On numerous occasions, on this blog, we have discussed an issue that is plaguing the school districts in this country.  A large number of the building serving as educational spaces for the children of the nation have HVAC systems that are 20- or even 30 years old.  They are no longer providing reliable, efficient heating or cooling for the spaces, and with each year that passes, the likelihood of a major failure increases.  Yet, to do a full replacement of these systems would cost far more than many of the districts can afford to spend.  There are, essentially, four choices for schools facing this problem:

1. Take a chance on the aging system, and perhaps do slight upgrades – new sensors, controls, thermostats, filters, etc. – to keep it running.
2. Attempt to have a new budget approved that would raise the burden on the taxpayers, in order to afford a replacement system.
3. Seek private donors willing to invest in the school.
4. Apply for a grant.

This fourth option is what one district recently decided to try for.  They have submitted a grant request for one million dollars.  It sounds like an extravagant sum to many, but the money is needed to replace the HVAC systems in three buildings, all of which are more than twenty-five years old.  Problems have arisen that suggest that these systems are in dire need of replacement, and a lack of funds has made it impossible to put out a request for bids from the local HVAC contracting companies.  The grant would make it all possible.  Written into the plan is the desire to employ safety sensors and controls, which could improve the efficiency of the systems, prolong their life spans, and also ensure the wellbeing of the children and teachers using the space.