Consultants recommend fuel‑switch HVAC and ventilation upgrades for Francis Anderson Center; price trimmed to about $8.5 million

Consultants working with the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services and Edmonds staff presented an investment‑grade audit of the Francis Anderson Center on Jan. 28, recommending a fuel‑switch to an electric variable‑refrigerant‑flow (VRF) heating and cooling system, installation of a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS), refurbishment of gym air handling equipment and a hybrid electric domestic hot water plant.

The audit’s team said the recommended package would remove the building’s reliance on natural‑gas boilers that are at the end of their useful life, add mechanical ventilation and filtered outdoor air, and provide individual temperature control for different rooms. The presenters told the council the work would help the city comply with Washington State’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard (the Francis Anderson Center is categorized…