HVAC Upgrades

Program Description

The Great Falls Civic Center HVAC and Boiler Systems have both reached and exceeded a reasonable useful age are in need of replacement.  The current ventilation units were installed in 1939 and are becoming increasingly unreliable.  Maintenance costs continue to increase as confidence in future reliability steadily decreases.

Why this matters

The Civic Center is among the most trafficked buildings in the City of Great Falls.  Between employee offices throughout the building, the meetings hosted on the second floor, performances given on the Mansfield Center Stage, and massive gatherings in the Convention Center there is a near constant shifting population in the building.  As a result, maintaining healthy and comfortable environmental standards within the building is a priority.  The HVAC will contribute to increased and healthier circulation especially in the second floor meeting areas.  The Boiler replacement will provide reliable heating to the entire building.  Also, installing these two items simultaneously will allow for a more energy efficient installation.  

How is this eligible?

According to Treasury's Final Rule, capital expenses similar to this proposal are eligible expenses if they meet two requirements.  First, there must be a public health response or negative impact related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In this instance, the improvement of ventilation to mitigate or prevent the spread of COVID-19 or similar ailments would be the identified public health response (ventilation expansion is specifically classified as eligible in Treasury's regulations).  Second, the project must be reasonably related to the response.