Preparation for extreme cold weather conditions

Dear faculty and staff,

With the extreme cold temperatures we have been experiencing, I’m asking for your help in ensuring that UIC is doing all it can to protect campus spaces, systems and equipment while also conserving energy.

Your cooperation and assistance will help the university prevent unplanned repairs and more efficiently manage energy demand during frigid conditions — especially when campus in-person operations are reduced and many spaces will be unoccupied.

Here’s what you can do to help:

• Set room thermostats to a minimum of 68 degrees and leave fan coils on and at the medium setting or equivalent.
• Ensure all windows, doors and connecting doors to building entryways and vestibules are closed.
• When possible, shut off lights, computer equipment, appliances and any other nonessential equipment.
• In labs and research facilities, optimize equipment settings where possible to reduce the energy needed to run machines on timers and specialty equipment like ovens, incubators, freezers and coolers, microscopy, MRI machines, etc.

Any abnormal room temperatures or signs of water leaks and/or flooding should be immediately reported to Facilities Management at 312-996-7511, which operates 24/7 to address such situations and mitigate issues caused by weather.

To report an issue at a UI Health facility, please call 312-996-5084.

Also, please don’t hesitate to contact us at servdesk@uic.edu if you are experiencing other issues, have questions or need additional information.

Thank you in advance for partnering with us to take proactive steps when the campus is faced with winter weather challenges as we have already experienced this month.

Best,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

For more information, please contact:
Sherry Krsticevic
sherylk@uic.edu