Saving Heat
In wintertime, thermal energy is to be saved by heating offices and seminar rooms to a maximum temperature of 20°C. At night and over the weekend, the central control system reduces the temperatures. Corridors remain cool.
1°C saves 6% energy
Lowering the room temperature by 1°C saves 6% of heating energy. 2°C result in 12%, 3°C bring 18% hence.
In winter max. 20°C
In winter, offices and seminar rooms may be heated to 20°C, but not higher.
Night mode kicks in earlier
In the evening, the room temperature at TU Dortmund University is automatically lowered by approx. 3°C by the building control system. In winter, the night mode turns on at 6 pm. This is two hours earlier than it used to be for years. Learning workplaces for students are exempt from the rule.
Weekend
On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the heating system will continue to be in night mode during daytime. Workplaces for students are exempt from this rule.
Cool corridors
Hallways and other passageways do not get heated to 20°C, but remain cooler. Please keep your door to the hallway closed during the heating season so that heat does not escape there. A protective temperature is ensured.
Renewal of the pipe network
Some of the heating and cold water pipes on the North Campus will be renewed by the end of 2026. The new pipes are designed in such a way that the hot water only has to be heated to 80 °C in advance instead of over 110 °C as before. This will save up to 1,150 tons of CO2 per year, which corresponds to 10% of the emissions generated by the university's heating and cooling supply in 2022.
Seal doors
If hallways are cooler in the winter, cold gaps can develop at leaking interior doors. Please report poorly closing doors to the janitor team. This way, it can be checked whether e.g. self-adhesive door brushes can provide a solution.
Shock ventilation
In cold weather, please do not leave windows tilted open; instead, ventilate briefly for 5 minutes as needed. Report defective windows that do not close properly to the janitor team. In the Emil-Figge-Library, TU Dortmund University employees can borrow CO2 measuring devices during the service hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, that can be used to determine when a room should be ventilated.
Turning down thermostats
Please set the thermostats down so that a maximum of 20°C is reached in the office. Depending on the model, this is e.g. level 2.5. Before you switch to the home office, set the heating to 1.5. This way, your room will not cool down completely.