Weston board approves Option 3 VRF plan for North House HVAC, adds gym split unit

The Weston Board of Education voted to approve Landmark Facilities Group’s recommendation to install a VRF (variable refrigerant flow) heating and cooling system for the North House and to replace the gym unit with a split system.

Board Chair Steve opened discussion on the North House HVAC project, noting the feasibility work and multiple site visits Landmark performed. Adam, a consultant from Landmark Facilities Group, described four options considered: reuse/retrofit unit ventilators with a rooftop DOAS (Option 1); central rooftop RTUs with VAV zones (Option 2); a full VRF system delivering individually zoned heating and cooling to classrooms and a rooftop fresh air unit (Option 3); and a hybrid combining RTU on the second floor with VRF on the first (Option 4). Adam and Landmark emphasized Option 3’s operational flexibility and per-room zoning, while acknowledging it was costlier and might require less structural work than rooftop-ducted RTU solutions.

Board members pressed consultants and staff on costs, additional ‘‘soft’’ expenses (architectural, structural,…