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District staff detail CalSHAPE spending, HVAC strain and plan for districtwide assessment
Summary
District staff told the Facility Advisory Committee the district spent about $2.7 million in CalSHAPE/California Energy Commission funds during COVID on HVAC and plumbing work, outlined maintenance shortfalls that strained older units and described an RFP-funded districtwide HVAC assessment and plans to hire senior technicians.
Rafael Guzman, a district facilities presenter, told the Facility Advisory Committee that the district received about $2,700,000 from the California Energy Commission and used those funds on both ventilation and plumbing work during the 2023–24 school year. "We received about $2,700,000 in total, from the California Energy Commission, about 1,500,000.0 for repairs for our HVAC units, and about 1,200,000.0 for replacement of plumbing fixtures," Guzman said.
Why it matters: Guzman and committee members said the emergency filtration upgrades during COVID (installation of MERV‑13 filters) increased operating strain on older HVAC units and, combined with years of limited routine maintenance, contributed to continued failures that now require a districtwide assessment and capital decisions. Guzman said an outside firm was selected through an RFP to inspect every unit and estimate repair and replacement costs so the district can prioritize work and plan bids.
What staff presented: Guzman said the CalSHAPE funding supported specific measures — thousands of filter changes and unit tests plus plumbing fixture replacements — that met state eligibility rules during the funding round. He added that some fixtures and HVAC items did not qualify for reimbursement because they were newer and fell outside program thresholds, so the district replaced only qualifying items.
On next steps, Guzman described two procurement moves: a vendor assessment contract (to produce a districtwide inventory and cost estimates) and a later bidding process for repair and replacement contracts depending on the assessment outcomes. He warned that full districtwide replacement could be "a big number" and that priorities may change depending on sites already scheduled for renovation or demolition.
Committee questions and staff responses: Committee members asked about alternatives such as ductless mini‑split systems and the timeline for replacements. Guzman said the assessment will examine site electrical capacity and feasibility for alternate systems and that the district hopes to complete many repairs over the summer to avoid classroom disruption. He also said the district plans to recruit at least one senior HVAC technician and create cross‑training among trades to improve response and routine maintenance.
What remains unresolved: The assessment provider is expected to deliver costs and recommendations before the district finalizes bidding and replacement schedules, and those figures will determine whether immediate districtwide work is feasible or must be prioritized across sites.
Closing: Guzman said the district will bring assessment findings and procurement recommendations to staff and the committee for prioritization once the vendor completes its review.
