Heating throughout the year

The heating across campus is controlled on a building-by-building basis, to make sure room temperatures are maintained efficiently.

Our boiler system will modulate up or down to maintain the correct temperature throughout the year.

The regular heating time schedule is from 7am to 7pm in most academic buildings. We have sensors that check the outside and inside temperatures. Our Building Management Systems react to keep buildings at the right temperature in the most efficient way.

Adjusting the temperature

As well as centralised control, most radiators have their own temperature control. They sense the local air temperature and this alters the flow of the water in the radiator. You can use the temperature control to achieve the most comfortable temperature. You should generally set your control to level of two or three and then leave it alone.

Turning the temperature control to maximum will not heat the room any quicker. It will actually increase the likelihood of your room overheating, resulting in the opening of windows, or the valve being turned off. If left in this setting, the room may be cold the next morning.

Using portable heaters

University policy states that the use of portable heaters is not allowed unless approved by the Department of Estates.

If you add an extra heat source to a room or put one near a sensor or radiator, the system could be fooled into thinking that the building is warmer than it actually is. The system will then turn off either the radiator or the heating to the whole building. The effect of this will reduce the temperature in the building or room.

Portable heaters are a very inefficient and expensive way of heating. They have a much greater carbon impact than normal gas central heating systems. They are also potentially unsafe, both as a fire hazard and a risk of overloading electrical circuits.

What to do if your room is cold

The lowest temperature requirement by the Health and Safety at Work Act is 16°C.

If you think your room temperature is lower than 16°C, contact the Estates helpdesk and our maintenance teams will investigate whether the heating systems are functioning correctly.

We may arrange to track the temperature of the room and take readings to assess the level of the problem. When we have collected the data we will confirm if repairs or alterations are needed and carry out any necessary work.