Board approves HVAC upgrades for Southeast and phased controls work at Southwest

The Board of Education approved two contracts with Precision Control Systems to address aging heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment in district schools.

Matt Ernst, lead engineer and project manager for Precision Control Systems, described the Southeast project as similar to an earlier Northeast School upgrade. The Southeast scope replaces existing classroom unit ventilators with a central chilled-water cooling plant, removes aging pneumatic controls and installs a modern digital control system the district can monitor and maintain. The board-approved contract for Southeast is $3,040,000.

Ernst said the Southwest work is a phase‑1 controls project targeted to the 100-wing classrooms that experienced the most severe humidity problems. That proposal replaces existing controls in 10 classrooms and adds pressure-related controls to limit humid outside air infiltration; the board approved the Southwest contract for $161,000. Ernst said work is scheduled for second shifts and spring break to reduce classroom disruption, and that the upgrades are designed to be additive to future capital work.

Board members asked whether the phased Southwest work would need to be undone by later projects; Ernst said the work is compatible with future upgrades and would not need to be removed. The administration said the Southeast work is planned for the upcoming summer, subject to material lead times and scheduling.