With temperatures rising across the Southland, the National Weather Service sent out a weather advisory across the Los Angels County warning about hot, dry conditions and elevated fire danger.
“Some kids are hiking all across campus in the heat to get to class and all they want to do when they get there is sit in some nice air conditioning, but it’s not happening,” freshman child development major Elizabeth Rundles said.
Paul Wingco, the energy and sustainability manager at California State University, Long Beach, said that the university would keep campus buildings cool to tide students and faculty over, but that high temperatures outside may mean slightly higher temperatures inside as well.
“We try our best during the hottest summer days to maintain the same level of comfort in all campus buildings,” Wingco said. “But occasionally we are asked by state energy officials or the electrical utility to reduce our electrical load to help avoid disruptions within the regional electric grid.”
Sophomore chemical engineering major Urias Alvarez said that the majority of his classes are in the engineering buildings and that they have been very hot lately.
“It’s tough to pay attention… when you’re sticking to your chair,” Alvarez said.
According to the National Weather Service, Long Beach residents should expect to see peak temperatures in the low 90’s throughout the rest of the workweek, after which it will drop back to the mid 80’s.
Alvarez said that to remain sustainable during heat waves, the university should consider putting energy efficient shades over the windows to prevent so much heat from getting into the classrooms.
In the case that CSULB is asked to reduce its energy usage, Wingco said that the university opts to reduce electrical loads that have little to no impact on campus operations.
Wingco said that that the campus would only adjust room temperatures above normal settings in the case that their first attempts at power reduction were not enough.
CSULB has an average electricity bill of about $600,000 a month in the summer, but only $300,000-400,000 in the non-summer seasons, Wingco said.
To help minimize the cost impact, Wingco said that we can reduce energy waste by keeping windows and doors closed, lights turned off or down whenever possible and not running electrical equipment between noon and 6 p.m. in the summer.