Contractor e3 presents HVAC inventory and replacement plan to Vidor ISD trustees

Vidor Independent School District trustees received an informational presentation Monday from Adam Anders of e3 on the district’s HVAC inventory and a recommended replacement strategy.

Anders, business development manager for e3, said the district’s total cooling requirement is just under 2,500 tons and that 138 units are 15 years or older — a common useful life threshold for HVAC equipment. “Typically, useful life on these HVAC units is about 15 years,” Anders said.

Anders recommended budgeting to replace roughly 25 percent of the district’s tonnage every four to five years to avoid large, concentrated capital needs. He said about 24.5 percent of the district’s tonnage is currently at or above the 15‑year mark. E3 provided an order‑of‑magnitude estimate to replace the remaining units in the district of approximately $4.4 million to $5.5 million, and Anders noted recent inflation and tariffs have increased HVAC costs compared with prior estimates.

The presentation broke the district inventory down by campus and highlighted Vidor High School and Pine Forest Elementary as the largest tonnage needs. Anders also noted approximately 19 window air‑conditioning units remain in the district; some are located in the high school gym and junior high campus locker rooms. Board members and staff discussed including replacement needs in the bond and future budget planning; Bennett and administration said the bond work will remove some older wings and equipment, reducing the district’s immediate inventory.

Anders said e3 maintains an asset inventory and is moving toward a visual, map‑based tool to show unit locations and ages for easier long‑term scheduling. The presentation was informational; no motion or contract award was requested at the meeting.