Grab a sweater and prepare for a cooler campus

 

The temperatures have dropped and winter conditions are coming to our campus. With the cooler weather outside, UBC’s heating energy will go up to compensate. A reminder to bundle up and dress appropriately to stay warm and safe from the winter elements.

Stay warm and help address climate change

Some buildings may experience minor changes to their ambient temperatures this winter. The UBC community is encouraged to practice these less energy-intensive methods to stay warm and cozy this season:

  • Layering up! Grab a sweater or blanket. Layering can help adjust your body temperature by putting on and removing items to maintain an even level of comfort while you work or study.
  • Checking that windows are closed before leaving your building. Ensuring doors, windows, and window blinds are shut/closed and latched to keep heated air in the room it’s intended. When windows are left open overnight, your space will likely be cooler when you arrive and may take more time to reach a comfortable temperature level.
  • Check that vents in your area are free from obstructions. Make sure air can flow freely in your areas to ensure heat is evenly distributed in your space.

By taking these actions, you are helping to address climate change, and will help you preserve heat, stay comfortable and save energy!

Should I plug in a space heater?

Local heating from space heaters will cause thermostats to reduce the heating even further to your entire room to compensate — leaving local warm spots around the space heater but the larger room even cooler than the intended set point.

Space heaters are also not recommended, as the majority of UBC’s building electrical infrastructure is not designed to support the additional electrical load from space heaters. If multiple space heaters are used this will cause circuit breaker to trip, triggering a response from UBC electricians to reset breakers accordingly.

However, if you need additional heating at your desk, please consider a low power (200 watts max.) under-desk heater, heated floor mat, or electric blanket.

Learn more

Contact

For immediate questions or concerns regarding your building, please contact the Service Centre (604-822-2173) or your Facilities Manager.

As per the Snow Policy, if UBC is subject to extreme winter weather conditions, the administration may decide to cancel or reschedule classes and/or curtail non-essential services. You are advised to check https://www.ubc.ca in the event of extreme weather for updates.

 

Did you know? Saving energy can directly support UBC in meeting the university’s climate action goals to greatly accelerate emissions reductions in response to the climate emergency. 90% of UBC’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from campus operations come from burning natural gas for heating campus buildings and hot water. Reducing space temperatures across our campus by 1 degree Celsius could reduce emissions by the equivalent of not driving 200 cars each year (approximately 1000 tonnes of GHG emissions)!