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Board approves north‑end elementary HVAC replacement to improve ventilation and radon mitigation
Summary
The board approved a Trane unit purchase and turnkey installation under the OMNIA cooperative to replace the north outside air unit at the elementary building; district staff said the upgrade will increase airflow capacity, reduce infiltration and help manage radon and moisture concerns.
The Nevada Community School District Board of Education on July 7 approved a bid to replace the outside air unit on the north side of the elementary building, a project the district said will increase ventilation capacity, support radon mitigation and reduce temperature and moisture problems in classrooms.
Dave Cruz, the district’s building and grounds director, explained the project and recommended a larger replacement unit after field analysis and thermal imaging. “This is OAS 1, otherwise known as the heavy drive around the north side of the elementary. It's the outside air unit that brings in fresh air and brings the old air out,” Cruz told the board, describing a perimeter tunnel and ductwork that had contributed to air infiltration and heat loss.
Cruz said engineers from KCL Engineering carried out sizing and that the selected unit includes frequency drives and roughly 3,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM) nominal airflow with capacity up to 4,500 CFM if needed. The project includes insulation improvements to the tunnel and adjustments to electrical service (moving some load to the 480‑volt panel) and will be installed under a cooperative purchasing agreement through OMNIA. Cruz recommended the upgrade because existing equipment could not maintain comfortable conditions at the north end of the building during extreme cold and struggled to control summertime moisture.
The district estimated an 18–20 week lead time and said crews hope to perform major lifting and installation during winter break to limit classroom disruption. Cruz also said the upgrade will help maintain negative tunnel pressure for radon mitigation and reduce teachers’ need to block registers in cold weather; the board discussed state radon testing requirements and learned the district completed radon testing ahead of a five‑year testing requirement.
When the board called for a vote, a motion and second were made to approve “the bid from Trane for the HVAC unit on the north end of the elementary building for the amount listed on your packet.” The motion passed with the board voting in favor; according to meeting minutes the item was approved as presented.
District staff said funding will come from the district’s SAVE worksheet and that an updated SAVE schedule will be provided at a later time. Cruz said most components are turnkey and that he preferred upsizing the unit rather than replacing with the existing capacity.
