An extensive study of the Block Island School’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that was completed last March, but not implemented due to the pandemic shutdown, is once again back on the table as the school considers options on how to improve airflow inside the building.
School Supt. Mike Convery said that, due to the mild weather, air flow is not yet posing a problem because a good portion of school activities are taking place outside.
But with the cold weather coming in, upgrades will have to happen.
The HVAC study was completed by consulting engineers Garcia, Galuska and DeSousa. It includes three options that the School Building Committee, which met on Monday, Sept. 28, can consider.
There is a baseline option, that will cost $1.4 million; an option B that is described as a “mid-level HVAC system replacement and upgrades” that will cost $2,402,049. There is a third, “major” upgrade option that would cost $2,437,442.
Town Facilities Manager Sam Bird said in the meeting that he would like to “take a couple of pieces and parts” of the options “and do a little mix and match.” Bird said he didn’t think it would change the pricing
