W ith COVID-19 still at the top of everyone’s minds at the start of this past school year, Alliant Energy, in cooperation with the Energy Association of Iowa Schools, or EAIS, conducted energy audits in the Edgewood- Colesburg, Clinton and Wayne County school districts to assess, among other things, whether ventilation systems were operating at peak performance.
Auditors looked at ventilation equipment, filters and carbon dioxide measurements. They provided recommendations that not only increased energy efficiency but also helped mitigate airborne pathogens such as the coronavirus. “Specific recommendations varied from school to school and even space to space within the school,” Nick Ludwig, product manager at Alliant Energy, told American Gas. Suggestions included isolating the nurse’s office to its own HVAC system and adjusting outdoor air flows.
Ensuring proper ventilation also included verifying that equipment was properly maintained, including dampers and controls. “Ensuring that outdoor air ventilation is meeting code minimums is the easiest and most proven method for providing better indoor air quality,” Ludwig said.
Priority was given to indoor air quality, or IAQ, and HVAC projects so that schools could pursue federal stimulus money to implement the recommendations, added Ludwig.
While energy audits were already available to school customers, the partnership with EAIS and the expansion to include IAQ really helped get more schools involved, he said. For other utilities that might want to undertake a similar audit initiative, he said that it’s important to understand that many buildings, especially older ones, are under-ventilated and can require a delicate balance. “Providing proper ventilation will lead to better occupant safety and health but can also cause an increase in energy usage,” Ludwig said. “Energy increases can be partially mitigated by using proper HVAC and monitoring controls.”
Alliant Energy is making the IAQ assessment offering available to all eligible schools that are using the utility’s electric or electric and gas service.