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Board hears multi‑year HVAC replacement plan; libraries without air conditioning highlighted as near‑term priority
Summary
District staff and consultants briefed trustees on premature failures of mini‑split classroom systems installed in 2017–2020 and outlined a phased replacement and expansion program (libraries/multi‑purpose rooms first, then classroom replacements); estimated orders‑of‑magnitude costs and DSA timelines prompted a request for detailed life‑cycle, energy, and prioritization data.
District staff and Energy Systems Group (ESG) consultants presented a multi‑phase HVAC plan and asked the board for prioritization direction.
Background: RBUSD installed mini‑split classroom cooling systems from 2017–2020. Staff said those units were stressed during COVID (operated while windows/doors remained open) and many have experienced failures before the expected 10‑year service life. The board was told that replacing and expanding HVAC to include multipurpose rooms and libraries could be costly (consultants summarized a broad scope that included a roughly $9 million figure for adding AC to multi‑purpose rooms and several libraries) and would require DSA review and multi‑year phasing.
Board priorities requested: trustees asked staff to prioritize installing AC in libraries that currently lack it (Alta Vista, Lincoln and Washington were named), to provide a clear phase schedule for classroom replacement rounds, to return with lifecycle and maintenance cost comparisons (current mini‑split approach vs. heat‑pump packaged solutions), and to show the electrical and operating‑cost implications. Trustees stressed air filtration and CO2 monitoring (MERV/MV13 recommendations) and asked whether systems should include door interlocks that shut off HVAC when exterior doors are opened to avoid damage if the district ever had to operate units with open windows again.
Funding and timing: staff identified Measure S and deferred‑maintenance funds as likely funding sources and said projects would be scheduled to take advantage of summer construction windows; because many projects need DSA approval, timelines could extend a year or more before installation.
Next steps: staff and ESG will return with itemized costs for library and multipurpose room options, phased replacement sequencing with firm cost estimates, energy and maintenance projections, and DSA timing so the board can set priorities for Measure S allocations.
