The study presents original primary research on how academic libraries manage heating, cooling, ventilation, and indoor air quality (IAQ). Drawing on responses from a diverse range of institutions, the report highlights systemic HVAC challenges that directly affect user comfort, staff workloads, and building performance.
The survey finds that HVAC discomfort is routine rather than occasional. More than two-thirds of responding libraries receive temperature complaints at least monthly, and over half report complaints weekly or daily, underscoring HVAC comfort as a persistent service issue rather than an isolated operational problem.
Key findings from the study include:
-
Limited local control of HVAC systems. While 40% of libraries operate dedicated building systems, nearly 56% rely on central plant or mixed systems, meaning most libraries lack full, direct control over their HVAC environments.
-
Temperature inconsistency is the leading complaint. “Too cold” conditions and large room-to-room variability are tied as the most common complaints, each cited by 33.33% of respondents, indicating control and zoning problems rather than capacity shortfalls.
-
IAQ monitoring is uncommon. A majority of libraries (51.11%) report no monitoring of IAQ metrics such as CO2, humidity, or particulates, despite frequent comfort complaints and confidence gaps in response readiness.
-
Humidity and moisture issues are widespread. One-third of libraries report a mold or significant moisture incident in the past 24 months, rising to 50% among buildings over 75 years old.
-
HVAC work is largely reactive. Nearly 60% of respondents say their HVAC-related work is mostly or more reactive than planned, reinforcing a cycle of complaint-driven response rather than proactive system management.
The report concludes that academic libraries are attempting to meet modern occupancy and comfort expectations with aging infrastructure and limited controls, resulting in chronic dissatisfaction and operational strain.