There are a variety of heating and cooling system types installed within the various Medical School buildings. The types of systems installed within a building have an effect on the overall comfort levels throughout each of the spaces within the building. Similarly, the types and location of building controls and control systems, such as thermostats, along with other variables such as the room exposure (north, south, east, west), the room internal heat sources (lights, people, lab equipment, freezers, computers, etc.), are all factors that have an impact on overall space comfort and temperature.
For these reasons there may be a temperature variation from the intended Medical School temperature policy heating and cooling targets. Certain research space and all HCCM managed spaces require varied temperature targets to support the nature of work in those spaces.
Windows in research space should be closed at all times. Research space requires a controlled management of supply and exhaust air. In administrative spaces typical operation of windows occurs during the "shoulder" seasons in the spring and fall, it is important to remember to close those windows in the evening when temperatures are expected to drop. Not doing so can lead to a chilly building space in the morning.
A small number of the campus buildings utilize heating and cooling systems that are of a "changeover" design, which allows for the system to provide for either cooling or heating depending upon the season, but not both at the same time. The "changeover" design is a concern during the shoulder seasons, as facilities management staff must manually change the operation of the building system from heating to cooling and vice versa. As this changeover process is time-consuming, the changeover schedule is annually set based on the building needs, outside air temperatures and anticipated weather forecasts.
