Frequently Asked Questions
UCM Air Quality Project as of October 19, 2021
Why do we need an Air Quality Improvement project? Why does our current ventilation system need to be upgraded?
One of the most important things we have learned from the world’s experience with Covid-19 is that this virus is spread mainly through aerosol dispersion – droplets transmitted from an infected individual into the surrounding air which other people then breathe. The Delta variant is now the predominate strain of Covid-19 in our community. It is highly contagious; it is twice as contagious and spreads faster as earlier variants. New variants are already being tracked and monitored by the CDC.
Transmission is reduced when we wear masks, are socially distanced and have good ventilation. Examples of good ventilation include being outdoors, being in a room with the windows open, and having an air ventilation system in a building which brings outdoor air (“make-up air”) into the system and adequately filters any air being recirculated. Our heating system does not incorporate make-up air and does not have adequate filters -- our building has no ventilation. It just recirculates the same air over and over. (Note: older buildings can leak outside air into the building and even that is not enough outside air to provide adequate ventilation. Because of all of the insulation work that has been done on our building air leakage is minimal.)
Will the new ventilation system prevent the transmission of the virus?
There is no one remedy that can guarantee a person 100% safety from becoming infected by the virus. All the recommendations by health experts can only decrease the likelihood of becoming infected. Early in the pandemic, experts were stressing the need for good personal hygiene - washing hands, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces, avoiding touching face - all procedures that help a person avoid the common cold or seasonal flu. The CDC and others now recognize that Covid-19 (along with other airborne diseases) is primarily transmitted in the air - which reinforces the need for make-up air and air filtration. Building codes have long recognized the need for incorporating good ventilation (make-up air and filtration) in buildings. Our heating system was “grandfathered” under these codes and does not provide any outside air. However, because of flood regulations we cannot do any work on our current heating system. (See below for explanation of proposed new hot water boiler system.) Proper ventilation (make-up air) would make the building significantly safer from Covid-19 variants and other air-borne diseases than it currently is.
For additional information on the importance of building air quality, see the following references:
CDC: Protect yourself and others
EPA: Ventilation and Coronavirus
State of Vermont: COVID-19 Winter Indoor Air Guidance for Public and Private Sectors
What is the current proposal for the Air Quality Project?
The preliminary idea for the Air Quality Project was to tie a new outside air ventilation system into the existing forced air heating system in the basement. Outside air would have separately been introduced to the addition.
The City of Montpelier (through their acceptance of FEMA flood recommendations) will not permit any work on the existing forced air heating system (replace the duct work because of asbestos and add fresh air to the new ductwork) because the basement is below the level of the floodplain. Note: the floodplain is at the first floor of the Vestry.
Slade Engineering was selected in late June from three engineering companies and has made the following proposal: the heating system and the outside air ventilation system will operate independently of one another. All units will be located in a way that is accessible for service and maintenance.
How will the proposed heating system work?
A hot water boiler, fueled by biodiesel/biofuel (99+% biofuel), will be located in the closets currently located outside of the kitchen. It will be placed 2 feet above the floor (required by
code). This location can utilize the existing chimney (currently the chimney for the Vestry
furnace).
Baseboard hot water will be used to heat the Vestry and Sanctuary. Note: The Office/Classroom Addition is already heated with baseboard heating from an existing boiler that will remain in the basement but be changed over to biodiesel/biofuel.
Which type of heating is more efficient – hot water boiler or forced air?
Broadly, water is a much more efficient heat transfer medium than air. It's also much more efficient to move water around (with small pumps) than large volumes of air (with large fans).
How does installing the new boiler which uses biofuel impact our Net Zero goals?
We couldn't choose the most efficient fuel (propane) because it is a Greenhouse gas therefore doesn't meet our Net Zero goals. Biodiesel/biofuel is renewable.
How does biodiesel/biofuel compare to other fuels? Didn’t Building For the Future (BFF) propose using wood pellets?
During BFF there was a great deal of discussion about the renewability and emissions from even advanced wood pellet systems. There was also concern about locating the new equipment in the basement, below the flood plain. As we have discovered with this project, the equipment and pellet storage could not have been located as planned. Therefore, due to space constraints and net zero concerns, we determined that using biodiesel/biofuel in a standard oil boiler was a better choice. Furthermore, building codes for BFF would have required that the basement heating system be removed and ventilation added, so this heating/ventilation work fulfills a large piece of that project.
What will happen to our current forced air heating furnaces in the basement?
Once the new boiler system is in place and functioning, we will then be able to begin the asbestos abatement project which is expected to take one to two weeks. The first step will be duct removal and then the furnaces which also include some asbestos and will be removed.
How will the new ventilation system work?
There will be two Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) installed in the “closet” of the Bell Tower Room which will supply fresh air to the Sanctuary, Bell Tower Room and Vestry. These units pass the ‘stale’ air going outside past the fresh air coming in to exchange heat, so minimal heat is lost in the process. A third HRV will be installed in the Northwest corner of the Kitchen ceiling (above the dishwashing area) and will supply fresh air to the Fireplace Room, Kitchen/Vestry Corridor and the Office/Classroom Addition.
These units will work independently from the heating systems – the heat does not need to be on in order for the ventilation system to work. However, during winter when outdoor temperatures are lowest, then heat will be added to the fresh air stream as needed for comfort via a hot water coil.
How does a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) work?
An HRV is basically a box with four ducts – one to bring in fresh air, one to move the fresh to ventilate the building, one to remove the “stale” air, and one to discharge the stale air to outside. Inside the box are fans to move the air and heat exchangers to recover heat.
What will happen to all of the “stuff” currently stored in the two closets where the new boiler will be located?
There will need to be new space allocated for the various items stored in the two closets – cleaning supplies and Community Lunch items. Adding more efficient storage space into the existing kitchen and Kitchen/Vestry corridor is being considered.
Will putting a boiler in that space contribute to noise and heat to that area?
The new space for the boiler will be contained within fire rated walls and doors. New boilers are very energy efficient and do not generate a lot of excessive heat – the vast majority of energy goes into heating the water and not the air around the boiler. Boilers are generally quieter than furnaces because you don’t hear the fans blowing hot air. The boiler’s location on the first floor will be under the Chancel and will not be under the organ.
What changes will be made to the Vestry?
There will be hot water baseboard heating units along the outer walls.
Ducts to deliver fresh air to the Vestry and Sanctuary will be located on the ceiling of the vestry. These ducts will be boxed out to be approximately 2 feet wide and 1½ feet down from the ceiling and will be designed to integrate aesthetically with the existing architecture of the space.
Existing “chases” in the Vestry (hollow spaces behind the walls where the existing Sanctuary heating system return air ducts are located) will be utilized for moving fresh air to the Sanctuary and therefore there will be minimum disruption within the walls. Because of the placement of the ducts along the ceiling the light fixtures will need to be moved.
What visual changes will be made to the Sanctuary?
There will be 4 wall convection hot water heating units: on each side of the Chancel and each side of the Sanctuary near the entry doors. In addition, there will be a unit at the top of the each set of entry stairs. The Chancel units will hug the side walls and be 8” deep by 32” tall by 72” long. The stair units will be 4”deep by 32” tall x 48” long against the north and south walls. These units are not hot if one were to touch them. The four existing floor grates in the Sanctuary (which are the existing return air vents) will be used to furnish the fresh air to the Sanctuary. There will be one new “return” air vent located high on the back wall of the Sanctuary.
How will the Sanctuary be heated?
Four convection hot water units (no fans), as described above.
What is the impact on heating the Sanctuary?
Overall, we wouldn't expect that we would have to keep the sanctuary at a higher temperature during unoccupied times than we do now, since hot water is a much more efficient type of heat, and it will be more evenly distributed through the space (versus the existing hot air distribution from just two vents behind the chancel). It may take a little bit longer to bring the temperature up but it is not expected to be significant.
How will the Sanctuary ventilation work? Will it be noisy?
Fresh air will be delivered to the Sanctuary via the existing floor registers (currently the return ducts for the current heating system). The returns will be located high in the east wall above the Bell Tower ceiling. Because the ventilation units will be placed in the Bell Tower closet there should not be any noise impact in the Sanctuary.
What will be the impact in the Bell Tower Room?
The Bell Tower Room itself will have intake and exhaust to the HRV which will be located in the closet behind the room. The HRV vents/ductwork will travel under the floor of the Bell Tower Room and connect to both the Sanctuary and Vestry ducts referred to above. The fresh air intake and return air discharge will be directed to the attic/steeple above the Bell Tower “closet”. Once the construction work is completed the Bell Tower Room will be functional for meetings as it is now.
How will the Classroom/Office Addition be ventilated?
Spaces to be ventilated include: the Fireplace Room, office hallway on first floor, the Nursery, and the first-floor offices. On the second floor: the Children’s Chapel and the small classroom. During winter, heat will be added to the fresh air stream as needed for comfort with a hot water coil from the new boiler.
Will there be any changes to the way the Classroom/Office Addition is heated?
No, because presently the addition is heated by the boiler currently located in the basement.
Will adding the new boiler on the first floor impact the boiler in the basement that currently heats the Classroom/Office Addition?
The existing boiler in the basement will be converted to 100% biodiesel and it is expected to continue functioning for the next several years. (We have a maintenance service plan for both our furnaces and the boiler.) In the future when the old boiler requires extensive repairs or needs replacement it will be removed and the addition heating system will be connected to the new boiler. The new boiler will be sized appropriately to handle the additional space. New boilers have the ability to “modulate” and are designed to run efficiently, no matter the space required to heat
What will be the visible impact to the outside of our building?
The intake and exhaust for the Bell Tower HRV will be located in the steeple. An existing painted plywood panel recessed behind the triple “window” on Main Street will be replaced with a metal louver, as will the existing panel on the north side of the steeple.
The Office/Classroom Addition HRV will be vented (intake and exhaust) above the stairway exit door on the north side of the building. These vents must be spaced 10 feet apart vertically.
Do we have any idea how much the project will cost?
Until the project is put out for bid, we will not know the exact cost of the project. The design engineer is aware of our budget and has kept that in mind while evaluating all of the various options.
Any idea when we will be able to open the building?
Until we get bids back, we will not be able to project when the building can open. We have pre-screened a number of contractors who are available this fall. The plan is to put the project out to bid as soon as the final plans are approved and all applicable building permits obtained.
How long will the construction take?
We expect the work to take 1 – 2 months depending on availability of contractors and materials.
Who will be overseeing the work for UCM?
The AQP Team (Barbara Conrey, Kris Hammer and Allen Clark) will be overseeing the construction of the project. The design engineer will be involved throughout the construction and ensure that the completed project meets the specifications of the project design. The Executive Team will be overseeing the cost of the project.