Extreme Cold

The Urbana campus is regularly subjected to extreme weather events, including periods of weather below freezing with severe winds to make temperatures feel even lower, at times under zero.

All individual or group efforts made in offices, classrooms, laboratories, and shared work areas can help the university avoid unexpected repairs and reduce energy demand in response to extreme winter weather. Use the following tips in your spaces to help safeguard the campus.

Keep it closed!
Close the following items to protect facility equipment and systems:

• Outside windows and doors
• Interior or connecting doors to building vestibules or entryways
• Fume hood sashes when not in use

Turn it off!
If practical, shut off, shut down, sleep mode, or unplug the following:

• Lights
• Computers
• Monitors
• Printers
• Chargers
• Appliances
• Canopy Hoods
• Autoclaves
• Snorkels
• Other nonessential equipment

Change the settings!
Consider taking additional energy reduction actions in laboratories and with research equipment by optimizing the settings whenever feasible, like:

• Equipment on timers
• Microscopy, MRI machines, and other specialty equipment
• Walk-in and ultra-low freezers and coolers
• Drying ovens, incubators, vacuum pumps, growth chambers

Contact the F&S Energy Management Control Center fandsenergycomm@illinois.edu, 217-244-3783, immediately regarding any recurring hot/cold issues in campus facilities. Regular service requests should be directed to the F&S Service Office on the my.FS Portal by a departmental contact. In a critical situation requiring urgent action (e.g., water leaks) or any problem regarding an elevator or gas odor, call the Service Office at 217-333-0340. After 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on weekends and designated campus holidays, calls will be transferred to the Division of Public Safety dispatch.