Facilities News & Announcements

Auraria Campus Spring Cooling 2024 

Each winter, into spring, on average, Denver’s risk of frost is from Oct. 1 through May 9. However, Denver usually receives frost from Oct. 14 through April 24. 

Given this long window for potential frost and freezing temperatures, AHEC Facilities has to carefully plan the annual start-up of cooling systems that have historically shown the potential to freeze and cause damage to buildings and other infrastructure. 

This year, the start-up process will begin the week of April. 15 and will include the following cooling system and buildings: 

• North Chiller Plant  
• Library – North Chiller Plant 
• Arts – North Chiller Plant 
• Old Science – North Chiller Plant 
• South Chiller Plant  
• Boulder Creek – South Chiller Plant 
• Cherry Creek – South Chiller Plant 
• West Class – South Chiller Plant 
• Central Class – South Chiller Plant 
• Plaza 
• PE/Events Center 
• Rectory 

The process of filling, bleeding air, and chemically treating takes about a week, and afterward, these systems are enabled. The cooling systems in all other buildings may require small start-up tasks but should also be ready to start in the next 2 weeks.  

This year’s start-up project will also include the start-up of the newly renovated North Chiller Plant. AHEC replaced two 30-year-old chillers, pumps, cooling towers, and associated electrical equipment with new, state-of-the-art equipment that will provide more reliable and energy-efficient cooling for the buildings served by the North Chiller Plant. 

Denver’s weather can be unpredictable, and we will inevitably have warm days between October and May when these systems are disabled, some buildings and building spaces at AHEC will be warm. While this may result in some short-term discomfort, AHEC Facilities believes this is the most responsible approach to maintaining campus infrastructure through the cold winter months.