Cold or Hot
Cal Poly has a vast and wide variety of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems due to evolving standards in building practices and the diverse age of buildings. Our campus is over 100 years old! Some buildings have only heating service and are not equipped with mechanical ventilation and cooling. Many of our buildings have only ventilation. During unusually hot weather for our area even those buildings with mechanical cooling may still be operating normally and yet feel quite warm. This is because Cal Poly enjoys a relatively temperate climate, so we are able to build systems with efficiency and environmentally friendly practices in mind.
When should you submit a hot/cold call?
- If your office or classroom feels colder than 68 degrees and/or the thermostat reads lower than 68 degrees.
- If the building you are in has mechanical cooling and it feels warmer than 78 degrees and/or the thermostat reads higher than 78 degrees.
Executive Order 987
CSU Policy governs how our campuses utilize our utilities funding. We may not utilize utility funds to cool spaces below 78 degrees or heat them above 68. Temperatures within this range typically indicate normal function. Cal Poly utilizes set points of 76 and 70 in order to account for system response time and variation in temperature within the buildings. EO987 does not permit the use of personal electric heaters in CSU facilities unless specifically required for medical reasons or for temporary use during a heating outage. During an outage, campus occupants may purchase approved energy-efficient fans or personal space heaters from the Facilities Warehouse in Building 70A. Please contact the Facilities Warehouse with questions at 805-756-5238.
EO987 and campus policy also prohibit the use of personal mini-fridges except when medically necessary.
HVAC Schedules
Building HVAC systems are scheduled to maximize efficiency and prevent the use of utility funds to comfort cool or heat a space which is not occupied. Typically classroom buildings are scheduled Monday through Friday from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Office buildings are scheduled Monday through Friday from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If a department is hosting a special event or has a valid academic need (such as testing) they can submit a service request to request an exception to the HVAC schedule. Requests should include date, time, room where service is needed, description of event, and reason HVAC service is needed. Requests must be submitted a minimum of 5 days in advance to allow for review, approval, and scheduling of the exception. Questions? Call us at 805-756-5555.
Questions?
Facilities Management & Development Help Center
