HEATING OF SCHOOLS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1358, 20 June 1918, Page 8

HEATING OF SCHOOLS.

MR A. PEVERILL'S PROPOSALS. OPPOSED BY EXPERTS. The proposal made in yesterday's Su.\ T by Mr A. Peverill, a member of the Canterbury Education Board and chairman of the East Christchurch School Committee, that the Education Boards should conjointly bear the expense of sending an architect to America to investigate the various heating systems 'for schools, does not commend itself to several experts consulted to-day. A firm that has had a great deal of experience in the installation of heating systems is Messrs C. and J. Colville, plumbers, Manchester Street, and in conversation with a reporter to-day, both members of the firm expressed the opinio!' that it was quite unnecessary to send an architect to America, as all the latest information on the subject, was made available in correspondence and in the trade journals. Experience had convinced them that the most satisfactory system of heating schools, or any other kind of building, was the low-pressure hot-water system. Thov had installed that "system in the Boys'"High School, the Girls' High School, and in the premises of the Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd., Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., and various other business firms employing large numbers of hands, also the Strand and Liberty Theatres. In no case had any complaints been received concerning the system, while, on the contrary, several of the firms mentioned had given testimonials stating that, of the various heating systems which they had tried, the low-pressure water system was the best.

It was pointed out by the reporter that this system had been installed by the Education Board in several of the more recently erected schools, and that there wore repeated complaints that it had not proved satisfactory. The reply to this was that the success of the system depended on its being properly put in, and a good circulation being secured. This was the trouble in connection with the failure of the system in the schools mentioned, the circulation being very bad. "While disclaiming any idea of criticising the Education Board, they w r ere of opinion thftt the contract methods of the board had something to do with these failures. The builder who received the contract for the erection of the school had the contract for heating also, and naturally he sought to get it done as cheaply as possible. They thought that it would be better for the board to let the contract for heating separately, and spend more money on it, in order to ensure the system being properly put in. In fioth capital outlay and maintenance cost the hot water 'system, they contended, was the cheapest, and could be more easily regulated than either the steam system or hot-air system mentioned by Mr Peverill.

The system was more apt to fail than the hot water system, because in the former case the amount of heat generated must be sufficient all the time to develop steam, and if allowed to fall below that point, the system had to be shut off completely. In the case of the hot water system, the rooms"; got the benefit of whatever amount of heat was generated.

Another advantage of this system was the fact that its use could be reconciled with an adequate supply of fresh air, which could be made to percolate around the radiator before passing into the room. They concluded by again stating that sufficient knowledge was available locally in connection with the question of heating to make it quite unnecessary to send an architect to America. While investigating the question, the Sun representative visited the Farmers' Co-operative Association's buildings in Cashel Street, where a low pressure hot water system is installed. The