hours.

SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY: All members of the University community (administrators, faculty, staff, and students) are required to abide by this policy.

DEFINITIONS:

PROCEDURES:

A.  Cooling:

1. Cooling Season – Air Conditioning Start-Up:

Central air conditioning systems are started for environmental comfort typically during the first full work week in June based on an evaluation of temperatures and weather forecasts. Start-up of large campus building air conditioning systems requires 36-48 hours of equipment initialization for seasonal operations.

The exceptions to this policy are the Biomedical Research Support Facility, Meadow Brook Theatre, Oakland Center, performance areas in Varner Hall, and identified research spaces where a maximum effort will be made to provide comfortable conditions during May, and throughout the cooling season.

2. Termination of Air Conditioning After the Cooling Season:

Campus air conditioning will be terminated typically after the last week in September, based on an evaluation of the temperatures and weather forecasts.

3. Operation of Air-Conditioning Systems:

Central air conditioning will operate during regular business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for administrative areas and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for classroom areas, Monday through Friday. Air conditioning is provided for weekend classes scheduled by the Registrar. Air Conditioning is also provided for Kresge Library, Honors College, School of Medicine, Athletic/Recreation Facilities and on-campus Housing if their operating hours extend beyond regular business hours. Special areas designated for 24/7 continuous occupancy (e.g., Police Dispatch, CHP control room, and Data Center) shall be continuously air conditioned during the cooling season. Consistent with energy conservation efforts, air conditioning systems are 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 Associate VP for Facilities Management.

4. Purchases of Room Air-Conditioning Equipment:

Each of the following conditions must be met:

1. The requesting party should submit a Work Request for Facilities Management to evaluate the existing central cooling system to determine if repairs and/or modifications to the system may alleviate the need for supplemental cooling.
   
   
2. Where continuous or supplemental cooling is required, it must satisfy a laboratory or program requirement rather than comfort cooling.
   
   
3. The requesting department must provide funding for the equipment purchased and the cost of installation. A divisional Vice President's and the Associate VP for Facility Management's approval is required for the purchase of air-conditioning units.

B.  Heating:

1. Heating Season – Heating Systems Start-Up:

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

1. 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 rise above 60 to 65° (variance dependent on building thermal mass characteristics). Manually controlled central heating systems are terminated typically after the third week in May unless the above conditions (1.a.) persist.

3. Operations of Heating and Ventilation System:

Central heating and ventilation operates during regular business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for administrative areas and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for classroom areas, Monday through Friday. Heating and ventilation is provided for those weekend classes scheduled by the Registrar. Heating and ventilation is also provided for Kresge Library, Honors College, School of Medicine, Athletic/Recreation Facilities, and on-campus Housing if their operating hours extend beyond regular business hours. Special areas designated for 24/7 continuous occupancy (e.g., Police Dispatch, Central Heating Plant, and Data Center ) are continuously heated during the heating season. Consistent with energy conservation efforts, heating systems are 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 Associate VP for Facilities Management.

4. Purchase and Use of Unit Heaters:

The University prohibits the use of electric space heaters due to high-energy consumption and fire safety concerns. The only exception is where existing building systems cannot maintain comfort with the University policy range of 68 to 72°F. Facilities Management has authority to approve 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 will be subject to confiscation without notice.

C.  Off-Hours Heating, Ventilation and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC: Send requests for off-hours HVAC via online work order request:

Please complete all required fields in their entirety. In addition, please provide the following information in the work order:

E-mail address or campus address of requester

Event Description

Approximate number of participants

Days and start and stop times of event

Special requirements, if any

RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS:

OU AP&P #310 Building Alterations, Renovations and/or Modifications

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