Board uncertain on high-school HVAC noise as third‑party testing is completed

Neighbors raised concerns about noise from the Concord High School’s new HVAC equipment; district facilities staff said they ran the system at maximum and normal loads, contracted a third‑party industrial hygienist to measure decibel levels, and expected test results within a week.

Capital facilities director Jack Cashman told the board the team “put it on full operation” to get maximum decibel readings, then tested normal operation and reduced loads to isolate the chiller, which staff believe is the likely source of the noise. Cashman said the team will compare the measurements to local ordinances and then consider operational adjustments to minimize impacts while maintaining required performance.

Facilities staff also updated the board on summer work across the district: flooring and painting projects, service‑entry repair at Beaver Meadow, and a completed Bow Brook culvert replacement that crews finished the Friday before school started. Board members praised the facilities team for completing the culvert work on schedule and for protecting the recently replaced high‑school roof; staff said roofing manufacturer representatives reviewed and warranted all roof penetrations prior to equipment installation.

Board members discussed potential aesthetic steps — screening or encapsulating rooftop equipment — but staff said those measures can be costly and require structural analysis; no change was authorized at the Sept. 8 meeting. Facilities staff said any future screening or encapsulation would require further study of roof structural capacity and additional funding.