Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Clair Catholic has made a sizeable investment of more than $9.6 million to improve heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at schools across the district.  Improved ventilation is one strategy to help prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 in schools.  These projects include:

• New HVAC systems in schools with partial mechanical ventilation systems
• Upgraded air filters on all HVAC equipment, at all schools;
  • Filters are monitored monthly and replaced as necessary, or every three months at a minimum
• Purchase and installation of portable air conditioners and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration units for classrooms in schools which are not air conditioned, to improve occupant comfort and lower classroom humidity
• Purchase and installation of HEPA air filtration units in all kindergarten classrooms in all schools
• Purchase and installation of operable windows in classrooms with previously inoperable windows 

In addition, the Board is working to ensure all HVAC equipment is working efficiently to optimize air circulation and meet system targets. Increased servicing and cleaning of rooftop units, unit ventilators and terminal devices has also be undertaken and will continue during the 2021-2022 school year.  The Board continues to invest operating, maintenance and capital funds in improvements as part of regular maintenance and capital expenditures.

“At St. Clair Catholic we are using our provincial and federal funding dollars to improve the efficiency of our heating and cooling systems and employing strategies to optimize ventilation and air circulation in classrooms and offices right across the district,” says Deb Crawford, Director of Education.  

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank our Facility Services department for being proactive in this very important work, which supports good health, safety and wellness for all students, staff and visitors to our buildings,” says Mrs. Crawford. 

Other strategies for improved ventilation include: 

• Facility Services staff rely on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHREA) professional association for support in assessing and implementing technical matters related to the operation of mechanical systems in school facilities
• Retained an expert (Mechanical Consultant – Chorley & Bisset) to conduct site assessments, at all schools
• Implement ASHREA’s Epidemic Task Force recommended guidelines, COVID-19 Building Readiness opening document for schools and universities. 
• Increased mechanical air filtration
• Engaged licensed HVAC vendors to monitor air filters and inspect equipment monthly
• Increased outdoor air ventilation
• Keep mechanical ventilation systems running longer (pre and post occupancy)
• Added portable A/C units to all non-air conditioned learning spaces
• Added portable room air filtration (HEPA) systems to all occupied learning environments in schools without mechanical ventilation
• Installed dedicated electrical power to all spaces requiring portable A/C units
• Bypass energy recovery system
• Upgraded Building Automation Systems (BAS) at various schools to provide new digital controls to operate HVAC systems

School Specific Information

St. Clair Catholic has created a Standardized School Ventilation Measures Report, which provides a snapshot of school ventilation and filtration measures taken at each school. The report can be found on the Board website.

As drinking water fountains were closed as a result of the pandemic, funding was also used to install water bottle filling stations at schools that did not have filling stations.  A complete list of projects is below:

School	Project Description
Christ the King Catholic School	Water Bottle Filling Station Installation
Holy Family Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Anne Catholic School	Window Replacement
St. Anne Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Elizabeth Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Elizabeth Catholic School	Water Bottle Filling Station Installation
St. John Fisher Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Joseph Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Joseph Catholic School	Water Bottle Filling Station Installation
St. Michael Catholic School	HVAC Upgrades
St. Michael Catholic School	Window Replacement
St. Patrick’s Catholic High School	Window Replacement
St. Philip Catholic School	Water Bottle Filling Station Installation

Projects have varying completion dates; however, all work is expected to be concluded by December 31, 2021.