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Buying Air Conditioners

Summary: This page describes University policy for buying air conditioning units.

UCSC does not allow the purchase of mechanical air conditioning units for human comfort.

Air conditioning or cooling units are only permitted in the following situations:

1. Activities in the building require cooling for proper functioning and protection of equipment or materials needed for teaching or research.
2. Activities in the building require environmental control for research (including research on human and/or animal subjects).
3. It can be clearly determined that it is more energy efficient to provide cooling than to provide mechanical ventilation in order to meet applicable health and safety standards.
4. Small temporary units (trailers), because of the need for cooling to use and occupy the units, which are poorly insulated against heat gain.

The 1988 LRDP EIR Mitigation Measure 4.15-4 established a legal precedent under CEQA to not allow air conditioning for human comfort. This mitigation measure is in place until the new LRDP and its EIR are officially approved.

Prior to the 1988 LRDP, the long-standing UC course of action was to not provide air conditioning at the coastal campuses. During typical summer coastal weather patterns acceptable temperatures can be maintained with a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation for most of the time. This concession made by the campus is based on global environmental concerns.

Last revised: August 25, 2008 (am)