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Resident tells board Rio Rancho High School HVAC lacks required exhaust, urges maintenance changes
Summary
A resident and former mechanical inspector said Rio Rancho High School’s classroom ventilation units lack required exhaust air and alleged the site has been run on a 'run to fail' maintenance policy; the board accepted the public comment, no formal action recorded.
Chris Van den Hubel, identified during public comment as a former mechanical inspector, told the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board on Oct. 13 that he found code and ventilation problems at Rio Rancho High School and urged the district to improve preventive maintenance.
“It's the policy: run to fail,” Van den Hubel said, describing his 30 years of contracting and inspection work and saying Rio Rancho High School’s mechanical systems are not providing exhaust air that pairs with supply air in classroom rooftop units. He described large, custom-built evaporative cooler attachments on rooftop units that, he said, obstruct fresh-air vents and leave the system unable to function as designed.
Van den Hubel cited mechanical-ventilation code language during his three-minute public comment and said there is no building exhaust paired with the rooftop units, which prevents balanced ventilation. The board thanked him for the comment; no staff response or follow-up action was recorded during the meeting.
Ending: The board noted public comment procedures and invited community members to speak at future meetings; no formal maintenance directive was taken at the Oct. 13 meeting based on this comment.
