6 Features Your Building Systems Need to Pass the Next School Bond
Katelyn Calderwood • March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018

Your 30-year old heating and cooling system is taking up more and more of your facility team’s time to keep running. It’s past time to consider its inevitable replacement. The cost of shutting down school to fix a chiller, air handling unit, or boiler is not in the budget. The district is ready to pass a bond and is willing to include 20% for mechanical upgrades. Before you start rallying the community around a bond issue, you must consider how you are going to sell the value of your facility upgrades and rally support from your board and community. You must also be prepared to safeguard your budget. When your upgrade project starts to creep overbudget, facility equipment is the first to suffer because its effects are not visible to the public.

Build “value engineering” into your budget by finding ways to spend less on mechanical systems without sacrificing functionality. Value engineering is the review of products during the design phase to reduce costs and increase functionality to increase the value of the product. If you purchase a piece of high quality equipment, you can reduce other parts of the budget as a result. For example, if you are purchasing for longevity and product support, your Total Cost of Ownership should be reduced because you can plan to spend less on maintenance, replacement parts and service.

A school bond financially affects the local community, so proposing the purchase of systems without explaining their worth, both financial and tangible, could hurt your chances of it passing. Stewarding community and district funds is daunting, but when you are choosing facility equipment that really is best for students and staff, you have the tools you need to craft a winning message. Your strategy should be two part: selecting facility systems that produce the most benefit to students and staff and then effectively communicating those system’s value to the public from a relatable angle.

What attributes do facility equipment like building automation systems, HVAC equipment, and fire and security systems need to encompass to truly be the best for your building’s occupants? And what is the best way to communicate these benefits externally? Share comfort and health benefits. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, children spend 90% of their time indoors, the majority of that time spent in school. Schools in exemplary physical condition report improved academic performance while schools with fewer janitorial personnel and higher maintenance backlogs report poorer academic performance. In fact, a study of the costs and benefits of energy efficient equipment in K-12 schools in Washington State estimated a 15% reduction in absenteeism and a 5% increase in test scores.

The facility systems you select play an enormous role in the quality of your education. Your community will gladly vote yes for facility upgrades that benefit their children, especially when you can prove the tangible benefits to learning.

When it comes to building systems, here are the six most important features your systems need to build comfortable and healthy environments. These items should make it easy to prove your district is being a good steward of public funds for its infrastructure.

  1. Flexibility
     To accommodate student schedules and after-school activities, you need systems that will fit your unique needs. Not only do you need individual spaces heated and cooled at different temperatures, you need the flexibility to keep certain parts of your facility running for various times and numbers of people. Your equipment should be able to create comfortable spaces for any need by its ability to handle different loads, whether it’s gym class for eight hours or a 3-hour basketball practice for 10 people. You should also be looking for equipment that will run both heating and cooling efficiently, monitoring the environment to maintain temperature to prevent discomfort or distraction.
  2. Quiet Operation
     Your job is to maintain environments conducive to learning, but a noisy heating and cooling system is disruptive. Choose HVAC equipment that has industry-leading sound levels to keep students focused on what’s important. The highest efficiency modulating compressors tent to be a little noisy. In your project’s design phase, be sure to place your energy efficient equipment away from classrooms and insulate it.

  1. Safety
     School violence has only increased over the past several years, and both students and parents are feeling the uneasiness associated with it. When staff and students are on campus, you are responsible for their wellbeing. Why not keep them the safest they can be with state-of-the-art fire and security systems?Install a security system in your school that will protect your students and faculty, increase their sense of protection and get help to them fast in the event of an emergency. You can’t always prevent violence, but you can decrease the odds that it will happen at your school and help protect your students if it does. This doesn’t only mean  having  access controls, but a holistic safety plan that includes video surveillance and automation that integrates with your access controls. The community will resonate with the urgency to upgrade outdated security systems to keep their loved ones safer.Find a provider that can help you plan a fire-safety plan, check all requirements and deliver regular testing and maintenance to keep everything in compliance. Implement cutting-edge systems that, for example, connect directly to the fire station or panic alarms that communicate with the police force. These products bring a faster response time to emergencies with little more than the press of a button.

  1. Efficiency
     Not only should you expect your facility equipment to run, providing comfort to its occupants, it should deliver a return on investment. By upgrading to more energy efficient equipment, your upgrades could pay for themselves in the long-term, especially when properly maintained and controlled.In 2016, Hays Middle School in Hays, Kansas used community funds to add a 21-square foot gymnasium and upgrade an antiquated boiler/chiller system with AAON Equipment. Their utility bills did not increase. Learn more about their stories now: https://bldgcontrols.com/works/hays-middle-school/

  1. Controlling and Monitoring
     To enhance efficiency and increase the profitability of your facility equipment, it is essential to implement a Building Automation System to integrate and control all building systems as efficiently as possible, all in one place.Building Automation Systems improve efficiency by reducing the power used during off-hours automatically. They monitor temperatures during the day and adjust to keep things comfortable at reduced power output levels. Additionally, they can tie into your security system and keep access to your buildings under tight control.

  1. Longevity
     You’re using the community’s money to upgrade your facility, so you want to purchase equipment that is built to last with the highest quality materials, most innovative and efficient features with a strong reputation.Investing in the best facility systems that come with built-in organizational support like service, maintenance and compliance testing and then effectively promoting your plan to the community, in terms of improved educational standards will earn you unprecedented support for your next bond issue.

Contact us for your bond issue facility system needs- our equipment checks all the boxes. We’ll help you find the best way to communicate with local constituents to get the vote.

Sources:

More information about the affects of a healthy environment on students here:  https://www.epa.gov/schools/impact-performance-and-health-schools

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The Benefits of Double-Wall R-13 Insulation In Your Equipment

By 7004697973 • November 12, 2025
This is a subtitle for your new post
A picture of an image holder on a white background.

The Importance of Evaluating Total Cost of Ownership When Purchasing Rooftop Units

By Hibu Websites • November 12, 2025
When purchasing new rooftop units (RTUs), the immediate focus often lands on the upfront costs: the purchase price and installation. However, a deeper look reveals that these initial expenses are only a small fraction of the overall financial commitment. To truly understand the long-term financial implications of your investment, it is crucial to evaluate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) . WHAT IS TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP? TCO encompasses the complete lifecycle costs of your facility and its equipment, providing a comprehensive view of both short-term and long-term expenses. Beyond the initial purchase and installation costs, TCO includes ongoing operational expenses such as energy consumption, maintenance, repairs, and eventual replacement. By adopting a TCO-focused approach, buyers can make more informed decisions that align with their financial and operational goals. WHY TCO MATTERS Uncovering Hidden Costs Many RTU-related expenses are not immediately apparent at the time of purchase. These can include: Energy Consumption: RTUs with lower energy efficiency ratings may have lower upfront costs but can lead to significantly higher energy bills over time. Maintenance and Repairs: Frequent maintenance or costly repairs for less durable units can add up quickly, impacting your budget. Downtime Costs: Breakdowns can disrupt operations, leading to additional expenses from lost productivity or temporary cooling/heating solutions. Compliance Costs: Adapting older, less efficient units to meet evolving energy regulations can result in unexpected expenditures. Optimizing Long-Term Savings Investing in energy-efficient RTUs might involve higher initial costs, but these units typically deliver substantial savings through reduced energy consumption. Over time, the lower utility bills and fewer maintenance needs can offset the upfront expense, making these models more cost-effective in the long run. Durability and Lifespan High-quality RTUs with a longer lifespan can help delay the need for replacement, further optimizing the value of your investment. Units built for durability also tend to perform more reliably, minimizing disruptions and associated costs. MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION Evaluating the TCO of RTUs allows for a side-by-side comparison of different models based on key factors such as: Energy Efficiency Ratings Maintenance Requirements Durability and Build Quality This analysis helps you strike the right balance between upfront costs and long-term value, ensuring that the unit you choose supports both your financial objectives and operational needs. THE BIGGER PICTURE: FINANCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Considering TCO is not just about saving money—it’s also about making smarter, more sustainable choices. Energy-efficient RTUs not only lower operational costs but also reduce carbon footprints, aligning your investment with environmental stewardship and compliance with green building standards. Focusing solely on the initial purchase price of an RTU can be a costly mistake. By incorporating TCO into your purchasing process, you gain a holistic understanding of the unit’s true cost over its lifespan. This proactive approach minimizes surprises, maximizes cost-effectiveness, and ensures your investment delivers value for years to come. Before purchasing your next RTU, take the time to evaluate its TCO—your future budget will thank you. Contact your BCS representative to explore more on Total Cost of Ownership and how we can support your financial and operational goals.

The Importance of HVAC to the K-12 Learning Environment

By bldgcontrols • July 9, 2018
The average American spends 93% of their life indoors. For a school aged child, that is spent largely at school. According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there are almost 99,000 public K-12 schools in America and the average public-school building in the U.S. is 42 years old. Our students are spending their days […] The post The Importance of HVAC to the K-12 Learning Environment appeared first on Building Controls and Services, Inc..
Show More →