Perkiomen Valley SD says ESCO HVAC delays fixed; vendors to absorb extra costs

Phil Mowry, the district—s owner—s representative on the ESCO project, told the Perkiomen Valley School District Safety & Operations Committee on Oct. 9 that significant HVAC delivery delays and incorrect shipments disrupted summer work but did not leave the district financially exposed.

"Had I given this talk two weeks before that, I would never have thought we—d have pulled it off," Mowry said, summarizing a summer that required on‑site rebuilding of rooftop units and extra work to keep buildings operational. He said several units were delivered late or wrong, forcing teams to dismantle existing equipment in July and reassemble it so classrooms would have air conditioning for the first day of school.

Mowry told the committee that temporary measures were used to restore ventilation and that more complete replacement work will continue over the coming weeks. He emphasized that the delays have produced "well beyond triple digits" in additional project costs but said, "none of those costs are coming to Perk Valley School District; they are being divvied up against the parties responsible."

Staff said CM3, the ESCO contractor, has kept mechanics on site and is coordinating with the major supplier to resolve lingering issues such as chiller load resets and final testing of air handling unit duct detectors. Mowry said he sat in on supplier meetings to ensure the district—s interests were protected and that ongoing warranty, testing and completion work remains under district oversight.

Committee members asked for follow‑up where parts were delayed and for timelines on when auditorium and stage units will be fully online. No formal vote or contract change was taken at the meeting; staff said they will report back as remaining items come off the punch list.