HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

• Status of California Electric Grid
• Visit our HAC Pictures

MISSION

"To provide and maintain a safe and comfortable indoor air environment in campus buildings that will facilitate the ability of all occupants to pursue their own goals and missions. Our work is carried out primarily behind the scenes by an ongoing program consisting of operation, monitoring, maintenance and repair of the Central Plant and heating, ventilating, air conditioning and related mechanical systems located throughout most campus buildings as well as operation and maintenance of campus swimming pools and decorative fountains."

VISION

"Our vision is to meet the increasing demands of an ever-changing environment and growing campus. In an era of rapidly developing technology, we look forward to using new and innovative means in the conduction of our operations, in meeting our customers' needs and satisfying fiduciary expectations. To this end we depend upon the creativity, skill and teamwork of the HAC staff, and strive to stay abreast of and employ the use of the latest state-of-the-art technology to assist us in our everyday work whenever it can be used advantageously to improve our service. Our involvement begins in the initial phases of new building construction where we seek to obtain the very best equipment and state-of-the-art technology. Involvement, training, teamwork, trust and respect are an essential part of our vision. We will continually strive to improve our services by reexamining our processes, remaining flexible and open to changing environments, technology and customer demands."

STRATEGIC PLANS

FINANCIAL GOAL

"Provide efficient, cost effective HAC services and maintain campus facilities to maximize the life cycles of our physical assets."

STRATEGIES

• Establish a high level of accountability.
• Align department priorities with campus requirements.
• Benchmark performance.
• Reduce deferred maintenance backlog.

CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE GOAL

"Deliver quality services that satisfy customer requirements."

STRATEGIES

• Improve follow-up on customer trouble calls.
• Promote customer service awareness.
• Quickly resolve complaints.

INTERNAL PROCESS PERSPECTIVE GOAL

"Design and implement more effective and efficient processes."

STRATEGIES

• Simplify and streamline processes.
• Improve the delivery of services.
• Integrate technology to improve services.
• Adopt best practices to improve services.

INNOVATION AND LEARNING GOAL

"Foster a learning environment where employees are encouraged to develop their skills to meet the demand of the future."

STRATEGIES

• Provide appropriate training for our employees.
• Formalize program for career development.
• Prepare and encourage employees to implement new technologies.
• Reinforce values that promote teamwork, learning, and high performance
  

 

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Services

Air conditioning and heating throughout the campus is maintained and operated by the HAC staff. Building occupants should not attempt any repairs to malfunctioning equipment or attempt to adjust thermostats. CSU Energy conservation policies mandate that facilities not be heated above 70 degrees, nor cooled below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are provided from a Central Utility Plant in the Heating and Air Conditioning (HAC) building. The Central Plant makes and distributes high temperature hot water, chilled water, compressed air and softened domestic hot water to major campus buildings via an underground utility tunnel. Central Plant Operators are on duty from 4:00 a.m. until 12:00 midnight. For assistance, please call extension 75170. The HAC department staff operates and maintains both the central plant and remote utility plants located in the campus buildings as well as all HVAC systems located throughout the buildings. The HAC department also maintains and operates the campus swimming pools and fountain.

Heating and Air Conditioning Schedule

While classes are in session:

1. Classroom buildings/areas receive conditioned air from 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays.
   
2. Administrative buildings and offices receive conditioned air from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
   
3. The Pfau Library is conditioned during library operating hours, which typically includes a weekend schedule of Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 to 10:00 p.m., while school is in session.
   
4. Other specialized areas (such as the arena and the theatre) are conditioned according to their use.
   
5. Some special events, coordinated through Event Scheduling, may also receive conditioned air.
   
6. Conditioned air is provided during breaks from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
   

Thermal Energy Storage [TES]

The University utilizes a TES system to save on its utility bills. This system at CSUSB consists of a million gallon chilled water storage tank and a variable speed pumping system. The way in which this system saves money can be explained as follows: Our electric bills, unlike residential bills, are based upon when we use our electricity in addition to how much we use. During summer weekdays for example, electricity used during the day can cost three or more times what it costs during late night and early morning hours, plus a one time ($75, 000+) demand charge each month. Therefore we operate our large electric chillers during the night when it is much less expensive to make 40 degree chilled water. The chilled water is stored in the large insulated TES tank. During the day, the chillers are shut down, and water from the TES is pumped throughout the campus for cooling as needed. The storage capacity is 15,000 ton-hours of cooling each day (--the equivalent to what your home air conditioner could produce if it ran non-stop from April 1st through October 25th). Our summer electric savings can amount to over $2,000 daily.

Computerized Energy Management System [EMS] / Facility Control System

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment located throughout the campus buildings is controlled and monitored by "state of the art" Distributed Digital Control (DDC) EMS systems. These systems consist of separate fiber-optic networks, whereby all HVAC systems are connected and communicate with each other and to the Central Control Room located in the Central Plant.

Pat Rogers and Joe Hubbard trouble shooting air handler problems via EMS from the control room.

CSUSB has two separate networks. Most buildings are connected to the Barber Colman network, which was first installed in 1991 along with the then new University Hall building. The Visual Arts Complex is on the newer American Automatrix network. Several desktop computers located at Central Plant continuously receive and send updated information regarding HVAC operation over the network. The Barber Colman system is one of the largest if not the largest system of its type in the region. There are over 5000 data points which are monitored every 5 to 15 seconds or so. The data points consist of room temperatures, humidity, duct pressures, fan speed, damper positions, boiler pressures, temperatures etc. Other data points include control outputs -- signals that open or close valves, dampers, start or stop fans, etc. Outputs are the results of complex, specialized HVAC computer programs that continuously analyze input information and perform calculations for precise control of equipment hardware.

The HAC staff, affectionately referred to as HACsperts, continually hone their skills of interpreting information and interfacing with the specialized HVAC programs. Control programs are enhanced and upgraded on a continual basis in an effort to improve comfort in a manner that also improves operational efficiency as well as conserve energy resources.

Rod Snodgrass working on network programs.

There are nearly 1100 graphic screens, which offer dynamic displays of machinery operation, (including speeds, temperatures, pressures etc.,) floor plans indicating zone temperatures, individual room temperatures, humidity, as well as remote monitoring and control of the large central plant machinery and systems. The HACspert on duty can often solve customer HVAC problems directly from central plant. Indeed CSUSB is fortunate to have one of the most versatile staff (of 16 employees) in all of the CSU with over 300 years combined experience.