Location:
Parkville, MO

Key Parties Involved:
Park Hill School District
Smith & Boucher Engineers
Newkirk Novak Construction Partners
Stanger Industries

Anticipated Project Completion: Summer 2025

When Park Hill School District began planning for their 12th elementary school, they were looking for an HVAC solution tailored to modern educational needs while meeting the needs of their maintenance staff. BCS was able to recommend a system that not only supported a comfortable learning environment but also solved a key operational challenge: minimizing classroom disruptions during maintenance and, in the event of equipment downtime, requiring localized failure instead of an entire building wing being affected.

The approach was a single-zone variable air volume (SZ VAV) system with individual AAON rooftop units (RTUs) dedicated to each classroom or zone. This design, developed in close collaboration with engineers from Smith & Boucher, allows any maintenance or service to take place on the roof, giving teachers and students an uninterrupted learning space. Unlike other HVAC systems, where equipment malfunctions and downtime could impact an entire wing, this solution isolates potential issues, ensuring that disruptions, if any, only affect a single room.

The project reflects the forward-thinking vision of the Park Hill team, who wanted a more resilient HVAC design. Additionally, the AAON units offered district-standardized features including terminal strip controls and quarter-turn hinged service panels, making for easier access in alignment with their robust preventative maintenance program.

During the design stage, Smith & Boucher Engineers evaluated several HVAC options and, with a third-party energy consultant, confirmed that a single-zone VAV design was also more energy efficient than a similar multi-zone VAV system with hot water reheat. This tailored approach further supports the district’s LEED certification goals, making Angeline Washington’s HVAC system not only maintenance-friendly but also reduces utility spending.

In providing this HVAC system, Park Hill School District received the smart solution it was seeking—a reliable, easy-to-maintain design that meets educational demands with a favorable life-cycle cost.