FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Although many military installations don’t begin their transition from heating to cooling season until mid-May, Fort Irwin’s Directorate of Public Works started and completed the process in April.
“Controlling temperatures in our buildings during the transition between the heating and cooling seasons is always a difficult task as we experience comfortable outside air temperatures during the evening and warmer temperatures during the day,” Rob Gerner, DPW Engineering Technician said. “Temperatures may vary considerably as cold and warm fronts move across Fort Irwin”
Summer temperatures at the National Training Center stay well above 90 degrees on many days and the installation is prepared. DPW has already completed that long-awaiting transition from heating to cooling to most of the buildings and facilities on Fort Irwin. In the summer, 78 degrees is the desired temperature and in the winter, it’s 68 degrees. These temperatures provide energy savings for occupied working and living spaces. These recommendations come from contractual policies, specifically AR 420-1.
Installation Support Service Contractor (HDSS) is a department within DPW and is the contractor that performs the transition of all facilities. The DPW maintains appropriate cooling for facility systems controlled by the centralized Energy Management Control System. If the occupants/mission requires cooling lower than allowable temperature ranges, building occupants must request an exception through the DPW.
“Occupants will experience cooler than normal building temperatures in the early morning, as the building is cool from the introduction of outside air,” Gerner said. “The building will gradually warm up due to the heat generated by the occupants, equipment, lights, and warming outside air temperatures entering the building.”
There was an order of sequence/schedule for DPW to make each and every building make that transition from heat to cool. All child care facilities, Soldier barracks, community service facilities, such as chapels, theater, commissary and exchange stores were all completed on time.
DPW has a message for the community. “Thank you for taking the time to better understand the issues that we deal with during the transition between heating season and cooling season and for your patience as we deal with these issues,” Gerner said.
For more information about the heating to cooling season transition call 760-380-3742.