Page 28 - School Planning & Management, March 2019

FACILITIES { LEARNING SPACES }
Control Freaks
Optimizing School Mechanical Systems By Paying Attention.
By Andrew LaRowe and Mike Raible
AWELL-DESIGNED energy savings program offers an additional benefit to facilities operations in the form of detecting abnormal issues with mechanical systems.
Imagine a school with perfect building systems. The HVAC and plumbing equipment would provide the correct level of comfort for everyone exactly when needed while maintaining a healthy and safe environment. It would continuously prevent pipes from freezing in the winter or allowing sensitive equip-
ment to overheat in the summer. All equipment would be out
of sight and run quietly in order to provide an optimal learning environment. All of this would be accomplished at the lowest possible cost and require very little maintenance. Unfortunately, for most school districts this is an elusive dream. With all the complexities associated with mechanical equipment in school buildings, most problems can be traced back to the controls we have in place for turning equipment on and off. School districts
28 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / MARCH 2019
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PHOTOS BY ANDREW LAROWE