Supplemental cooling | UW Facilities

The climate is changing, resulting in hotter, prolonged weather patterns and an increased need for cooling. Many campus spaces and buildings rely on natural ventilation for cooling, with mechanical cooling (using electricity to create cool air) traditionally prioritized for data centers, large lecture halls, libraries, research spaces and other areas where cooling is essential to program needs. Some UW units have in the past used department funds to pay for the installation of one-off supplemental cooling units in their buildings, but this has resulted in a decentralized, inefficient system that is unsustainable at the campus level.

The UW’s long-term strategy is to expand the capacity and efficiency of the central cooling plants as part of a broader UW Energy Transformation. To avoid further decentralization in the meantime, requests for temporary, seasonal, or permanent installation of supplemental cooling units, even when paid for by department budgets, will only be approved in certain circumstances.

Required criteria

Environmental cooling refers to cooling during seasonal/extreme weather events in personal environments, such as offices, study spaces, classrooms and lounges. Requests for supplemental environmental cooling will only be considered when excessive heat significantly affects critical research, renders a space unusable for greater than one month in a single year or creates a safety violation as confirmed by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and where an alternative location to perform the work done in the space cannot be found.

Process cooling refers to cooling needed to maintain machinery or equipment used for programmatic or academic research functions. Requests for supplemental process cooling will only be considered when excessive heat significantly affects critical research, impacts the functional performance of critical machinery or equipment or creates a safety violation as confirmed by EH&S.

All new supplemental cooling requests must be approved by the head of the requesting UW department or unit. A fee of $2,700 will be charged for the Environmental Cooling Evaluation needed to consider each new request.

Please allow four to six weeks for new requests to be reviewed. If you are facing an emergency situation, please indicate that as part of your request.

Service options

Supplemental environmental cooling

If one of the required criteria listed above applies and the unit or department chair has approved the request, please complete a Service Request Form. Select “Space Function” under Project Type and then provide the following information in the Description field:

A copy of the unit’s business continuity plan, including information about alternative locations in which the activities occurring in the space could be performed. If a current plan is not available, contact BARC (disaster@uw.edu) to create one.
A list of all areas that require cooling, such as building(s), floor(s) and room number(s).
A description of the primary activities and critical nature of the work performed in the space(s), including how excessive heat significantly affects this work. Note if the occupancy or activities performed within the space have changed from the original intended use.
The number of FTE assigned to the space and the number of days per week it is occupied. Note any variance in FTE or occupancy throughout the year.
Verification of the unit or department chair’s approval of the request and of the fee of $2,700 to perform the Environmental Cooling Evaluation. Include the budget number to be charged this fee and an estimate of funds available if a cooling solution is approved.

Request new supplemental cooling

Cost

$2,700 for the Environmental Cooling Evaluation needed to consider each new request. If approved, environmental cooling requests are funded entirely by the unit or department

Eligibility

Faculty

Staff

Building coordinators

Eligibility Notes

Requests may only be submitted by administrators with an authorized account. Accounts may be requested by contacting the Customer Care Team at careteam@uw.edu.

How early should I request?

Please allow four to six weeks for your request to be reviewed. The timeline for purchase and installation of a unit, if approved, will depend on a number of factors

Supplemental process cooling

If one of the required criteria applies (see above) and the unit or department chair has approved the request, please complete a Service Request Form. Select “Space Function” under Project Type and then provide the following information in the Description field:

A description of the machinery or equipment requiring cooling to perform as designed. Note any issues caused by the lack of cooling, and if this is a seasonal or year-round need.
A list of all areas that require cooling, such as building(s), floor(s) and room number(s).
A description of the primary activities and critical nature of the work performed in the space(s), including how excessive heat significantly affects this work. Note if the occupancy or activities performed within the space have changed from the original intended use.
The number of FTE assigned to the space and the number of days per week it is occupied. Note any variance in FTE or occupancy throughout the year.
Verification of the unit or department chair’s approval of the request and of the fee of $2,700 to perform the Environmental Cooling Evaluation. Include the budget number to be charged this fee and an estimate of funds available if a cooling solution is approved.

Request new supplemental cooling

Cost

$2,700 for the Environmental Cooling Evaluation needed to consider each new request. If approved, process cooling requests are added to the list of projects funded in part by the 064 Building Account, with the client paying a minimum one-third of costs. This list is reviewed biannually as part of the Minor Works Program

Eligibility

Faculty

Staff

Building coordinators

Eligibility Notes

Requests may only be submitted by administrators with an authorized account. Accounts may be requested by contacting the Customer Care Team at careteam@uw.edu

How early should I request?

Please allow four to six weeks for your request to be reviewed. The timeline for purchase and installation of a unit, if approved, will depend on a number of factors

Annual install and removal of portable units

Units with existing or new portable AC units are required to pay a flat fee for the installation, maintenance and removal/storage of these units during the off season. At the time of initial installation, a budget number will be provided and billed twice annually. UW Facilities staff will reach out to schedule the install and removal.

For questions about this service or to request changes to the installation schedule, please contact Customer Care

Portable cooling unit install or removal

Eligibility

Building coordinators