Stamford, CT – Stamford Mayor David Martin introduced Westover Elementary School’s Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems to members of the press on Friday, August 27.
The City was first made aware of maintenance and mold issues in Westover School in the fall of 2018. In response, the City and Stamford Public School officials worked collaboratively to form a joint Mold Task Force. In addition to maintenance issues, the Task Force uncovered preexisting capital issues in Westover School dating back to 1998.
Mold remediation measures included the replacement of all ceiling tiles, millwork, cabinetry, and a significant amount of floor tiling located on the first floor of the school, as well as the replacement of essential systems to meet updated building codes.
After conclusion of these capital items, there remained the issue of condensation due to the highly humid air in the Westover environment that was being brought into the school by the unit ventilators.
Following an assessment of the issues by KG+D Architects and OLA HVAC sub consultants, the recommended solution was the installation of three Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS).
The DOAS acts as a dehumidifier, bringing in outside air and removing moisture before the air is delivered to the classrooms.
“I could not be happier that we were able to install two of the three Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems a full year prior to what was previously anticipated. These systems will ensure air quality and reduce the water condensation inside the school to ensure the overall safety of the Westover Elementary School students and staff ,” said Mayor Martin. “I would like to extend a special thank you to Anthony Gaglio and his team at Viking Construction, City Engineers Louis Casolo and Jeffery Brown, and the Board of Ed Facilities Team for making this possible in such a short amount of time.”
The planning and capital projects, funded almost entirely by Stamford taxpayers, will enable Westover students to return to school in person full time for the 2021-2022 school year.
