Oakwood Schools to Receive New HVAC System

One of the only remaining components of the $18 million Oakwood City Schools renovation project in Dayton, Ohio, is the installation of a brand-new HVAC system for the high school/junior high building. Currently, about half of the 97-year-old building is running on a new system, and the other half still uses an outdated, steam-heated network, according to school district Operations Coordinator Todd Scott.

Scott said that renovations to the remaining half “will not start until we get safely through winter, when we won’t need them any more for the rest of the year and we can finish off tying all of the HVAC together once all of the rooms are done.”

The construction project, which has been in the works since 2019, is on budget and slated to be finished by August. The goal is to improve the infrastructure of buildings with an average age of more than 90 years old. Other upgrades include replacing roofing, adding new boilers, and bathroom renovations.

The school’s ventilation system is being reworked with the COVID-19 pandemic in mind. The variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system will provide better quality and higher-efficiency heat, and the distribution will allow the flow to mix with outside fresh air “to make sure we’re getting enough fresh air in the building for kids and staff,” said Scott.

Renovations in 2004 updated the heating and cooling systems in part of the building. During this next part of construction, the VRF system will be retrofitted into the rest of it.

The district is partnering on the project with Danis Construction, which has already almost completed work at two other schools. In addition to the HVAC system, remaining renovations to be finished at the high school/junior high building include ceiling replacements with new LED lights, environmental abatement, remodeling bathrooms, and installing a new electric transformer.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

Digital Edition