Too hot to handle: Wittenberg students sweat out the summer heat
Jess Bailey
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: News
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Do you find yourself sweating often? Is sweat trickling down the back of your neck? Are you too lethargic to concentrate on the copious amounts of homework? Let me take a guess; you are one of the many students without air-conditioning here at Wittenberg.
You are not alone. Much of the student housing, including residence halls, sorority and fraternity houses, and other on-campus houses do not have the luxury of air-conditioning. Students are forced to endure sweltering temperatures in their living spaces,which at times seem impossible to live with. So why not put some air-conditioning into these hot boxes? I found the answer to this question much more complex than I thought it would be.
When visiting Wittenberg's Physical Plant, I met up with John Paulsen, director of Physical Plant as well as a person who could answer my questions about the excessive heat in the residence halls. While discussing the possibility of installing central air systems in Ferncliff, Woodlawn, and Myers, it seemed like a task larger than man.
Paulsen described how the buildings were constructed, and how the floor-to-floor heights are too short to install air ducts. There is not enough space between the ceiling and the floor above it.
The one major flaw with the all of the dorms is their age. They are the oldest residence halls on campus, and when they were being constructed, air-conditioning was not even a thought.
There have been times of speculation as to whether or not air-conditioning would be a practical endeavor. About five years ago, Myers Hall underwent a $ 1 million renovation, and during this time air-conditioning was consider.ed. This would have tacked on an additional $500,000, as well as a shut down to continue the construction on Myers Hall. This would've produced a shortage of beds for students. It was apparent to those involved that the cons outweighed the pros.
Concluding the interview, Paulsen gave me three main reasons why air conditioning is a no go in half of the residence halls.
First, the cost is so astronomically high, it would be a multiple-year project. Secondly, the buildings have physical limitations because of their ages and structures. One more issue is the time constraint becausethe buildings are only closed to students for two to three months out of the year. Paulsen says would not be enough time to put in air units.
You are not alone. Much of the student housing, including residence halls, sorority and fraternity houses, and other on-campus houses do not have the luxury of air-conditioning. Students are forced to endure sweltering temperatures in their living spaces,which at times seem impossible to live with. So why not put some air-conditioning into these hot boxes? I found the answer to this question much more complex than I thought it would be.
When visiting Wittenberg's Physical Plant, I met up with John Paulsen, director of Physical Plant as well as a person who could answer my questions about the excessive heat in the residence halls. While discussing the possibility of installing central air systems in Ferncliff, Woodlawn, and Myers, it seemed like a task larger than man.
Paulsen described how the buildings were constructed, and how the floor-to-floor heights are too short to install air ducts. There is not enough space between the ceiling and the floor above it.
The one major flaw with the all of the dorms is their age. They are the oldest residence halls on campus, and when they were being constructed, air-conditioning was not even a thought.
There have been times of speculation as to whether or not air-conditioning would be a practical endeavor. About five years ago, Myers Hall underwent a $ 1 million renovation, and during this time air-conditioning was consider.ed. This would have tacked on an additional $500,000, as well as a shut down to continue the construction on Myers Hall. This would've produced a shortage of beds for students. It was apparent to those involved that the cons outweighed the pros.
Concluding the interview, Paulsen gave me three main reasons why air conditioning is a no go in half of the residence halls.
First, the cost is so astronomically high, it would be a multiple-year project. Secondly, the buildings have physical limitations because of their ages and structures. One more issue is the time constraint becausethe buildings are only closed to students for two to three months out of the year. Paulsen says would not be enough time to put in air units.
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