Maintenance Director Kris Brurud outlines Lewis and Clark boiler and ventilation upgrade

Maintenance Director Kris Brurud described plans to replace aging boilers and add a dedicated outdoor air system at Lewis and Clark Elementary, a project the school board approved in February.

In a short district video, a presenter introduces Brurud and walks viewers through the school’s basement mechanical room, where Brurud identified three existing boilers and an original boiler dating to 1954 that will be removed as part of the project. "We're going to remove the three boilers here," Brurud said, describing a reconfiguration that will create one larger mechanical room.

The project calls for replacing circulation pumps and installing two new boilers that, according to Brurud, "are going to provide heat for the entire building." The upgrades also include new end units throughout the building and automated controls in classrooms to improve temperature control and distribution.

Brurud said the district will add a rooftop DOAS — a dedicated outdoor air system — to bring fresh air into classrooms. He explained the system will include an energy-recovery device to capture heat from exhaust air and use it to pre-warm incoming outside air, reducing the energy needed to reheat that air and helping lower humidity inside classrooms. "...it's going to catch; it's going to use to warm up the air we're bringing back in," he said, adding that the change will "help with the cooling effect in the classrooms themselves."

The video ties the technical work to student welfare: "...our kids are going to be safe, warm, and dry, and they're going to have fresh air," Brurud said, summarizing the expected benefits for students and staff.

The presenter noted the project was approved by the school board in February; the video does not provide contract amounts, a construction timeline, or vote details from that approval. District communications did not supply further budget or scheduling details in the video clip.

Next steps and timing for construction were not specified in the video. The district indicated the work will involve removing the existing boilers and ductwork, installing new boilers and pumps, upgrading controls and adding the DOAS rooftop unit, but did not state when crews will begin work or how long the project will take.