Rudman Hall
HEATING
Rudman Hall is one of the few campus buildings heated by a steam line (as opposed to hot
water lines) from the Central Heating Plant. The steam is converted to hot water by
equipment in Rudman's basement. Heating is provided by a forced air system, with
supplemental hot water radiators along exterior walls.
If rooms are not warm enough during the winter, those problems are often caused by
items blocking the natural convective flow of warm air from the radiators. In the
research labs, leaving the fume hood sashes open can also cause problems with
uncomfortable drafts. Fume hood sashes should only be opened when actively working
in the hood.
Electric space heaters can "trick" the room controls into thinking the room is
too warm, causing the forced air system to blow cold air into the room. Other
problems with cold rooms, especially in labs, can be caused by placing refrigerators,
freezers, or other heat producing equipment next to the wall-mounted temperature sensor in
your room.
If rooms are too hot during the winter, there may be an equipment failure that should be reported.
VENTILATION
There is a building-wide fan-forced ventilation
system. Large fan systems located in the basement and the penthouse provide
ventilation air to the entire building. The outdoor air is warmed using hot water
before it is blown into the building. The research labs have a "once
through" air system. One hundred percent outside air is heated in the winter
and air-conditioned in the summer. That conditioned outside air is then blown into
the labs and immediately exhausted outdoors. Obviously that uses an enormous amount
of energy, but the "once through" system is necessary to provide safe laboratory
conditions.
As the lab exhaust air leaves the building, it passes through "heat reclaim" coils filled with a water/antifreeze solution. In the winter, some of the heat in the exhaust air is captured by the heat reclaim coils and the warm antifreeze solution is pumped to the basement where it helps to warm up the incoming outdoor air.
AIR CONDITIONING
The entire building is centrally air conditioned.
Steam from the Central Heating Plant is used to power "absorption"
chillers that produce chilled water. The chilled water is also used to provide air
conditioning in some areas of Spaulding.
DOMESTIC HOT WATER
Domestic hot water for sinks is heated by steam from
the Central Heating Plant.
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONSERVE ENERGY
During the heating season:
Do not block the floor in front of, or the area above, the heating radiators with any
furniture or other items.
Do not use electric space heaters. They can cause the air system to blow cold air
into your area.
During all seasons:
Keep fume hood sashes closed unless you are actively working inside the hood.
Keep heat-producing equipment away from the wall-mounted temperature sensor.
Keep windows closed and tightly latched. Fresh air is provided by the
fan-forced ventilation systems.
See the water conservation pages on this web site for ways to conserve water, especially
hot water.
Turn off all lights and electrical devices when leaving your area.
Turn off lights in common areas when not in use.
