Summer break is the perfect time for school districts to tackle HVAC projects that can have a lasting impact on students when they return to school. In addition to ensuring optimal HVAC performance, these projects can improve indoor environmental quality, enhance the learning environment, and potentially save energy costs.

Here are 10 projects that can help you achieve these goals:

1. Schedule a controls inspection to review your building’s automation setpoints and schedules.

A thorough inspection by a controls service technician can help ensure that your building operates optimally during the summer months, identifying and addressing any issues before the school year starts. This will help ensure that your HVAC system runs efficiently and effectively.

2. Request a baseline HVAC inspection to recommission your key equipment and ensure it is performing as designed.

Our technicians can inspect the equipment for anomalies or necessary repairs, identify your energy usage baseline, and suggest strategies to make your system more efficient. With the summer break providing a window of opportunity, you can focus on your energy goals and adapt without the added stress of students in classrooms.

3. Consider adding an energy dashboard to visualize your energy spend, which is critical to managing and reducing your overall energy intensity.

Energy dashboards utilize data from your building controls system and energy meters to not only analyze your energy use but also uncover optimization and energy reduction opportunities. Energy savings and decarbonization are major initiatives, and an energy dashboard can help you achieve your goals.

4. Conduct an IEQ assessment with Brady to obtain a detailed evaluation of your indoor environmental quality (IEQ).

Our assessment includes a review of indoor air quality, lighting, acoustics, and thermal comfort, and we can provide recommendations for in-room sensors, cleaning technologies, lighting upgrades, and equipment updates to enhance how students and teachers perceive your space. Improving indoor environmental quality can lead to better student outcomes, including improved academic performance and attendance.

5. Consider upgrading your lighting, which is proven to be one of the best ways to enhance student performance and test scores.

It’s also a visible way to use federal funding for infrastructure updates. Networked lighting, integrated into your building controls, can save you energy and money. Upgrading to LED lighting can also reduce maintenance costs and improve the overall quality of light in your building.

6. Build a rental contingency plan for backup cooling or heating to prepare for unpredictable weather that can impact student performance and safety.

Brady can identify your critical HVAC equipment and reserve rental equipment in case of any equipment failure, ensuring your building is ready for any weather event that may occur. Contingency planning helps to ensure that your building is prepared for all situations.

7. Inspect, update, or replace your classroom unit ventilators to ensure optimal air quality in your classrooms.

A routine maintenance visit to inspect, clean, and repair units can get them back in working order and ensure that the air quality in your classrooms is optimal.

8. Add remote inspections and service to your regular maintenance routine to ensure optimal performance of your HVAC system.

By monitoring key indicators such as pressures, internal unit temperatures, and ramp time, equipment data can provide insights into overall unit health and performance. Brady can proactively identify equipment that may be nearing failure points and make corrections remotely, avoiding the need for a physical visit. When hands-on service is necessary, the data we capture remotely ensures that we come prepared with what we need on the first trip, saving time and money while ensuring optimal performance of your HVAC system.

9. Support your facilities staff with Tracer Ensemble Work Order Management and Tenant Services to ensure your building is always in top shape.

With anytime, anywhere access to your building via a building management system, your facilities staff can have peace of mind and respond quickly and efficiently to any issues that arise. This can help improve response times and ensure that your building is always in A+ shape.

10. Inventory and update your critical HVAC parts to avoid supply chain delays during an outage.

With supply chain challenges affecting all industries, including HVAC, it’s crucial to work with your Brady technician to ensure you have the necessary inventory to adapt during an outage. Don’t wait until your HVAC equipment goes down – having a ready inventory of critical parts and supplies can help get it back up and running quickly. Take the time to review the status of your filters and belts on key HVAC units and order backup inventory now to avoid supply chain delays in the future.