July 6, 2023
Chilling out: City Schools brings AC to more schools
State-of-the-art cooling systems mean more class time and effective learning
Across the district, students are feeling the chill!
In 2018, 75 City Schools lacked air conditioning. Today, that number is down to 11!
Thanks to a multi-year plan coordinated and implemented by City Schools’ Operations Department, more students than ever before have A/C in their learning spaces. The plan called for full HVAC unit installations where possible, and an innovative approach no other entity in Maryland had ever taken: using Vertical Package Units (VPU) to cool classrooms. These refrigerator-sized units are energy efficient and adjustable. Powered by electricity, the multi-faceted VPUs handle cooling, heating, and ventilation. Schools with VPUs now have between 15 and 50 VPU units installed in their classrooms.
In addition, the VPUs mean more schools will now be available for summer programming than ever before. Air conditioning installation of the remaining 11 schools is ongoing over the next couple of years.
The result: more students are more comfortable - the right environment for more learning.
Said Cyndi Smith, Executive Director – Facilities Planning, Design, and Construction, “Equipping these schools with air conditioning has been a tremendous undertaking with a tremendous impact on students. Thanks to these efforts, students are missing significantly fewer days of learning due to temperatures, and as their comfort increases in these cool classrooms, so does the quality of their focus, retention, and education.”
The installation of air conditioning across the district was made possible through millions of dollars in funding by the state, the city, and City Schools’ general funds.