HVAC for schools, colleges and universities
Students learn better in classrooms with fresh air, quiet systems and steady temperatures, and campus labs need fume hoods that protect the people using them. We design, commission and tune HVAC for school boards, colleges and universities, often while classes continue.
What makes it hard
- Classrooms are densely occupied, and too little outdoor air shows up as high CO2, stuffiness and complaints.
- Teaching and research labs need fume hoods and room pressures that work, without wasting energy around the clock.
- Many schools run on aging boilers, unit ventilators and controls with tight capital budgets.
- Work has to fit around the school calendar, often in the summer break.
Our solutions
Design, build, test and tune: the services we bring to schools and universities.
Codes and standards we work to
- ASHRAE Standard 62.1 Ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality
- ASHRAE Standard 55 Thermal comfort
- CSA Z316.5 Fume hoods and associated exhaust systems
- ANSI/ASHRAE 110 fume hood performance testing
- NECB and provincial energy codes
Questions
Can you measure ventilation in our classrooms?
Yes. We measure outdoor airflow at the equipment and CO2 in occupied rooms, compare them with the design and ASHRAE 62.1, and recommend fixes.
Can the work be done during the summer?
We plan design, testing and commissioning around the school calendar so the noisy and disruptive work happens when buildings are empty.
Do you work with school boards on multiple buildings?
Yes. We can assess a portfolio of schools and give you a ranked list of upgrades for capital planning.
Further reading
- School HVAC design
Learn what drives HVAC design in K-12 schools, from classroom ventilation and noise limits to system selection, controls and the realities of tight school budgets.
- Demand-controlled ventilation with CO2 sensors
Learn how CO2 sensors can adjust outdoor air to match actual occupancy, how to set up the control logic so ventilation stays compliant, and the sensor and maintenance issues that decide whether it works.
- Laboratory HVAC and fume hood exhaust
Learn how lab HVAC systems protect occupants, the types of fume hoods and how they are exhausted, the standards that apply in Canada, and the key design and testing checks.
- Fume hood face velocity control and sash sensing
Learn how variable air volume fume hoods control face velocity, how sash and velocity sensors work, and what to check when commissioning or certifying them.
- Retro-commissioning existing buildings
Learn what retro-commissioning involves, which problems it usually uncovers, and how to plan a project that delivers lasting comfort and energy improvements.
- Ventilation for wildfire smoke events
Learn how wildfire smoke enters buildings, how to adjust outdoor air and filtration during smoke events, and how to prepare a building readiness plan before the next fire season.
Talk to us about your school or campus
Tell us about the building and what you need. We’ll be in touch within one hour.