Every single classroom has windows that open and ceiling fans! That means that during mild weather, you can get fresh air without turning on the heating system. And it means that you can be comfortable without air-conditioning for more months of the year. Fans create a cooling effect as the breeze passes over our skin that can make us feel up to 10°F cooler.
Stratification means that the air in our spaces settles into layers based on temperature. Cold air is denser, so it sinks down to the floor, while warmer, lighter air rises to the ceiling. When the heat is on, the fans can push the heat down closer to where you are.
What about when the windows are closed? Our campus has a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) - which means that fresh air is delivered to you all day long, and stale air is exhausted out. Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) grab the heat from the stale air on its way out and transfer it to the fresh air that comes in. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) sensors respond to the number of people breathing in a space. They will turn the ERV fans up when there are a lot of people in the space, or turn them down when the fresh air is not needed.