Maxwell Public Schools is a rural school district located in Maxwell, Nebraska. The district consists of a single interconnected K-12 facility that has served the community for many generations. The facility consists of an elementary school, junior/senior high school, administration offices, and a shop/bus barn. Due to space constraints and chronic maintenance and operational issues, the district embarked on an approximately $9 million project to add a new competition gymnasium with a wrestling practice area, full prep kitchen, metal/wood shops, and commons/cafeteria area as well as the replacement of the existing building’s HVAC and lighting systems.

The HVAC renovation consisted of removing all existing HVAC equipment and distribution for the entire facility and installing a heat recovery variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system to utilize refrigerant as an energy medium in lieu of water, reduce maintenance issues, and allow for more space above the ceiling. The VRF systems allowed simultaneous heating and cooling to maximize occupant comfort without sacrificing energy efficiency.

To accommodate the building addition and renovation, a new phased electrical service was brought into the building to provide flexibility in maintaining building operations during construction. A major concern of the school district was to address the existing lighting systems as they utilized T12 technology with minimal ability to control. The solution included a complete LED lighting package for both the new and renovation portions of the building along with a fully automated lighting control system. The total power usage for the new lighting system should operate at less than half the cost of the existing system.

The infrastructure upgrade provides the District with optimal comfort for the overall learning environment.