Policy
I. Purpose and scope of policy
The City of Minneapolis aspires to operate its facilities in an environmental responsible manner. The City, through Sustainability Goals, has established specific measurements to ensure that continuous progress is being made to reduce the City’s use of natural resources and reduce the City’s impact on the natural environment.
The City’s goal is to provide comfortable and functional work spaces within its facilities using the least amount of energy derived from the burning of fossil based fuels as possible. To help achieve this goal, an Indoor Space Temperature policy and supporting operating procedures are necessary to establish a baseline for planning, customer service, and responsible facility management.
The City has a variety of facilities aging from brand new to some that are over 100 years old. The Property Management divisions will work cooperatively with the operating departments to make best efforts to adhere to the policy within the physical limits of the given facility and associated heating/cooling equipment.
The ability to manage temperature will vary from building to building, or given space, and will have an acceptable variance range of plus or minus two degrees Fahrenheit.
Full implementation of this policy will take time and capital investment.
- The purpose of this policy is to:
- Establish and ensure that consistent temperature set points are maintained in City owned and operated facilities to provide comfortable and functional work spaces using the least amount of fossil fuel based energy as possible.
- The intended outcomes are:
- Reduce the City’s utility costs associated with heating and cooling. This will be achieved by adhering to the established temperature set points, and comprehensive maintenance of the associated building systems.
- Reduce the City’s our carbon footprint by using less energy produced by the burning of fossil fuel. The City will also provide an example for others to follow
- Reduce hard and soft costs associated with Indoor Air Quality complaints associated with space temperature. This provides the City of Minneapolis a documented policy to refer to when addressing IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) and environmental comfort complaints regarding temperature set points and is consistent with the State of MN executive order number 05-16 signed into effect on November 10th, 2005.
- This policy will establish the following Temperature Set Points per space type.
| Space-Type |
Occupied (F°) |
Unoccupied (F°) |
| |
Summer |
Winter |
Summer |
Winter |
| General Office |
75° |
68° |
85° |
55° |
| Shop/Maint./Equip. Space |
NA |
65° |
NA |
55° |
| Transitional Space |
80° |
62° |
NA |
55° |
| Fire Stations |
74° |
68° |
85° |
55° |
| Gym/Work Out Area |
78° |
65° |
85° |
55° |
| Water Treatment Facilities |
NA |
55° |
NA |
55° |
| Warm Storage |
NA |
55° |
NA |
55° |
| Cold Storage |
NA |
55° |
NA |
55° |
- Scope: The following policy covers all the facilities owned and operated by the City of Minneapolis. This policy only applies to leased spaces where applicable.
- Out of Scope: This policy does not apply to the jointly owned City Hall/Courthouse (with Hennepin County) facility that is operated by the Municipal Building Commission.
II. Definitions
- Temperature Set Points
- Defined as a pre-established temperature level for a given space to ensure occupant comfort, efficient use of energy, and to responsibly manage the physical asset. The ability to manage temperature will vary from building to building, or given space, and will have an acceptable variance range of plus or minus two degrees Fahrenheit.
- Property Management
- Defined as Public Works - Property Services Division and the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC).
- Heating and Cooling Seasons
- Heating Season
- The heating season generally is from mid-September to mid- May of a given year. Heat will be provided to maintain interior temperatures to their designated set points.
- Cooling Season
- The cooling season generally is from mid-May to mid- October of a given year. Sit conditioning will be provided to maintain indoor temperatures to their designated set points.
- Space Occupancy - Defines the typical occupancy of the space for the purpose of determining what the heating and cooling needs are and determining the associated temperature set points.
- Occupied Space
- Defined as areas are regularly occupied (at or near full capacity) during a given time of day and week. Typically referred to as normal business hours for a given space.
- Unoccupied Space
- Defined as spaces that are not normally occupied (including light or intermittent) during a given time of the day and week.
- Space Types - Defines the typical use for the space and determines the heating and cooling needs, for purposes of comfort, structural considerations and safeguard of products and fixtures.
- General Office Space
- Defined as open or enclosed offices, meeting rooms, waiting areas, reception areas and common areas.
- Shop/Maintenance/Equipment Space
- Defined as spaces where vehicle and equipment maintenance activities are preformed. This also includes apparatus bays in Fire Stations.
- Transitional Space
- Defined as entrances, vestibules, skyways.
- Fire Stations
- Defined as buildings that are living quarters and functional spaces for firefighters who respond to emergences on 24 hour basis. See Exceptions to Policy
- Gym/Work Out Area
- Defined as any area that is used for light to strenuous physical exercise.
- Water Treatment Facilities
- Defined as buildings (or portions of buildings) that utilized by the Water Treatment and Distribution Division for the treatment of potable water. See Exceptions to Policy
- Warm Storage
- Defined as a space that is heated (but not cooled) in order to protect stored, equipment, liquids, or parts that would be damaged in extreme cold.
- Cold Storage
- Defined as a space with no requirement for heating other that to protect the physical condition of the building structure.
III. General conditions
- Personal Heating Units - The unauthorized use of personal heating units is strictly prohibited.
- The issuance of and authorized use of a personal heating unit will only be allowed be granted by the property management staff when conditions exist that prevent to proper control of temperature in a given space or if the use of such a device is the most energy efficient means of tempering the space.
IV. Roles and responsibilities
- Compliance
- Property Services
- Properly maintain all building mechanical systems and ensure that temperature controls are set within the policy.
- Monitor (via reports and site visits) buildings to ensure equipment is operating properly and occupant compliance is established.
- Report any incident of intentional or willful act to bypass any building controls will be reported to the appropriate Dept. Manager.
- Operating Departments
- Ensure that this policy is adopted and adhered to everyday practices.
- Educate Operating Department staff members on this policy.
- Ensure that any comfort issues are reported to Property Services in a timely manner in order for the issue to be addressed. NOTE: Notify Property Services for any equipment issues or malfunctions.
- Affirmatively act on any Willful or Repeat violations that may warrant disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
- Department Team Members
- Understand and adhere to the policy.
- Dress comfortably and ensure that the attire is appropriate for the season.
- Raise issues with Space Temperature Set points, IAQ concerns through the Property Services liaison for that facility.
- Exceptions to Policy
- A certified medical condition (as directed by Risk Management )
- Hospitality space that is rented out to a 3rd party (Convention Center) All estimated increases in energy costs will be included in the cost of the event.
- Water Treatment Spaces: At the discretion of the Superintendent of Water Treatment the temperature set point may be adjusted for proper treatment of the potable water.
- Fire Stations: Upon the agreement of the Director of Property Services and the Fire Chief, and under the direction of the Fire Chief, the Fire Department will have the discretion to adjust space temperatures on a temporary basis during extreme weather conditions.
- Request for Exceptions to Policy
- If there is a perceived operational need to deviate from this policy, it must be brought to the attention of the Director of Property Services or the Executive Director of the Convention Center for consideration. responsible for that space. Property Services will review all requests and make adjustments/accommodations as necessary to ensure a comfortable working environment for all Team Members.
- The use of space heaters and supplemental cooling devices is strictly prohibited, unless approved by MCC or Property Services.
- Our ability to manage temperature may vary by building, and therefore we will make our best attempt to accommodate the temperature set points outlined in this policy.
