Student dorm AC installations fast-tracked in Shandong

Universities in East China's Shandong province are moving quickly to install air conditioning in student dormitories to deal with the severe heat.

The recent heat wave has aroused public concerns. Online discussions escalated following the death of a property management staff member at Qingdao University on Sunday.

Early on Monday morning, the university confirmed the employee had died in a duty room, prompting public attention to campus conditions.

In response to media inquiries on Monday, Qingdao University's admissions office said the university will begin air conditioner installations in student dormitories during the summer vacation, according to a report on Xinhua's website.

Also on Monday, Yantai Nanshan University, which had also faced reports of a student suffering from heatstroke, announced it had allocated funds to begin electrical upgrades and air conditioner installation in dorms, alongside implementing other cooling measures.

Shandong's meteorological authorities have issued multiple high-temperature alerts since mid-June.

The provincial meteorological observatory renewed its orange high-temperature warning (the second-highest level) Friday morning, stating that under the influence of a subtropical high-pressure system, most inland areas experienced scorching temperatures of 37-39 C on Wednesday and Thursday.

It forecast this extreme heat would persist through Tuesday, reaching above 37 C and locally exceeding 40 C.

Public announcements on university websites and official channels reveal several Shandong institutions are now fast-tracking dormitory air conditioning projects.

Shandong Technology and Business University in Yantai initiated a trial run of its student apartment central air conditioning system on June 12.

Yantai University announced on June 19 that its student dormitory and facilities upgrade project received approval from the Shandong Provincial Development and Reform Commission. The project, spanning two years, will prioritize installing dorm air conditioners using 2025 funding.

Binzhou Medical University in Binzhou and Ludong University in Yantai both announced on June 21 that their student dormitory upgrade projects had been approved. These include installing air conditioners in all dorms and necessary electrical capacity upgrades.

Shandong Business Institute in Yantai stated on June 30 that it plans to commence air conditioner installation in student apartments during the upcoming summer vacation.