[Imc-tenants] Heating/Cooling

[carol ammons]

Dear UC-IMC venue space renter or tenant:

The IMC highly values your decision to utilize our spaces and rent our
suites. Therefore as the chair of our Facilities and Building committee and
a member of the Board of Directors, it's appropriate for me to provide
information on the heating and cooling issues you may be currently
experiencing or have experienced in the past. The historic character of our
facilities has presented significant challenges to past owners as well as
the UC-IMC, and though this email is lengthy, I provide the detail to
assure you that the board of directors is taking action to ensure
comfortable, energy efficient operations of our facility. We are taking
action now to make our facility highly attractive to you as well as to
future renters and tenants.

*First, to address the immediate concerns of less than adequate cooling in
the building.*
The AC system has had some fluctuations in the past month or so. Too hot or
too cold has been the condition. Approximately two weeks ago one of the
four compressors on the building's chiller failed, placing the board in a
position to consider fixing it or replacing the entire chiller. While quick
fixes have bought us some cooling relief as we've considered this decision,
the regulation of AC also has suffered, leaving the building with areas
that were too cold. The quick fix also increases the possibility that the
chiller would need to be reset. The lack of AC you've seen yesterday and
today has likely been caused by the chiller needing to be reset.
*Our contractor will be in the building today to assess this situation.* We
ask that you please bear with us this afternoon while this is investigated.

Like other non-profit organizations with similar buildings, we face the
difficult task of long term planning and prioritization of spending in the
upgrade of our building and facilities. Much of this work goes on behind
the scenes, and your only contact with it is the conditions of your
particular suite or the space you utilize. As the chair for facilities, I'm
responsible for planning these expenditures as well as being accountable to
the board for the decisions. *Our process is to review non-emergency issues
at our monthly board meeting. *

*What have we done so far?*

   - In response to 2nd floor cooling and air flow issues last summer, we
   increased the motor capacity in Air Handler 3, which services the 2nd floor
   - Allocated dollars to repair failed compressor on the chiller unit,
   while assessing whether to completely replace it.
   *At this time, we likely will choose to replace the building chiller.*
   - Sought bids for lighting upgrades, window renovation/repair/replacement
   - Addressed issues of code compliance, fire safety
   - Currently recipients of a building wide energy assessment from SEDAC,
   U of I's Smart Energy Design Assistance Center
   - Seeking utilities incentives, grants to support comprehensive building
   upgrades in the Building and Facilities Master Plan

Our Building and Facilities Master plan currently includes the following
items relating to this discussion:

   - Replacement of the building chiller
   - Repair/renovation/replacement of all windows
   - Installation of digital electronic controls on all air handling units
   - Boiler combustion analysis and tune up
   - Replacement & reduction in lighting usage

Last year our general membership approved changes to our leadership
structure, empowering our board to take action and move forward with
decisions such as these capital expenditures, fundraising, personnel
management and others. *Please know that we are taking action to ensure our
facilities continue to serve the community well in to the future.*
*
*
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You are also
welcome to attend our standing weekly Facilities and Building Committee
meeting, Tuesdays form 12-1pm at the IMC, first level near the staff
offices. The Board of Directors meets monthly on the third Thursday of the
month at 6pm in room 15, on the lower level of the building.

Best regards,
Chris Ritzo
Facilities Committee Chair, Urbana Champaign Independent Media Center
217-369-6399


-- 
Carol Ammons-Program Director
UC-IMC/AmeriCorps
202 S. Broadway Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802
217-344-8820 (office)
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