When you're hot you're hot

There probably aren't a lot of folks on campus today. But it is unclear over what duration beyond today the notice below - sent by email yesterday - applies:

Campus Cooling Response Plan

We are in stage 3 of our cooling curtailment plan due to current weather conditions and a malfunction in one of our chilling systems.

To proactively prepare for anticipated heat waves in the L.A. region and the impact this has on our campus cooling systems, UCLA has developed a three-staged curtailment plan for cooling operations in non-critical campus facilities and spaces.

Cooling curtailment during high heat and humidity is crucial for allowing the campus to maintain adequate cooling in its most critical facility areas, including hospital and patient care settings, research space, vivariums, general assignment classrooms and data centers.

The campus will progress through several cooling demand response stages, depending on the severity of the weather. The cooling demand response stages, from least to most impactful, are as follows:

• Stage 1: Fan systems that serve areas of buildings on the curtailment list will be reset from the existing temperature to 74 degrees, requiring the immediate closure of all exterior windows and doors.
• Stage 2: Fan systems that serve areas of buildings on the curtailment list will be set to a temperature of 81 degrees.  
  • In the event of Stages 1 and 2, students, staff and faculty should be prepared for these adjusted conditions, use fans if available and dress lightly.

• Stage 3: All cooling to targeted building fan systems serving non-critical areas will be turned off, but normal ventilation will continue in these spaces. As a health precaution and in accordance with the California Code of Regulation for Indoor Heat Illness Prevention (PDF), community members in impacted building spaces will be directed to either temporarily relocate or shift to remote work or learning (as authorized by and in accordance with Academic Senate Guidelines for Remote Instruction) as interior temperatures would be expected to exceed 82 degrees.

  For those employees who cannot temporarily relocate or shift to remote work or learning, onsite work may continue even if indoor temperatures exceed 82°F, provided that departments implement appropriate heat safety measures. These include allowing additional rest breaks, ensuring ready access to drinking water, and designating a cool down area maintained below 82°F. The area must be clearly identified with signage and communicated to staff. A nearby cooled space may be designated if the entire building lacks cooling. For more information on heat illness guidance, prevention strategies and reporting heat risks, visit the EH&S Heat Illness webpage. 

Facilities Management will work with building coordinators to ensure building occupants are updated when the university initiates each stage of the cooling curtailment plan. Please note that in the event of a stage three occurrence, notifications will be sent via BruinPost and BruinAlert to notify the campus community. 

Buildings currently included in the demand response program include: 

Acosta (non-critical areas only)

Anderson School

Boelter Hall

Broad Art Center 

Bunche Hall

Campus Services Building I

CHS Dentistry

CHS Jules Stein Eye Institute 

CHS Semel Institute

CHS South Tower Offices (non-critical areas only)

Cogeneration Plant

Dodd 

East Melnitz Building

Engineering 5

Engineering 6

Franz Hall 

Geffen Hall

Gonda AH4 serving offices (non-critical areas only)

Haines Hall

Hershey Hall (non-critical areas only) 

Kaplan Hall 

Knudsen (non-critical areas only)

Law Building

Life Sciences (non-critical areas only) 

Macgowan Hall

Mathematical Sciences Building

Melnitz Hall

Morgan (non-critical areas only) 

Murphy Hall

Perloff Hall

Powell Library

Rolfe Hall 

Strathmore Building

Student Activities Center

Terasaki AH7 and AH8 (non-critical areas only)

West Alumni Center 

Wooden West

Young Lecture Halls (scheduled only when needed)

Young Research Library