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Indoor environment — South Campus staff have to, once again, leave their workplaces due to mould. The university does not yet know how long it will take, but promises a solution.
The mould problems at the University of Copenhagen’s (UCPH) South Campus buildings appear to be growing.
The university confirmed the presence of mould in Building 21 in December 2024, which led to extensive investigations and the relocation of staff. Now tests show that the problem is even more widespread.
READ ALSO: Mould found on South Campus
The latest measurements have found mould in Buildings 22 and 27, meaning that more employees will have to work from home or be relocated.
On the University of Copenhagen intranet KUnet (requires login), the university states that the decision to send employees home has been made as a precautionary measure. Until alternative workplaces can be found either on, or near, campus, affected employees will have to manage without their usual office facilities.
The mould issue comes at an extremely inconvenient time. As part of a reform of the administration, the University of Copenhagen is already in the middle of a major relocation of administrative staff, making the situation even more complex.
Mould issue at South Campus
The University of Copenhagen has set up a dedicated page on KUnet where staff and students can be updated.
Regular online meetings are held where university management provides updates and answers questions.
In the KUnet statement, Deputy Director for Campus Service, Karen Dilling, acknowledges that finding solutions will take time. But she remains optimistic:
»We remain hopeful and expect that we will soon be able to find temporary solutions for everyone. We are fully aware of the burden it places on individuals to suddenly be without their office and personal belongings,« she says.
The university states that department heads will assess which employees have the most urgent need for an alternative workplace. For example, IT security staff must still have physical access to campus, while others may have home environments that make remote work difficult.
In recent weeks, dust and air samples have been taken in Buildings 21, 22, and 27, as well as physical samples in Buildings 21 and 22. Similar tests will soon be conducted in Building 27. So far, all employees in the affected areas have been asked to work from home unless they have been assigned another space on campus.
The university is planning further sample collection in the coming weeks. Floors that have not yet been tested will also be examined — including areas previously considered unaffected by water intrusion.