Improving Indoor Air Quality at Schools
Proper air ventilation has proven one of the most complex issues for districts
reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Studies have suggested that COVID-19
can linger in the air for hours in poorly ventilated places. That’s where heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems help. They keep air flowing
through enclosed spaces and can help slow the spread of the virus.
While many schools in New Jersey were trying to improve their systems in
preparation to the new school year, the Raritan High School was pretty much ready
to go.
Project Overview
Back in 2017, an state-of-the-art HVAC system was installed throughout the school.
Before that, the classrooms did not have heating or air-conditioning, but now the
airflow provides proper circulation and indoor comfort.
Kappa Construction, a family-owned-and-operated general contractor specialized in
performing in-house HVAC-R work was awarded the bid to conduct this project. With
over 45 years of experience, and a major player in the public-sector in New Jersey,
they got to work right away.
The project consisted in utilizing the existing hot water heating system to meet the
school’s heating demands. The heat pump VRF systems could have been used
for supplemental heat, but were designed to serve all cooling demands. “The
project documents called for the installation of Slimduct RD to cover all exterior
piping between condensing units and their respective building wall/pipe portal
penetrations.” said George Kamaratos - Kappa Construction Project Manager.
George contacted Gerry Spanger from MarketAir to acquire the Slimduct RD for this
project, and was pleasantly surprised to see how smooth the whole process, from
purchase to installation, went.
Lineset Cover
Slimduct RD features a proprietary anti-corrosive, scratch-resistant, hot-dipped and
chromium-free coating made of zinc, aluminum and magnesium, which provides a
more durable alternative to galvanized steel. This tough and rugged product also
features a highly professional finish that blends in perfectly with any type of
building.
A total of 21 Trane VRF systems containing 160 indoor ceiling units. The project also
included the installation of several 1-1 split systems, convectors, rooftop units and
exhaust fans.
Some VRF systems were installed on the rooftop with the lines running horizontally.
Other units were placed along the wall, with vertical lines. Since the Slimduct RD
is field configurable and can be installed in different orientations, all linesets were
properly enclosed and protected.
