Central's new heating system may be working in few weeks

Improvements to Central High School's heating and air conditioning are still pending seven months after an outside contractor was hired to fix the system's inefficiencies.

While a new HVAC system may be in working order in the next few weeks, the school district is still considering a possible lawsuit over the original system's problems, which added up to around $40,000 in extra electricity costs each year.

"We're still in discussion with all the involved parties. There is no litigation at this point," said Mark Bowles, Cape Girardeau superintendent.

Control Technology and Solutions, the St. Louis company hired to make the improvement, is currently working on converting computer controls from the old system to the new.

Cape Girardeau maintenance supervisor J.B. McClard said the conversion has gone smoothly.

"The problem is just tweaking the controls," McClard said.

The high school is still operating on the old system, though there have been test phases with the new system. It may take a few more weeks to work the bugs out and get the new system online, McClard said.

Guaranteed work

The cost of the new system, around $240,000, is being paid for through a guaranteed performance contract with CTS. The contract, for which the firm was the only bidder, guarantees that the district will see an annual savings of at least $24,000 -- the approximate cost of the yearly payment on the project, in system improvements.

If the district does not see that amount in savings every year for the next 10 years, then it does not have to pay for the system.

So far this winter, though, Central students and staff have dealt with the old system, which leaves classroom temperatures varying widely.

"We still have an awful lot of cold season left, but whatever season we're in if the system is working more efficiently, we'll see savings," Bowles said.

The HVAC problems at Central have gone on since the school opened in the fall of 2002.

Wm. B. Ittner Inc. of St. Louis, the architectural firm hired to plan the new high school, Kiefner Brothers Inc. of Cape Girardeau, the general contractors, K-2 Consultants of Bloomsdale, Mo., the engineers for the project, and Associated Sheet Metal, the Jackson-based mechanical contractor that actually installed the system, all say the problems are not their fault and that technically the system is working as it is supposed to.

The contractors and representatives from Trane, the manufacturer, examined the heating and cooling system numerous times during the past two years, but the problems were never remedied.

Eventually, district officials asked CTS to examine the system and offer suggestions.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128