Extreme Heat: Cooling curtailment continues for now; precautionary measures encouraged
The forecast today indicates a high temperature of 88 degrees at noon on the main Stanford campus. This week’s temperatures have been about 10 degrees higher than predicted, so we will continue with our current curtailment levels throughout today, Wednesday, June 12. If the forecast holds as predicted, we expect to selectively ease curtailment in buildings throughout the day.
Cooling will be maintained in hospitals, life safety areas, classrooms with finals, and venues where large events are taking place such as the Arrillaga Alumni Center, the Traitel Building, the Gunn-SIEPR Building and Bechtel Conference Center.
Cooling will remain off in all other buildings on the university’s chilled water system. Laboratories, offices, classrooms not holding finals, dining halls and kitchens are affected, as are residences Jack McDonald Hall, Munger Graduate Residence and Schwab Residential Center. Other dormitories don’t have cooled water and thus are not affected. Building managers will be contacted by their zone or facilities operations managers to provide further information.
As many campus buildings will be noticeably warmer throughout the morning, managers should continue to encourage precautionary measures and have discussions with employees about alternate work arrangements if needed, such as working from a cooler location nearby, telecommuting, flexible work schedules, or, if necessary, other options as appropriate during times of excessive heat.
Employees with certain medical conditions should check with their personal physician to get a recommendation related to working during a heat wave. Staff who are unable to work may use accrued paid time off to continue to be paid.
Staying hydrated is particularly important during a heat wave. Drink plenty of water during the day and look out for each other by encouraging your colleagues to drink extra water, too. Wearing cotton clothing can also increase your comfort during excessive heat.
The university continues to appreciate the campus community’s patience with this curtailment. A system check will be conducted later this morning and updates will be posted here after noon or before should there be any changes that affect the campus.
