Every spring and fall, Facilities, Real Estate and Auxiliary Services (FREAS) prepares campus buildings for the changing seasons, in this case from heating to cooling. This adjustment process, which will begin on April 21, 2025, takes approximately two weeks to complete all campus buildings.

As this operational change is resource intensive and has significant impacts on equipment, it can be performed only once per season. During this period, some buildings may experience more temperature variation than normal. Facilities will monitor extended weather forecasts for nighttime low temperatures to ensure that adequate heating is available when needed.

Across the country, buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy use and 35% of the nation's carbon emissions, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Changing the thermostat to 1 degree from a year-round setting of 72 degrees Fahrenheit University-wide could save UD approximately 18 million kilograms of CO2E, or the amount of energy used to heat 250 homes for a year.

In a continued effort to ensure occupant comfort, safety and sustainable practices across campus, the University heating and cooling policy directs those indoor temperatures be maintained between 68-70°F during the heating season and between 74-76°F during the cooling season.

If a temperature issue arises, please submit a Fixit request. A mechanic will be dispatched to address the problem if the temperature is outside the set range. FREAS will make every effort to maintain temperatures close to the set standards despite the limitations of the existing infrastructure and building variations.

For your safety, the use of portable electric heaters is strictly regulated. Such heaters are only allowed if FREAS determines that the building's heating system cannot maintain the targeted setpoints, and they must be approved by both the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department and FREAS. Approved heaters must meet specific safety standards, including having an auto-shut-off switch and being plugged directly into a wall outlet. Unauthorized heaters that do not comply with these safety requirements will result in their removal and disposal by authorized personnel.