Seasonal Heating/Cooling Transition
Many of the large facilities on campus are heated and cooled by systems that allow only one process at a time. They are either in heating or cooling mode. These systems are not designed to switch back and forth easily, and the seasonal transitions can be a lengthy process that is dependent upon the weather conditions. Twice per year, each spring and fall, we change the systems to operate for the appropriate season. These ‘shoulder seasons’ are problematic, as there are usually some warmer days in the spring, and some cooler days in the fall, in between the transitions. Therefore, we must be cautious regarding the timing of the change. Once we make the change this spring to the cooling mode we will not have heat available in your building until the fall. We also need to be aware that sudden freezing temperatures during the cooling mode could cause damage to our HVAC systems.
Facilities Management usually changes from heating to cooling systems between April 15th and May 7th, as do many other large universities in New England. Although we experience a few unseasonably warm days, historically the average temperatures through this time frame call for more heating capability than cooling. However, the recent unseasonably warm weather has created some uncomfortable interior space temperatures. Our staff has been making adjustments to systems to provide as much ventilation as possible, given the current conditions. During the heating season, we rely solely on outside air to cool the buildings. The recent weather patterns warrant an accelerated switch over to cooling status. We are committed to start the transition much earlier this year and will complete the turnover to cooling on or before March 30th, as long as the temperature patterns remain consistently higher than normal.
We thank you for your cooperation during this transitional time frame. If you need more detailed information relating to the transition schedule do not hesitate to contact our Maintenance Services office at (617) 353-9150.