Project Summary

• Budget: $2,332,512 (includes Fielder ES, Hayes ES & Beck JH)
• Approved Construction Cost: $2,332,512 (includes Fielder ES, Hayes ES & Beck JH)
• Contractor: Johnson Controls (Purchasing Cooperative)
• Project Completion: July 2011
• Description:
  Replace mechanical equipment of two (2) chillers.

Background/Justification: 
JHE - The Carrier chiller was manufactured in 1995. The life cycle of this air – cooled chillers are typically in the 15-20 year range. These two chillers have similar detrimental conditions. The chillers provide the air conditioning for the entire building and could compromise indoor air quality (IAQ).

Continual issues on the chillers include condenser fan motor failure, compressor failure, condenser coil deterioration, and discharge pressure problems.  There has been a greater than average compressor failure rate on the chillers over the last several years. When a single compressor has a catastrophic failure, it tends to send debris into the other attached compressors in the same refrigerant circuit causing a shortened life expectancy and additional compressor failures. 

Coil deterioration is a large factor on these chillers equating to a loss of energy efficiency. While we are in need of reliable chillers, but there is also the opportunity to reduce our energy consumption with modern energy efficient chillers. 

When a situation arises and one unit is down during an outside temperature of 92 or above and cannot be repaired in a timely manner, there are options we work with during this situation.  Options include having the building run 24/7 to help control the temperature but this option has a cost - “High Energy Consumption.”  Another option is to shut down the outside air units short term to help reduce the load on the chillers but this can only be a short term remedy due to potential IAQ issues.

R-22 refrigerant is being phased out by the chemical manufacturers as of January 1, 2010. While R-22 is at the start of the phase out process and there will be available parts for the short term future, KISD needs to acknowledge this phase out, upgrading our refrigerant to the new technology. 

These units as they progress in age require additional labor to keep functional as well as increased cost for parts. While the cost of a new chiller is high the repair cost on these chillers will increase. Recently there were 3 compressor failures at 2 of the locations at an estimated cost $15,000 for replacement.