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BARD MANUFACTURING. THE NAME YOU CAN TRUST.
First and foremost, we’re recognized for designing, manufacturing and servicing high-quality products that you can trust to deliver performance, innovative technology and reliability.
CASE STUDY
LEE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
An old school challenge.
Lee County Public Schools (LCPS), a school system in southwest Virginia, faced a challenge. Throughout their district, aging, inefficient coal boiler-powered heating systems and rising utility costs were putting a strain on operating budgets during the cold weather months—and without air conditioning, warmer weather made classrooms uncomfortably hot.
At the same time, lessons learned during the 2020 pandemic put a new emphasis on improved Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and better ventilation. How could LCPS find an economically feasible way to provide a comfortable, healthy learning environment for their more than 3,000 students and faculty?
A new school solution.
Bard—along with their distributor, Air Mechanical Solutions, presented LCPS with an innovative solution to update their aging HVAC systems: WH exterior wall-mount heat pumps, with ventilation and
dehumidification.
These self-contained heat pumps deliver powerful heating and cooling performance at minimal cost. Unlike conventional centralized systems that require extensive ductwork, Bard Wall-mounts constantly draw in outside air, providing a steady flow of fresh, clean air to the classrooms. A unique dehumidification circuit keeps classrooms drier and comfortable in high humidity conditions.
The wall-mount design allows units to be easily incorporated into new construction designs, or integrated into existing window openings.
Bard Wall-mounts replaced existing HVAC systems throughout the district, including the one in Virginia’s oldest operating school building built in 1937. One of the greatest changes came to the high school gymnasium, constructed in 1989 with no HVAC system at all. The installation of Bard Wall-mounts transformed the facility into a comfortable, useful space.
Making the grade.
The advantages of the Bard system were felt immediately. Faculty enjoyed the ability to control temperatures from classroom to classroom, choosing the temperature setting that worked best for them. Maintenance celebrated the fact that they no longer needed to shovel coal to keep the system running. They also liked the dramatic drop in maintenance and upkeep, needing only to replace air filters as needed. Administrators noticed dramatically improved faculty and student morale—and more significantly, watched attendance numbers soar.
LCPS leadership has also found new peace-of-mind in the flexibility of the Bard Wall-mount heat pump solution. Because each Bard unit regulates the air in a single space, if one of the Bard units needs mechanical attention, only that space is affected. Repairs and maintenance to conventional centralized systems required the entire facility to be shut down.
High grades for ease and style.
The installer-friendly design of the Bard heat pump convinced LCPS that their own facility maintenance team could install the new units. Each unit could be mounted into existing 42” x 8’ window spaces in each classroom. After consultation with Air Mechanical Solutions, a plan was established to incorporate existing window openings to fit the new system. The installation team was amazed at the speed and ease of installation, and the savings in materials and man hours compared to conventional centralized system installation.