Sweaty start for 2,000 students when the university’s cooling system crashed for the exam

– If I suffer in the heat? It depends on whether it is completely still and hot air, sauna. Or is it like … survivors, says student Thorbjørn Iversen Nilsen. On the website of the University of Southeast Norway (USN) you can read the following: Photo: Skjermdump usn.no They could hardly have meant warm in exactly this way. Inside the university. The cooling system has gone into the evening – and it may take many evenings before a cool breeze again blows blessed air over the warm heads of students and teachers. – Regrettable and demanding – No, it’s not just putting in a new fuse. I have heard that it can take about one month. There is settlement damage in the ground that requires excavation, says Petter Aasen, professor of educational science and rector at USN. Rector at the University of Southeast Norway, Petter Aasen. Photo: Robert Hansen / news This is confirmed by Entra’s technical manager, Torbjørn Isene. – This is a very regrettable situation. It is demanding for the employees, and unfortunate for the students who are about to start a new semester. On Monday, students gathered outside the campus in Drammen. New semester. Welcome speeches and music. Hot as in the devil’s oven, and ditto sweaty pans. One whispers to another: “Phew. Almost thinking about cremation”. – Yes, there is a tropical atmosphere in Drammen. But the challenge is great when there are southern temperatures, says principal Aasen. Unfortunately, it is also like this inside the university. Ida Cecilie Berget had not yet made the trip in before she spoke to news. But she guesses that it will be hot: – I have heard the news about the cooling system, yes. I hope we can take a trip out eventually. Otherwise, I think it will be a bit heavy… Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – We have been told that there might be something out, shorter teaching hours and an alternative scheme. At least we’ll be nice and warm in here, and the concentration? Yes, it’s getting worse, say friends Nina Alslie Dybdal and Hanne Wendelbo. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – It’s hot. Clumsy air. Of course it can affect concentration. But it could have been worse, could have been corona yet, say Marte Kleven Nordli and Hanna Letmolje. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – I received a message that a cooling system had broken down, so it can get really hot and sweaty inside that auditorium, says Cathrine Korbu Nilsen, who is not worried that the heat may take a toll on concentration . Have to rent premises and move the teaching With the situation at Papirbredden and a diagnosis that indicates that it will take about one month to repair the facility, we ask the headmaster: – Has it been relevant to move the teaching? – Yes. Firstly, this applies to one of the buildings. Papirbredden 1. We have searched for suitable premises that we can rent, within walking distance of the campus, replies the rector. 2,000 students are ready for a new semester. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – It’s not just moving 2,000 students? – No, absolutely not. We have one building that we use. We measure the temperatures and see what we can accept in the auditoriums. If it gets too hot, we just have to rent more premises. However, most of the students seem to take this in stride. But they said that before they had been inside the building. A building that can quickly become a greenhouse when the temperature is as it is. Sydenvarme Rector Petter Aasen explains that as soon as the temperature drops below 19 degrees, you can run the ventilation system without cooling. Now they put their trust in nature and hope for colder days. According to the forecasts, the temperature should be between 24 and 28 degrees throughout the week. With some rain in between. In other words: Hot and humid. Zero air conditioning. And boiled student brains. Student Thorbjørn Iversen Nilsen can’t help but smile and laugh: – Drammen is a good and warm city at the moment! 28 degrees today. – And that’s how it will be inside as well. Or even hotter. – Yes. It will probably be a bit much for some, I think… it will be hot in the south!



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