$500,000 in HVAC fixes needed as students head back to this Tri-Cities high school

Kennewick School District needs to pay nearly $500,000 in HVAC repairs as thousands of students and staff return to Southridge High School in a few weeks.

The school board will consider an emergency declaration at its Wednesday meeting to pay for the unanticipated repairs. That will allow district staff to wave state bidding requirements to get the job done faster.

The repairs will not affect operations, the school calendar or start date.

“The current system is functioning as designed, but KSD wishes to be proactive and address the repairs accordingly before conditions worsen,” Tom Brillhart, assistant superintendent of operations, said in a Tuesday statement.

“Pending board approval, the repair window is to be determined, KSD will be working with building admin to determine the best window of time to reduce the impact on the learning environment for our students and staff,” he continued.

The school’s HVAC has experienced “noticeable shifting” of the four-pipe hydronic system due to failed structural supports, district documents read . That’s caused some minor leaking of glycol fluid, the system’s refrigerant.

Delaying the repairs could result in a safety issue.

Southridge’s HVAC system was upgraded during a 2021 capital project that included, in addition to other projects, 12 brand new classrooms .

“Parties involved in the design and installation of the system have concluded that the system was built to specifications; however, the design appears to be flawed. It is likely that there will be more failing structural supports in the future,” said the documents.

The district hopes to hold the engineering firm liable for the repairs, estimated to be about $400,000 to $500,000.

The first day of classes for Southridge students is Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The newest of Kennewick’s three high schools serves about 1,650 students.