Dec 19, 2016 By Luke Campbell 4 min read

When the Mt. Lebanon School Board began talking about adding air conditioning throughout district’s schools several years ago, it was only a matter of time before it would become a reality.

That happened Dec. 12 as the board voted 8-1 in favor of the long-talked-about project to install air conditioning in each of its seven elementary school and both middle schools to be completed by the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.

The district’s final cost will be $5.975 million after deciding to choose an expedited payment option offered by Trane Inc. – the contractor of the project – which decreased the price by $124,700 if 80 percent is paid by the end of this month.

“We realize the cost is great,” board member William Cooper said. “In this weather we are having now we tend to forget the heat and humidity that pervades the elementary and middle schools. This hasn’t been a three-month project. It has been a seven-to-10 year project and the cost is only going to go up. Maybe in a year or two we wouldn’t be able to do it. Now is the time.”

The district was originally planning to phase the project in over the stretch of a three-year period. However, representatives from Trane said that not only pricing will continue to rise each year, but it’s easier to get the work done at one time because the crews on site can easily move from building to building.

“I was in full support of this project when we thought it was going to take even longer and cost more money,” board member Lawrence Lebowitz said about the decision the board thought it would have faced as to which schools would enjoy the amenity first. “I’m thrilled to get this bid. I’m thrilled it came in under budget. I’m thrilled that we can get it done for all the schools at the same time. I’m thrilled that the kids won’t be impacted in any way other than having a comfortable environment to learn.”

With the board agreeing to do the project now, work will begin immediately on the outside of the buildings, including installing concrete pads and necessary fencing. Trane plans on doing the interior work, especially in the classrooms, after the students leave for summer break.

After the school board authorized engineering at the beginning of October, Trane and engineering firm CJL have examined all of the schools needing the upgrade.

“We feel pretty comfortable that we would have it completed by August,” Trane representative Bill Gordon said about the company being responsible to solve any unforeseen circumstances. “If we don’t meet the completion date there would also be some kind of penalty.”

The lone concern came from board member Hugh Beal, who was worried about the money that would be received from the state and federal governments. He also wanted to keep the capital project fund intact.

However, other board members remarked how the air conditioning will benefit both the students and staff members, a unique perspective given by Cooper who taught for 35 years.

“I’ve taught in classrooms that weren’t air conditioned and I didn’t do a good job when the temperature was 90 degrees,” Cooper said. “My students didn’t do a good job in those conditions, either.”

With the board deciding to move forward with the project, work will begin almost immediately to have it ready in all schools prior to the first day next year, which could be shifted to after Labor Day, according to Superintendent Timothy Steinhauer.

“It is our responsibility to do this and we are happily in a fiscal position to do so,” Lebowitz said. “We are being fiscally responsible by acting at this time.”