Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined with Director of Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management Patrick Sullivan, Facilities Management Director John Kerrigan, and Putnam Principal George Johnson on Wednesday to receive a tour of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system upgrades at Roger L Putnam Vocational Technical Academy. Putnam, and other schools and municipal buildings throughout the city have or will be retrofitted with the system upgrades necessary to meet indoor air quality standards.
Mayor Sarno stated, “We are all anxious to get back to in-person learning environments, but the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and families is our number one priority. We will continue to retrofit our school and municipal buildings so that we may safely return to them. The City of Springfield is, I believe, the only city across the Commonwealth that is in compliance with the ASHRAE standards. The improvements to our HVAC systems, including installation of iWave and MERV filters, are well-worth the investment, not only now as we face and defeat COVID-19 and reduce airborne exposures with these upgrades, but for overall improved air quality down the line.”
PBRM Director Sullivan stated, “The Department of Parks, Buildings, & Recreation Management is appreciative of Mayor Sarno’s support and guidance in allowing the department to make the necessary upgrades to school and municipal HVAC systems in achieving the ASHRAE standards under COVID-19 conditions. PBRM is also appreciative of the Springfield School Committee’s approval of our Building Management team’s COVID-19 plans presented along with Heath Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and Superintendent Daniel Warwick. These improvements will ensure the highest standards available and critically follows the science in the management of COVID-19. The department has had invaluable expertise from Industrial Hygienist Robert Kirchherr of O'Reilly Talbot & Okun Associates. Mr. Kirchherr has provided sound guidance over the past few months which has ensured the health and safety of our employees and citizens attending municipal buildings.”
