Spring Cooling Reminder

Spring weather impacts building temperatures: Campus cooling systems being brought online

Sunshine and warmer weather has finally arrived! As a reminder, switching from heating to cooling each season takes a little time, so occupants in several buildings across campus may experience warmer than usual temperatures inside their buildings.

There are 565 structures on campus. IPF staff are working to put cooling systems into service for the spring. Some of our larger systems require sustained warmer temperatures to get them operational.  

Thank you for your understanding as we put cooling systems online in an environmentally sustainable way.

Learn about MSU spring cooling  

MSU follows a systematic and environmentally conscious plan when cooling campus buildings during the warmer months. Each year, MSU expects to be ready to provide cooling to campus facilities starting mid-spring. An exact date is dependent upon weather trends and sustained above-freezing temperatures.

Factors to prepare campus buildings for cooling include:

• Campus priorities — Buildings with ongoing research are prioritized over those that need comfort cooling.
• Lead time — It takes at least two weeks for staff to finalize the process for starting the air-conditioning equipment.
• Timing — It’s not economically or environmentally feasible to finalize the start-up of the cooling process more than once each spring. Appropriate timing is critical.

MSU uses steam absorbers to convert steam from the power plant into chilled water to provide cooling for several campus buildings. Buildings that use this process are switched seasonally. The cooling process for steam absorption includes:

• Absorption chillers convert steam from the power plant into chilled water for cooling purposes.
• Excess heat is transferred from the building to water that is circulated to a cooling tower and released into the air.

MSU also has several electric chillers that also use cooling towers that need the same seasonal activities as absorption chillers.

By taking these factors into account each year, the cooling plan for campus and other energy conservation measures ensure that the campus community has a safe and Spartan Green spring.

To report problems or ask questions about your building’s heating or cooling equipment, call Contact IPF at (517) 353‐1760. If the problem isn’t urgent, e‐mail ContactIPF@msu.edu.