2005, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (www.ashrae.org).

Reprinted by permission from ASHRAE Journal, (Vol. 47, No. 5, May 2005). This article may not be copied nor distributed in either paper or digital form without ASHRAEs permission.

School HVAC

Lesson in Curing Mold Problems

By Hugh McMillan, P .E., Member ASHRAE, and Jim Block

large school district near coastal Texas has been having a signicant problem with mold growth since it began an upgrade to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor

Air Quality. After the addition of 15 cfm (7 L/s) per student into existing facilities with less than optimal HVAC equipment, noticeable mold growth occurred in the school facilities. Is it possible that the upgrade in the ventilation system caused the mold growth or could operation and maintenance issues within the school district be the cause? This article will provide specic data on the ndings and remediation of several of the 36 facilities involved in this issue.
The Problem

Mold growth similar to that seen in Photograph 1 has erupted in the schools each summer for the past several years. The books and materials inside these classroom lockers had to be destroyed. The majority of the complaints seemed to surface in late July and early August. Each summer, the school district spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean the facilities. Previously, consultants had been hired to propose solutions. The approach taken each year generally treated the symptoms but did not treat the fundamental problem. Each year, the mold growth would erupt and be cleaned, providing evidence that moisture sources in the buildings
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were not adequately identied and corrected. The authors rm, in partnership with a large construction company, was contracted by the school district to nd long-term solutions to provide continuing relief from mold growth.
The Facilities

The 36 facilities are a cross-section of schools: 13 elementary schools, 14 middle schools and nine high schools. Many of the mechanical systems serving the elementary schools
About the Authors Hugh McMillan, P .E., Member ASHRAE, is senior vice-president of HRE, Inc. in Houston. Jim Block is senior mechanical designer at HRE, Inc.

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Photograph 1: Mold growth on classroom wall after 72 hours.

consisted of multiple air-cooled water chillers, gas-red heating hot water boilers and classroom two-pipe system unit ventilators operating as fan coil units (no ventilation cycle providing free cooling). School congurations range from classrooms with doors that open to the outside to those with doors that open to a conditioned corridor. Many of the schools were renovated from 1985 to 1990. The renovations included replacement of the water chilling equipment, boilers and unit ventilators. The control systems were renovated to direct digital control (DDC) systems within the last ve years. The airside systems in these schools include various congurations of fan coil units, unit ventilators, and traditional air-handling units. Photograph 2 is typical of how the additional outside air was added to existing facilities. Notice the lack of any volume or control damper. The only control damper is the 72 in. long by 4 in. wide (182 cm by 10 cm), two-position damper inside the fan coil unit. This damper has no seals and, due to its great length, has signicant leakage. Dedicated precooling air- handling units are not part of the facilities. Heat transfer is accomplished via chilled water/hot water delivered through two-pipe changeover and four-pipe systems. Photograph 3 indicates how many HVAC systems were added long after the original construction of the buildings. Piping was added and routed through areas providing the most cost-effective solution.
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The typical system in the middle schools and high schools was basically the same with the exception that water-cooled centrifugal and/or screw compressor chillers and cooling towers were used rather than air-cooled water chillers. Administration areas for a majority of facilities have been provided with direct-expansion stand-alone systems intended for after-hours operations. Control systems include DDC with and without humidity control. The basic classroom unit ventilators are controlled with a DDC sequence that energizes the units on a programmed schedule, modulates the control valve to maintain the space temperature setpoint and changes the action of the control signal based on the temperature of the water in the piping system (for two-pipe systems). To conserve energy, the units are scheduled to operate during occupied hours only. The same happens with the water chilling plants that are de-energized at night and on weekends.
Methodology

Sampling criteria for selecting the areas to be monitored was based on direct observation of real-time conditions and past history of mold remediation. A meeting with maintenance personnel was conducted in early May to educate staff on the new district initiative to ensure that summer mold growth did not recur. Inexpensive humidity monitors were provided to school custodians to locate potential problem areas as early as possible. School custodians were instructed to call area supervisors
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Photograph 2 (left): Typical fan coil unit outside air connection. Photograph 3 (right): Typical classroom fan coil unit location.

when potential problem areas were identied. The custodians were coached to identify potential problem areas based on excessive space humidity (60% RH or higher). Once an area was identied, the investigation team visited these areas and collected data on temperature and relative humidity levels. Site conditions including chiller loading, entering chilled water temperature (EWT), leaving chilled water temperature (LWT), and ambient dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures also were recorded. Leaving air temperature (LAT) and entering air temperature (EAT) plus EWT and LWT were recorded for the airside unit serving the identied areas. When these calls came in, the data from previous summers was reviewed for the affected facility, and areas that had been a problem from the previous summer were visited and similar data collected. The district maintenance personnel theorized that an excessive amount of outside air was introduced into the spaces from uncontrolled or poorly controlled outside air dampers. Second, failed chilled water piping insulation was driving the supply water temperatures up to temperatures exceeding 50F (10C). With chilled water supply temperature exceeding 50F (10C), the four-row chilled water coils in the classroom fan coil units do not have the capability of providing the close approach temperature required to yield the leaving air temperature of approximately 55F (12.8C). This temperature is required to adequately dehumidify the airstream. It also was theorized that the systems simply were not designed to handle the large amounts of outside air required under Standard 62-2001, and that the district, in its zeal to implement the guideline, had overburdened the existing equipment. Based on these theories, the team originally was instructed by the district to begin inspecting outside air dampers and chilled water pipe insulation. The team, however, insisted that space conditions, including room relative humidity, space temperature, supply air temperature, return air temperature, chilled water supply temperature and chilled water return temperature at each unit were recorded. This data initially was
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to be recorded to provide a before-and-after report to indicate the projects success or failure.

The Findings

Initial relative humidity readings were consistently in the 60% and higher range in at least 91 of the 231 rooms sampled on the initial list of 36 problem schools. In some cases, the readings were 85% RH. A representative sample of the data is indicated in Table 1. However, little or no mold growth was found during the sampling phase of the project conducted in May through June. Supply air temperatures in excess of 60F (15.6C) were consistently monitored at most air units. The majority of the air units were 1,000 to 1,200 cfm (472 to 566 L/s) unit ventilators located in each classroom. Outside air quantities were designed to be 300 to 450 cfm (142 to 212 L/s) per unit. Review of the air balance reports conrmed the amounts of outside air. Supply water temperature was found to be between 45F (7.2C) and 51F (10.6C). Many systems were four-pipe with some two-pipe systems. Boilers were found to be shut down on the four-pipe systems. Outside air dampers were discovered to be inoperable for many reasons. For instance, dampers had been disabled in the open or closed position, had simply been removed or never installed. Nevertheless, very little mold was found on these initial site visits. The school year concluded in late May. The rst reports of mold growth began within one week after the end of school. Return visits found space temperature conditions similar to the initial measurements. However, signicant mold growth had occurred in many of the rooms. The data indicated higher than optimal relative humidity and some elevated space temperatures, but no data drastically different than that previously recorded.
The Solution

The construction crews began replacing damaged chilled water supply and return piping insulation, installing outside air
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dampers, repairing disabled dampers, and the remaining scope established by the district engineering consultant. However, mold was continuing to grow. After many meetings to discuss the continuing problem, the team assembled an emergency response team to monitor each school. Data was taken at each school once every three days throughout the remainder of the summer. The data gathered by the emergency response team provided the answers that so many others had missed. In the week following the end of the school year, many unanticipated events began to occur. First, the majority of school HVAC systems were completely de-energized. Second, the cleaning crews began annual cleaning by using power washers to clean walls. Tremendous amounts of water were introduced into the classroom without any mechanical systems operating to remove the excessive moisture. Relative humidity readings were in excess of 95% in many cases. Third, cleaning crews stripped wax from oors using buckets of water thrown in front of the buffers. Again, excessive moisture was introduced into the building. Yet another issue was that the space temperature setpoints of the mechanical control system in some facilities was raised to 80F (26.7C). The supply fans were programmed to operate continuously to meet Standard 62-2001 requirements. The reset of the space temperature setpoint was the most important nding. However, continuous fan operation also presented a major problem. The chilled water control valves are modulated in response to the space temperature rising above the space temperature setpoint. This is the traditional approach to space temperature control but in this instance leads to serious humidity control problems that often are overlooked. Under normal operation with constant volume, variable temperature systems, when the classroom is occupied, sufcient load exists to drive the valves open to provide a leaving air temperature off the coils low enough to dehumidify the space during the school year. In the humid climate where these schools are located, the temperature is 55F to 58F (12.8C to 14.4C). However, during unoccupied mode, the leaving air temperature resets to well above any possible dehumidication capabilities of the coils. Excessive humidity and room temperatures above 78F (25.5C) are fertile feeding grounds for mold. In some cases it took only a few hours for mold to grow as seen in Photograph 1. In addition to the high temperatures, continuous fan operation brings in warm, humid outside air even if the outside air dampers are operating due to seal leakage. Recirculation of warm, humid air and introducing still more warm, humid air produce ideal conditions for mold growth. As an experiment, one school was reprogrammed to cycle the fans when the space temperature setpoint was satised. The valve programming was unchanged. Since this was done during the summer, with the building largely unoccupied, the ventilation requirements of Standard 62-2001 were still met.
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School No. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36

Room No. Admin 408 204 206 106 109 114 118 221 205 207 209 Teachers Lounge Admin Auditorium Cafeteria 112 114 Hall 1 N 109 108 107 106 231 238 221 218 214 210 Admin Entry Kindergarten A 22 24 Kindergarten B 26 28 2 1 7 9 10 Cafetorium

Room Temp. (F) 72 77 75 77 76 77 75 75 72 75 77 74 70 70 77 75 77 76 80 74 75 77 76 77 76 73 76 75 74 70 70 75 73 76 74 80 74 75 74 72 78 74 72

Unit LAT (F) 62 66 64 66 60 56 61 59 54 56 58 63 45 47 61 58 70 56 65 62 59 60 62 64 63 58 61 67 60 48 51 61 60 64 59 74 62 63 67 61 62 60 53

Room RH % 58 64 66.4 66.1 67 55 64 60 51 57 59 66 48 56 65.7 58 78 57 70 75 66 75 73 67 71 76 76 82 72 48 46 71 70 83 63 95 77 76 76 65 69 67 56

Table 1: Sample classroom space temperature, unit leaving air temperature and relative humidity.

When the space temperature sensor called for cooling, the valves would open fully. Leaving air temperature off the coils was 50F to 54F (10C to 12.2C). Space humidity dropped in a few hours from in excess of 75% to 46% to 50%. No new mold growth occurred. Outside air dampers were still leaking. However, this does not appear to have contributed to the mold growth. This experiment was extended to other schools where possible, with similar results.
Results

Prior to the start of the next school year, properly operating outside air dampers were installed at each unit ventilator. Where chilled water pipe insulation was determined to have had its vapor barrier breeched (with the insulation subsequently water-logged), the insulation and vapor barrier were repaired and replaced. An unoccupied mode was programmed through the DDC system that shifted the control sequence from a constant volume, variable temperature operation to a variable volume, constant temperature operation. The resulting sequence
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allowed for the unit ventilator fans to be cycled to maintain space temperature setpoint with the chilled water valves fully open when the fans cycle on. Repair of the chilled water pipe insulation allowed for the chilled water supply temperature at the unit ventilator coils to be reduced from approximately 50F (10C) to 45F to 46F (7.2C to 7.8C). Placement of the properly operating outside air dampers allowed the dampers to be closed when the unit ventilator fans were cycled off, minimizing inltration of moisture-laden outside air. Introduction of the unoccupied mode for the unit ventilator control sequence allowed for leaving air temperatures to be reduced to the point that allowed for moisture removal at the unit ventilator coils. After these various repairs and operational revisions were implemented, space relative humidity was continuously monitored. The resulting levels ranged from 45% to 55% RH. These levels represent acceptable space relative humidity. This acceptability is further evidenced in the absence of mold growth at each of the 36 campuses.
Conclusions

It is vital in hot and humid climates to analyze system operation under all load and occupancy conditions in light of the systems and equipment in use. When providing operation sequences to meet the requirements of Standard 62-2001, quite often problems arise during low load, off-hour operation. When this occurs, it is important that care be given to operating the equipment to ensure that dehumidication is properly addressed. In the school environment, when no summer school is being held, cycling the fans during unoccupied times is allowable without compromising the ventilation requirements of Standard 62-2001. Excessive water used in cleaning is a procedural issue that must be addressed with school district and facility operating, maintenance and janitorial personnel. Removal of excess water used during the cleaning process must be emphasized. Merely lowering the thermostat setting actually leads to increased relative humidity in the space with minimal sensible load during the largely unoccupied summer months. When a night/weekend schedule is used that completely de-energizes the water chilling space conditioning equipment, excess moisture allowed to pool in the space will lead to mold growth. Good practice indicates that space humidity sensors be used to energize the water chilling and space conditioning equipment on nights and weekends when space relative humidity rises above 60% RH for longer than 30 minutes. Alternatively, the water chilling and space conditioning equipment could be scheduled to operate for a dehumidication cycle once each night using the unoccupied mode operating sequence. When operating under a true dehumidication cycle with little or no space sensible load, it will be necessary to provide some reheat capacity to lower the space relative humidity.
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It is also extremely important to emphasize to school district operating personnel the importance of maintaining an operating schedule for the HVAC system during the summer. No matter how enticing it is to disable the system when the building is unoccupied to save energy, the damage done to the building structure, textbooks and library more than offsets the energy savings. Care should be taken to thoroughly mop oors to remove excess water after the oors have been stripped prior to waxing. Leaving puddles of water in these facilities is certain to promote mold growth. Careful planning of school building operations during unoccupied periods, including proper control sequences for HVAC equipment and systems and attention to detail while performing summer maintenance operations will help immensely in minimizing the possibility for mold growth in school buildings. So, was the upgrade in the ventilation system responsible for mold growth or was it inattention to detail in the operation and maintenance procedures? It seems clear in this case that it was the inattention to detail in the operation and maintenance procedures.

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