{"id":43687,"date":"2017-09-13T15:43:23","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T19:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionspecifier.com\/?p=43687"},"modified":"2017-09-13T15:43:23","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T19:43:23","slug":"making-the-upgrade-with-hvac-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionspecifier.com\/making-the-upgrade-with-hvac-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Making the (up)grade with HVAC systems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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All \u00a9<\/strong> photos Modine Manufacturing. All photos courtesy Regal<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

by Paul Selking
\n<\/strong>As K\u221212 school budgets dwindle and energy costs rise, fewer resources are dedicated to school operations and maintenance. As a result, the health and performance<\/a> of these buildings (and the students and staff inside) suffer. With the cost to maintain and improve educational facilities increasing, schools need to invest in retrofits and ongoing maintenance to assert control over their utility costs.<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency<\/a> (EPA), the nation\u2019s 17,450 K\u221212 school districts spend more than $8 billion annually on energy\u2014more than is spent on textbooks and computers combined. An estimated $2 billion of that total could be saved by improving energy efficiency in schools, equivalent to the cost of nearly 40 million new textbooks. Complicating these calculations is the aging of America\u2019s public schools, which are, on average, 44 years old, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The \u2018functional age\u2019 of public schools, when renovations are factored in, is 19 years.<\/p>\n

The good news is energy is one of the few expenses that can be decreased without negatively affecting classroom instruction. Thousands of school boards have figured out ways to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, demonstrating smart energy choices can have lasting benefits for their students, their communities, and the environment. Along with achieving significant energy cost savings, investing in energy efficiency can produce environmental, economic, and educational benefits.<\/p>\n

Improving schools\u2019 energy efficiency and outcomes
\n<\/strong>EPA has found increasing energy efficiency in K\u221212 school buildings can have the indirect benefit of bettering acoustic comfort, enabling effective communication by minimizing audible disturbance from outside and inside, and improving student performance. Additionally, the money saved from lower energy bills can help schools pay for building upgrades that enhance the health and quality of students\u2019 learning environments\u2014examples include skylights for daylighting, retrofitted shading devices, energy-efficient windows, and better insulation. School districts throughout the country are realizing energy improvements<\/a> have the potential to save the nation\u2019s schools $1.5 billion each year and, at the same time, create better learning environments.<\/p>\n

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For schools, the design and selection of the right HVAC system should combine a choice of engineered products efficiently providing conditioned air to the space at optimal energy while adding architectural features complementing the interior design.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The physical condition of school facilities affects the performance, comfort, and stress levels of students and teachers alike. A wide body of research illuminates the relationships between the physical and human performance of schools, including the links between:<\/p>\n