University of Iowa utility ‘issue’ means ‘warmer than usual’ first day

IOWA CITY — With tens of thousands of students back and bustling across Iowa’s public universities Monday, the campuses found themselves again dealing with scorching August heat and air-conditioning woes.

Although the University of Iowa has air conditioning in all 10 of its residence halls, officials Monday morning — the first day of the fall semester — said in a campus communication that a chilled water production “issue” could leave university offices and common areas “warmer than usual.”

“Facilities Management is activating the chilled water system business continuity program due to an issue that Engie is currently experiencing with chilled water production,” a UI Facilities Management associate director said about its utilities operator in the campus notice.

Explaining that the continuity program intends to maintain cooling to critical spaces — including UI information technology and the UI Health Care campus — officials reported “non-critical spaces on campus, such as offices and common areas, may experience warmer than usual temperatures during this time.”

Temperatures in Iowa City were forecast Monday to reach 97 degrees by 5 p.m., with the heat index swelling to 113 and not dropping much below 80 overnight, according to the National Weather Service.

In Ames, home to Iowa State University, temperatures Monday were expected to follow a similar pattern, reaching a heat index high of 110 by 6 p.m. And University of Northern Iowa’s Cedar Falls was forecasting a heat index reaching 109 in the evening.

In light of the chilled-water issue on the UI campus — which followed a midnight power outage that lasted about an hour — first-day memes started circulating Monday on social media about the sweltering conditions.

The popular “UIowa meme page,” for one, shared in jest a clip from the movie “Shrek” of Lord Farquaad saying, “Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make” with the added text: “The University of Iowa when the heat index is over 100, AC is down across campus, but they decide students should be in classrooms anyways for the very important days of going over the class syllabus and sharing one fun fact about yourself.”

ISU, UNI A/C shortcomings

Most UNI residence halls don’t have air conditioning — although it is piped across Panther Village, housing upper division students in apartment-style accommodations.

Seven of Iowa State’s 20 residence halls offer 100-percent fully air-conditioned student rooms, as do its three apartment buildings. Two dorms are partially air-conditioned, and the remaining 11 halls are without air.

“With all spaces in mind, that means over 71 percent of (Department of Residence) spaces are air-conditioned,” ISU spokesman Mike Krapfl told The Gazette on Monday, noting students living in air-conditioned rooms pay more than those who don’t

Iowa State over the summer added 29 air-conditioned spaces to Elm Hall — capable of housing up to 202 in a four-floor dorm And both ISU and UNI have air-conditioned lounges available in all their dorms.

“During this heat wave, dens and other common areas that are air-conditioned will be available to students 24/7,” according to a communication distributed to students from the ISU Department of Residence.

ISU offers a limited number of fans for check out to students without A/C, but also sent a note to on-campus residents before move-in this fall suggesting they consider bringing to campus a portable air cooler that doesn’t require venting to “help keep your room comfortable during warmer weather without putting a significant strain on our electrical panels.”

“Last fall, we experienced some extreme heat for a couple of weeks,” according to the note. “So we want to ensure you are as prepared as possible while also being mindful of the electrical capacity of our historic buildings.”

With that in mind, ISU instructed its residents not to exceed a combined 80 watts with their fans and coolers and not to plug them into a power strip or extension cord — only the wall directly.

“Due to electrical capacity, personal air conditioners are prohibited in all residence hall and apartment facilities,” according to ISU.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com