North Vancouver School District
the natural place to learn©
Jan 22
Fluke find breathes fresh air into Larson gym

IMG_3531.jpgA school district employee puts a lucky – and large – Craigslist find into temporary storage at our Maintenance Yard.  Supplied image. 

 

By Maria Spitale-Leisk, NVSD Communications

Early one October morning during Waste Reduction Week in Canada, one of the school district's mechanical engineering consultants found a free heat recovery system by fluke – via a Craigslist ad.  

A call to the owner revealed the commercial-grade system was in excellent condition and there had been many inquiries for the unusual freebie.  

The Energy Recovery Ventilation unit, valued at $3,500, had initially been installed for a new restaurant space at The Shipyards.

“However, during their tenant improvements, the unit became redundant with their kitchen equipment," explained Jason Black, Senior Property Manager, Quay Property Management Corp.

After learning the ventilation unit would benefit one of our schools, Quay Property Management knew North Vancouver School District was the most worthy recipient.

“Initially we thought we would make use of it in another space, but instead the unit went to a better home than we could have ever imagined – NVSD44!," said Black.

The only catch: The unit was located in an underground parkade and needed to be picked up by the end of the day.

Up to the task was the school district's maintenance team, which sprang into action and mobilized their transport vehicles. Within a couple of hours, the ventilation unit was secured in the back of a trailer and one step closer to its new home.

In late November, the ventilation unit was installed at Larson Elementary, with support from the federal government's Safe Return to Class Fund.

Once the school gymnasium opens again, Larson students and staff will breathe in 100 per cent outside air.

Energy Recovery Ventilation units draw volumes of fresh outdoor air into a space while simultaneously exhausting an equal amount of stale indoor air.

Fresh air drawn into a space and the air being exhausted pass through a heat exchanger, which facilitates the transference of heat between the air streams.

The indoor space retains its heat during the process, thereby creating significant energy savings during the winter months.


IMG_0303.jpg
An inside look at the Energy Recovery Ventilation unit installed at Larson Elementary.


An ERV ventilation system also captures contaminants, pollutants, allergens, pollen, and more, using specialized filters, helping to ensure the air being supplied to the space is clean and healthy.

We thank Quay Property Management for the generous donation which will greatly benefit the school district – and kudos to Geoclima Smart HVAC Solutions for the sustainable find!

Comments

There are no comments for this post.