Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Efficiency Programs in K-12 Schools (2011)”, Energy costs are second only to personnel costs as the leading draw on K-12 school district operating budgets. Fortunately, saving energy is an area where everyone can help!
Since July 2006. Forest Hills Public Schools has been actively involved with energy monitoring and conservation programs. Over the years we’ve developed the following management practices that balance occupant comfort and energy savings.
Did you know that our buildings are unoccupied nearly 70% of the time?
During unoccupied times, our heating and cooling systems revert to “setback mode”. This allows the buildings to remain warmer during heating days and cooler during cooling days, saving money during times that the buildings are largely unoccupied. These setback modes can be overridden by the building Head Custodian, but only for preplanned and authorized events. Only heating/cooling zones that are needed will be overridden.
Seasonal set points and times are as follows:
Cooling Season *
Occupied set points: 74 – 78 degrees F
Unoccupied set points: 85 degrees F
Air conditioning start times are based on outside sensors at each building. When the outside air reaches 60 degrees F, a programmable Building Management System (BMS) starts the air conditioning system. At dismissal time the air conditioning reverts to the unoccupied set point.
Heating Season**
Occupied Set Points: 68 – 72 degrees F
Unoccupied Set Points: 55 degrees F
Heating start times vary based on the school day start time for each building. The BMS starts the heating system 45 minutes prior to the building start time. At dismissal time the heating systems revert to the unoccupied set point.
Spring and Fall:
Conditions during the spring and fall are unique. During these times we are faced with temperatures that swing dramatically from cool in the morning and evening to warm in the afternoon. During these times the district is switching the equipment used from chillers/air conditioning (cooling season) to boilers/heat (heating season). We continuously watch the weather forecasts to determine when to switch the systems based on seasonal temperatures and provide reminders to dress appropriately and in layers to react to the changing conditions.
Holidays & Breaks:
During holidays and scheduled breaks our buildings are set to unoccupied conditions unless administrators, teaching or support staff are contractually required to be in the buildings. During these times, employees are encouraged to utilize common areas of the building (offices, etc.) so that remaining zones can remain in the unoccupied mode. This applies to winter, spring and summer break and normally scheduled holidays.
Parking Lot Lighting
According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Efficiency Programs in K-12 Schools (2011)”, Energy costs are second only to personnel costs as the leading draw on K-12 school district operating budgets. Fortunately, saving energy is an area where everyone can help!
In July, 2006, Forest Hills Public Schools entered into an energy conservation program designed to reduce consumption of utilities. All utility uses were reviewed, and procedures and guidelines were recommended and adopted. Exterior lighting schedules were modified at that time to achieve greater efficiency.
Exterior lights are controlled and programmed via the Building Management System (BMS).The district references sunrise and sunset charts to determine the scheduled times lights will be programmed to go on and off in the mornings and the evenings. The lighting schedule is typically adjusted in two week intervals.
Typical weekday exterior lighting times are as follows:
Mornings:
High schools: On between 6:10 AM and sunrise
All other buildings: On between 6:25 AM and sunrise
Evenings:
High schools: On between sunset and 10:30 PM
All other buildings: As controlled by the BMS based on scheduled evening activities.
Events:
Building events should be coordinated through the building office. If exterior lights are required, they will typically be programmed to turn on ½ hour prior to the event start time and turn off 15 minutes after the event end time.
Weekends:
The district does not program exterior lights on weekends. The lights turn off at their normally scheduled time on Friday night and remain off until Monday morning unless evening activities are scheduled and communicated through the building office.
Holidays & Breaks:
The district does not program exterior lights during scheduled holidays and breaks unless evening activities are scheduled and communicated through the building office.
- Exceptions: Exterior lights are programmed to remain on until midnight at all buildings around Halloween and at all high schools around graduation times and other times when our sites are more susceptible to vandalism.
After a long Michigan winter, we understand that our teams are eager to use our outdoor athletic facilities. The FHPS grounds crew, contracted field maintenance crews and outside fertilizer and irrigation contractors work throughout the year to maintain and promote the health of our fields and a safe environment for our students and athletes.
Unlike fall sports, weather conditions throughout the winter and early spring have a large impact on field conditions. Every February our Operations Department meets with the Athletic Directors to review maintenance activities that were performed the previous fall, and spring maintenance activities that will lead to long term playability of our fields. Throughout the early spring weeks we review overall winter conditions along with local snow, temperature and rainfall forecasts in determining when fields will be released for use to our students and athletic communities. We work collaboratively to evaluate spring field conditions and make balanced decisions based on the long term health and playability of our fields along with the pressures that spring athletic schedules present.
Short term decisions to allow field use on our fields can lead to long term damage, reduced playability and higher repair costs.
- Early player and vehicle traffic on natural turf fields when the grass is in a dormant state inhibits the early root and shoot growth that is necessary for healthy turf.
- Rolling of overly saturated fields causes compaction of the soil which leads to weaker turf due to reduced root growth, reduced availability of oxygen and nutrients in the soil, reduced drainage that leads to standing water and loss of water through evaporation rather than absorption.
- We work with an outside contractor for spring maintenance of varsity baseball and softball fields. They time their services and use rolling equipment in conjunction with aerating equipment to reduce the long term impacts of compaction.
- Our grounds department will roll and aerate natural turf fields used for soccer, lacrosse, etc. when conditions are appropriate.
- Snow removal on natural grass fields, artificial turf fields and track surfaces is not allowed. The use of blowers, plows and tractors can lead to long term damage and expensive repairs of field surfaces that are used throughout the year for many of our education and athletic programs.
Authorization to use fields in the spring will be based on CONDITIONS, not a CALENDAR DATE. Several factors will contribute to a joint decision between the Director of Operations and the Athletic Directors.
- Primary factors:
- Snow must have left the fields without any mechanical assistance (blowers, tractors, plows, etc.)
- Frost depths must have receded to 12” below the surface across the field
- Secondary factors:
- IF snow has melted and runoff in a slow, controlled way, AND
- IF there hasn’t been a high amount of early spring rainfall, AND
- IF heavy precipitation isn’t forecast in the near future (10 days) AND
- IF the forecast temperatures are trending upward
The Athletic Directors and Operations Department appreciate the support of our instructors, students, athletes, parents and coaches as we all weather spring conditions in anticipation of safe and respectful use of our outdoor athletic facilities!
Team Responsibilities
- Coaches, athletes, parents, and other volunteers are not permitted to apply pesticides or fertilizer, adjust irrigation or operate district equipment.
- Removal and storage of bases at the completion of every team activity.
- Placement and removal of tarps before and after all team activities. Do not leave on grass!
- Mat dragging at the completion of all team activities. Use hand drags only. Refer to the posted video below.
- Raking within 1 ft. of all grass edges and other skin areas that the drag is unable to reach. Refer to the posted video below.
- Patching of all mound and batter’s box areas at the completion of all team activities. Refer to the posted video below.
- Raking infield material and mound clay out of grass.
- Clean up trash in dugouts, bleachers, and other field areas.
- Sweeping of dugouts.
- Placement and maintenance of any athletic equipment, tarps, or windscreens.
- Necessary tools and materials will be provided by Grounds, including:
- Chalk
- Mound Clay
- Conditioner
- Bases
- Rakes, tamps, brooms, drag mats and other hand tools.
Coaches Responsibilities
- Placement of limited amounts of conditioner to make field playable for rain that occurs shortly before or during games. Refer to the posted video below.
- Watering of infield skin areas if necessary.
Athletic Department Responsibilities
- Supply any athletic equipment, tarps, or windscreens.
- Submit proposals for facility additions or improvements.
- Submitting of work orders for:
- Maintenance issues
- Pest control issues
- Delivery of athletic equipment and supplies