The European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels (the Berlaymont building) was forced to shut down its air-conditioning system due to the extreme heatwave affecting Belgium and much of Europe.

Staff working in the 13-story Berlaymont building received an urgent text message on Friday warning that, because of extreme weather conditions, the cooling system would be shut down on floors 1 through 7 for the remainder of the day. The decision was linked to record-breaking temperatures in the region.

The Berlaymont building houses European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s office (on the 13th floor), the commissioners’ offices (many on floors eight and above), and about 3,000 staff. With the cooling limited, the affected floors were those closer to the lower part of the building.

Belgium had been enduring very hot weather for about a week, and officials had also issued guidance to staff on reducing heat exposure during the hottest hours, including hydration and adjusting work patterns.