SMART ENGINEERING. TRUSTED PROTECTION. RUGGED RELIABILITY.

Newberry, South Carolina is a town with a rich historic personality. Settled in 1745 by Scotch-Irish, English and German immigrants, Newberry became a leading cotton market with the coming of the railroad.

Today, Newberry has retained and preserved much of its original small town charm. Its downtown business district and residential streets are lined with historical buildings and Antebellum homes – there are, in fact, several blocks in which every building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including its world famous Opera House and the Old Court House.

It was this singular desire to preserve its traditions that prompted Newberry to take a similar approach when considering what to do with its now-closed, eighty-year-old Newberry High School. Thoughts of tearing it down to make way for a new facility simply weren’t acceptable. Especially so to Newberry’s 11,000 residents and alumni like retired Principal Phil Spots and life long resident Wirt Jennings.

“Newberry High School was central to our community, it’s a part of our heritage, and it’s where I, and many other Newberry residents, had the best times of our lives,” said Phil Spots, Class of ’54 and retired principal.

The job of renovating a building that had been closed for several years fell into the hands of Rufus Rogers, Newberry County Schools Director of Buildings and Grounds. Clearly up to the task, Rufus is a retired Army Colonel and graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. His challenge was to recreate an old school with modern features – to restore what could be seen and modernize what couldn’t be seen. Newberry High School was to be transformed into Newberry Elementary.

Features to restore included the exterior façade and glass, interior marble and terrazzo floors, and the school’s heart – its well worn pine floors. Unseen updates to be added included full climate control (heating, cooling, ventilation and dehumidification), electrical, data cabling, media network, and security.

The trick was in making it look like it all belonged as part of an original, historical structure.

Why Bard?

Thirty years ago, Bard began solving the comfort needs of schools across the country. By providing wall mounted heating and cooling equipment, Bard’s products offer a combination of quiet operation, patented ventilation packages, unsurpassed quality and dependability that make them the #1 choice by many school officials.

With three state-of-art manufacturing facilities and a global distribution network, Bard’s commitment to quality and product innovation begins with its commitment to research and development. With features like self-diagnostics and self-programming energy monitors, Bard delivers products that provide tangible solutions for today’s modern school facilities.

Bard’s Contribution

Newberry was already familiar with Bard Manufacturing and its products – the school system has portable classrooms with Bard units in them that are 35 years old. “Our experience with Bard’s units and their experience working with schools, plus the ease with which their products can be serviced, make Bard an easy choice,” said Rogers.

Darrel Bradfield, school HVAC specialist and Class of ’74 agrees with Rogers’ assessment. “Bard’s units are easy to service, simple to operate, information is always available, and the units are easy to maintain.” Bard delivers products that provide tangible solutions for today’s school facilities, whether they are new buildings, renovations, or preserved historic landmarks.”

Working together with the architectural firm recommended by Rogers and hired by the Newberry District and School Board – McMillan Smith and Partners – Bard was able to provide the perfect solution. “Our first phase of the restoration was the exterior; to maintain an historical perspective we knew we did not want any penetrations through the exterior wall,” said Donnie Love, McMillan Smith and Partners. “When Wade Crow, Wade Crow Engineering, suggested Bard’s QTEC Water Source Heat Pumps, I knew the units were perfect for the application – we really liked the Bard system and won’t hesitate to use it on a similar application, or a new school,” added Love

QTEC – The Quiet “Hidden” Technology

The QTEC unit is designed to be installed inside the classroom – fully engineered to be quiet, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. QTEC units are designed and tested to operate at 20% above federal standards  with easy installation features that make servicing fast and simple. Bard’s QTEC units can provide the following features:

• A one-piece factory unit with
  individual room climate control
• Designed for fast installation
  and easy servicing
• Sound deadening insulation
• Simple utility hookups
• Integrated energy recovery
  ventilator
• Controlled dehumidification

Newberry’s Results

“Our school has retained its historic charm and character and will do so for generations to come,” said Doris Coggins, a 27-year teaching veteran. “I also love the fact that the AC is very quiet.”

“We have known Bard for years and Bard’s Water Source Heat Pump/ Dehumidification units were the perfect application for this restoration project,” said Rogers. “We’re glad to have worked with a company with an established reputation for creating a comfortable environment for our school.”

Bard’s experience working with school systems around the country helps them design, manufacture and support the best HVAC system currently on the market. Not only do Bard’s units operate quietly, they’re also energy efficient – and they can save customers money on their maintenance costs because they are simple to maintain and service.

“Working together with Donnie Love and Wade Crow, Bard not only helped us to build and create a comfortable environment for our students to learn in, they helped us preserve Newberry’s heritage and one of our most treasured landmarks,” added Rogers.