With our newest buildings having opened in 2003, some of the components essential to their functioning are reaching the end of their expected lifespan. With that in mind, the Board of Education voted at their December meeting to accept a bid to replace the high school chiller, which is essential to maintaining a reasonable temperature in all high school and some middle school classrooms when it is warm outside. Once that project is complete, air conditioning will be added to the high school gymnasium to provide climate control for that area which acts as a classroom during the school day and sports venue and event center after school hours.
Why is now the right time to complete these projects? Initially, our goal was to proactively replace the chiller since the middle school chiller and elementary condenser installed at the same time as the high school chiller have both already broken down and been replaced. We know the clock is ticking on replacing the high school chiller, and doing it now will help us avoid time without climate control as warm weather approaches. Because the chiller is responsible for cooling all of the high school classrooms (including the auditorium, cafeteria, and the middle school classrooms not in the 1917 building) and has an expected lifespan of 18-22 years, we wanted to be proactive to replace the chiller prior to it breaking down since it takes about six months to complete the bid, design, acquisition, and installation of a chiller.
Could the parts within the current chiller be repaired instead of installing a new chiller? That option was also considered, but with a compressor and the necessary refrigerant costing almost half as much as a new unit, we didn’t see retrofitting the chiller as good fiscal stewardship. Mr. Casey Morman, our Maintenance and Facilities Supervisor who has an extensive background in HVAC, also suggested that our current 100-ton chiller is a bit undersized and struggles to keep the building cool on hot days, so we are upgrading to a 110-ton chiller, which will increase the unit’s capabilities by approximately 10%. This new chiller is the largest we could install without facing the high expense of replacing piping and wiring for the unit.
In the process of working with Buehrer Group Architecture & Engineering, Inc., to replace the chiller, we also asked them to explore if this would be a good time to add air conditioning to the gymnasium since it is one of the only classrooms in the district without air conditioning. The gymnasium is available as a classroom for eight periods a day for physical education classes and during middle school and high school lunches and acts as a sports venue for games and practices and event center for graduation, the elementary arts extravaganza, and more. Because of that, our Board of Education decided this is the right time to make an investment in the future of our students and community.
Mr. Richie Van Hoose, a physical education teacher at Van Buren, said he is looking forward to the climate control in his classroom, but he is also looking forward to the additional upgrades that will be coming with the addition of air conditioning since the current air handlers are loud when the heating system runs, making it difficult for students to hear his instruction. The overall upgrades include the following:
Adding a 50-ton air-conditioning unit installed on the roof above the industrial technology shop.
Removing the two air handlers in the gymnasium, which are both over 50 years old and past their life expectancy, and removing the ceiling ductwork, vents, exhaust fans, and air intakes.
Removing the inoperable air handler in the middle locker room.
Replacing the damaged grills over the air return vents.
Increasing the size of the exhaust fans in the locker rooms to increase airflow in those areas.
Repainting the ceiling and walls of the gymnasium.
Replacing the gymnasium doors.
Numerous benefits will come from an air-conditioned gymnasium. First, in addition to physical education students being more comfortable and better able to hear in their classroom during the day, athletes will benefit. Mr. Mark Bunn, who has coached volleyball previously and currently coaches boys’ basketball, said, “Climate control is what we need in the gymnasium.” He said there were times when the temperature was a safety concern as his volleyball players would get overheated during summer and early fall practices. Bunn also said that even though basketball is a winter sport, the gym becomes too hot during games because so many people are in one space.
In addition to helping the students and families who attend events, there are also other benefits that will lead to improved health and continued fiscal stewardship. According to Buehrer Group, the new system will introduce outside air into the locker rooms to increase air circulation, and the lower relative humidity will help reduce the growth of dust mites, fungi, and other common allergens affecting students who have asthma or allergies. Likewise, the lower humidity throughout the summer, according to Trane, the manufacturer of the air-conditioning unit, will increase the life of this gym floor and future gym floors by limiting wood expansion and warping.
In the end, Superintendent Dr. Jason Inkrott emphasized that adding air conditioning comes down to doing what is best for the long-term plans of our district. He said, “All of the plans for the future of our district discussed over the last four years have included us maintaining the high school gymnasium. We do need additional gym space, but new gyms are expensive to build, so we need to maintain our gymnasiums and maximize their usefulness so they can be used for decades to come.”
Replacement of the chiller is anticipated to begin in April and be finished by early May. The gymnasium renovations will begin after the graduation ceremony on May 31. The gym air-conditioning project is expected to be completed by the end of July, before the start of the fall sports season.
We also appreciate the involvement and input of our Facilities Committee as they provided guidance and helped bring these projects to fruition.
As we continue to create an environment where we can effectively build thinkers, experiences, and connections, the chiller upgrade and addition of air conditioning to the gymnasium will continue pushing us closer to that goal.