What’s the deal with school air? Inconsistency in classroom temperatures

As the seasons change, classrooms across the district have a strange inconsistency in the temperature that affects most everyone in the building. Many see this as a problem or a sign of malfunction, but the truth is that it has a rather positive effect on both the school and the environment.

Understanding how the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system works is the key to understanding why this inconsistency persists.

According to Randall Ashman, the director of facilities service, “All district buildings can remotely be monitored and controlled via the district’s IT network. This ability allows building operators and maintenance staff to remotely diagnose issues from a central location.”

UHS is not unique in this aspect.

“Implementing a Building Automation System (BAS) HVAC control for large commercial buildings is standard in the industry and is essentially required by the energy conservation code,” added Ashman.

A centrally-controlled network is used to limit the temperature in a specific room as an “energy-saving measure,” according to Ashman. Ameren, the energy provider that the district uses, helps the school to save money, while also lowering the amount of energy waste.

So the next time your classroom is too cold or too hot, remember it is not some problem that needs to be fixed, but rather a measure to not waste excessive money and power on solving minor inconveniences!