Stanford is ramping up its efforts to cope with a searing Bay Area heat wave. Chilled water cooling will be curtailed in all buildings except hospitals, “life safety areas,” classrooms with finals and venues with large events scheduled, in an effort to prioritize these settings.

The change, announced in a Tuesday afternoon AlertSU Community Alert, escalates previous measures. The day before, the University announced a reduction in comfort cooling, and in a Tuesday morning alert, announced the expansion of such measures.

With the latest step, cooling will be turned off in laboratories, offices, classrooms, dining halls and kitchens, as well as three residences — Jack McDonald Hall, Munger Graduate Residence and Schwab Residential Center — that are on the chilled water system. Other dormitories do not rely on this system and are not impacted.

“Buildings where cooling is turned off will rapidly become much warmer than normal this afternoon and evening,” the alert states. “Managers should encourage precautionary measures and have discussions with employees about alternate work arrangements if needed due to the temperature in their location.”

“This is a dynamic situation that may continue through tonight and into tomorrow,” it adds.

Contact Charlie Curnin at ccurnin ‘at’ stanford.edu.