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Campus Cooling Response Plan

We are currently in normal operations.

To proactively prepare for anticipated heat waves in the L.A. region and the impact this has on our campus cooling systems, UCLA has developed a three-staged curtailment plan for cooling operations in non-critical campus facilities and spaces.

Cooling curtailment during high heat and humidity is crucial for allowing the campus to maintain adequate cooling in its most critical facility areas, including hospital and patient care settings, research space, vivariums, general assignment classrooms and data centers.

The campus will progress through several cooling demand response stages, depending on the severity of the weather. The cooling demand response stages, from least to most impactful, are as follows:

  • Stage 1: Fan systems that serve areas of buildings on the curtailment list will be reset from the existing temperature to 74 degrees, requiring the immediate closure of all exterior windows and doors.
  • Stage 2: Fan systems that serve areas of buildings on the curtailment list will be set to a temperature of 81 degrees.  
    • In the event of Stages 1 and 2, students, staff and faculty should be prepared for these adjusted conditions, use fans if available and dress lightly.
  • Stage 3: All cooling to targeted building fan systems serving areas of buildings on the curtailment list will be turned off, but normal ventilation will continue in these spaces. As a health precaution and per the California Code of Regulations for Indoor Heat Illness Prevention, community members in impacted building spaces should consider temporarily relocating or shifting to remote work where feasible as interior temperatures are expected to exceed 82 degrees. Instructors have discretion to shift to temporary remote learning, in accordance with the Academic Senate’s Guidance to Departments for Authorizing Emergency Distance Instruction.

    For those employees who cannot temporarily relocate or shift to remote work or learning, onsite work may continue even if indoor temperatures exceed 82°F, provided that departments implement appropriate heat safety measures. These include allowing additional rest breaks, ensuring ready access to drinking water, and designating a cool down area maintained below 82°F. The area must be clearly identified with signage and communicated to staff. A nearby cooled space may be designated if the entire building lacks cooling. For more information on heat illness guidance, prevention strategies and reporting heat risks, visit the EH&S Heat Illness webpage

Facilities Management will work with building coordinators to ensure building occupants are updated when the university initiates each stage of the cooling curtailment plan. Please note that in the event of a stage three occurrence, notifications and updates will be sent via BruinPost and posted to Bruins Safe Online (BSO) to inform the campus community. 


Buildings currently included in the demand response program include: 

Acosta (non-critical areas only)Anderson School of Management (Library and Mullin Commons Levels 3 & 4 only)Boelter HallBroad Art Center
Bunche HallCampbell hallCampus Service Building ICHS South Tower Offices (non-critical areas only)
Dentistry (clinic areas exempted)Dodd hallDoris Stein Level 3 onlyEast Melnitz
Engineering 4Engineering 5 AH-2 onlyEngineering 6Facilities
Gonda AH-4 serving offices (non-critical areas only)Haines HallHershey hall (non-critical areas only)Geffen Hall
James WestKaplan HallKaufmanKnudsen Hall (non-critical areas only)
La Kretz HallLawMacGowanMathematical Sciences
Melnitz HallMorgan Center (non-critical areas only)Murphy Hall (West Wing and parts of the Central Section only)Pauley Pavilion
Perloff HallPhysics & Astronomy AH-1Powell LibraryPublic Health
Rolfe HallRoyce HallSemel West AuditoriumSlichter (non-critical areas only)
StrathmoreStudent Activity CenterTerasaki AH-7 and AH-8 (non-critical areas only)Wooden Center
Wooden Center (West)Young Research Library (YRL)  

Please check this list regularly, as additional buildings are being assessed.