Air conditioned labs and ice cream: How local university students are keeping cool

The heat wave continues in Waterloo region and Guelph this week and students on local university and college campuses will continue their studies, whether they have air conditioning or not.

For University of Waterloo PhD student Megan Byres, her solution is to stay on campus and indoors while the sun is up.

"Mostly I just stay in the lab all day, everyday," she said. "We have good air conditioning in there."

Student Jeevan Parmar has a sweet solution.

"I've been eating a lot of ice cream, to be honest," he said. 

Concerns have been raised by some students and faculty at both University of Waterloo and Conestoga College this summer due to the heat. So far in July, there have been four days over 30 C with more expected this week.

At the University of Waterloo, some students have raised concerns that UW Place student residence doesn't have any air conditioning. A petition says going into the hallways of the building "will leave you more soaked with sweat than standing outside in the blazing sun."

The Change.org petition has just 16 signatures, but the University of Waterloo says they take student safety seriously and are doing what they can to help students. The university says they are providing portable AC units or even relocating students with medical and disability-related issues. 

As well, those students who reach out regarding heat concerns will get support from Waterloo's housing team, the school said. 

Another residence available to students is Claudette Millar Hall, which students can move to, but it does cost more to live there.

"Waterloo's long-term residence plan includes improved temperature control and air conditioning as we build new residences and revitalize existing spaces, including in UW Place," the university's statement said. "However, these updates will require significant financial investment."

HVAC updates at Conestoga

At Conestoga College, two unions representing staff said the air conditioning hasn't been working well enough to keep people cool.

There were allegations the school was trying to save money by reducing the use of air conditioning, but the college said in a statement to CBC News that they have "not implemented cutbacks to AC usage for cost-saving purposes."

"This is an isolated issue and not related to the college's sustainability commitments," the email response continued. 

Conestoga said that the changes this summer to the air conditioning is because the HVAC system in some buildings is undergoing repairs, which has affected the ability of the system to cool buildings.

The college also said they have made "the strategic move to reduce hours of operation in lower-traffic buildings during non-peak times" and said this is consistent with the college's "sustainability commitments and [is] guided by occupancy data."

Fewer students are on the University of Guelph and Wilfrid Laurier University campuses this summer and the schools say they haven't heard of any issues.

"Because of those smaller numbers, most students on campus have access to air conditioning," the University of Guelph said in an email.. 

Laurier said classes, events and conferences "are held in buildings with air conditioning and residences are currently vacant."

Some like it hot

Steven Flisfeder, a meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, says even if the current heat alert is lifted, people can expect it to be hot and humid all week.

People should be "making sure you're drinking lots of water, especially before you start to feel thirsty, just so you're continuously hydrated through the heat," he said.

Flisfeder added people can stay cool by limiting time outdoors, taking part in strenuous activity, and seek out a cool, shaded area for relief during the hottest parts of the day.

Back on the University of Waterloo campus, not all students are melting in the sweltering temperatures.

Math student Azzahra Yeasmin said 35 C is normal heat for her. 

"I'm from somewhere where the weather is like 35 C, 36 C," said Yeasmin, who is from Bangladesh. "This is nothing."

Some other students are even enjoying the heat. 

Patrick Bennett said that while he does try to stay hydrated as much as possible and not go out unless necessary, he still enjoys going out and soaking up the sun.

"I'd rather it be 35 C than 20 C," Bennett said, noting he goes out for runs regularly and participates in sports as much as he can regardless of the heat. 

Levent Eren, Bennett's friend and fellow student, said wearing light-coloured shirts and shorts is another solution. 

He suggests just enjoying the sun while it's there because when it's not sunny in Ontario, "it's gloomy otherwise."