Chill out: Cooler buildings forecast

Relief is in sight for campus workers and students who have been laboring in uncomfortably high temperature and humidity levels in campus buildings during the past two weeks.

Campus facility expansion has outpaced the cooling ability of the chilled water system that provides air conditioning during the summer on campus.

“It is particularly unfortunate that we have had to go through these conditions during finals week,” acknowledges John P. Harrod, Jr., director, Physical Plant.

But additional equipment coming online in the next few weeks soon will expand the capacity the system by more than 25 percent. Physical Plant says one of the new chillers is expected to be placed in service Friday, May 18.

“The contractors and equipment vendors developed a construction schedule that we knew was tight, but would meet our projected needs under normal weather conditions,” Harrod says. “Unfortunately, we have experienced unseasonably warm weather.”

To compound the problem, temporary mechanical failures have reduced overall capacity. But the chilling equipment at the Walnut Street Plant currently operates at full capacity and one of the upgraded chillers at the Charter Street Plant is now operational.

Two additional units, an upgraded chiller and another new chiller, are scheduled to be operational in early June.

“That new chilling capacity is expected to meet our needs for the next two years,” Harrod says.

Harrod also expresses appreciation to employees who have helped coordinate building “throttle-downs” to maintain chilled water to the critical areas of campus.