REP FINDER

Colorado School HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Program

Ventilation Verification and HVAC Assessments (C.R.S 22-32-153)

This Colorado revised statute was created to establish requirements for ventilation verification and HVAC assessments when funding for HVAC improvements are drawn from the HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Cash Fund (24-75-232). These assessments evaluate HVAC performance and identify deficiencies impacting:

  • Ventilation
  • Indoor air quality (IAQ)
  • Energy efficiency

This program has limited funding and is only available for a short period.
 

Funding & Program Overview

  • $168,250,000 total funding available
  • Available until June 30, 2028, or until fully allocated
  • Supports HVAC system assessment, repair, and upgrades

Why This Matters

Even though Ventilation Verification in Colorado is required to be performed only when HVAC funds are used, other states require ventilation verification on a periodic basis. This is because HVAC systems can degrade or fail without notice if not properly controlled, monitored, and maintained.  ASHRAE 62.1 2025 Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality has also established minimum inspection, verification, and validation activities at recurring specific time frequencies (refer to Table 8-1)
 
Colorado should consider making school HVAC assessments and ventilation verification ongoing activities. You wouldn’t check a building’s safety systems just once; ventilation should be no different.
 
The Colorado Infrastructure 2025 Report Card for Schools received a D+ rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Many schools face:
  • Aging HVAC systems
    • Aging systems lead to increased cost of repair, downtime, lower performance, and are less energy efficient
  • Insufficient ventilation
    • Increase illness and absenteeism
    • Fatigue and difficulty concentrating
    • Reduce academic performance 
  • Poor filtration and pressurization
    • Filtration is important to keep equipment operating efficiently, and more importantly enhanced filtration can remove fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) that can settle in the lungs and impact health. Pressurization is key to keeping outdoor air infiltration. This provided energy savings, and prevents contaminates from getting indoors, such as wildfire smoke which contains PM 2.5 and VOCs.
  • Limited monitoring and control
    • Enhanced monitoring and control of HVAC systems is essential to maintain IAQ and energy efficiency. It can provide fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) alerting to problems before failure and limiting conditions that can waste energy or create poor IAQ.
  • Poor ventilation can lead to:
    • Increase illness and absenteeism
    • Fatigue and difficulty concentrating
    • Reduce academic performance
Colorado School HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Program
Improving Indoor Air Quality in Colorado Schools
e Colorado Infrastructure 2025 Report Card for Schools received a D+ grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Key Elements of Colorado's Ventilation Verification

These measurements determine whether systems are delivering adequate ventilation to support healthy indoor environments.

Reporting Requirements

HVAC assessment reports must:
  • Document system conditions and deficiencies
  • Be reviewed by a licensed mechanical engineer
  • Include recommendations for repairs or upgrades
  • Be maintained for at least five years
  • Be available to the public upon request

Why Airflow Measurement Matters

Ventilation verification depends on accurate airflow measurement. Airflow measurement helps determine whether systems are:

  • Delivering sufficient outdoor air
  • Maintaining proper building pressurization
  • Operating energy-saving controls correctly

Without proper measurement, issues can go undetected until problems arise.

Key Consideration: Long-Term Verification

Ventilation assessments provide a snapshot in time; performance can change. Installing permanent airflow measurement devices allows:
  • Ongoing verification of ventilation rates
  • Improved demand control ventilation
  • Fault detection for economizer operation
  • Continuous monitoring of building pressurization

Frequently Asked Questions

Colorado School Ventilation and HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Program

> Download the FAQ listing

What is the Colorado HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Program?

Colorado House Bill HB25-1245 establishes Colorado Revised Statute (C.R.S) 22-32-153 requirements for Ventilation Verification and HVAC Assessment when the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” cash fund is used. The program uses qualified personnel to evaluate, repair, and upgrade HVAC systems in order to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), ventilation performance, and energy efficiency in school buildings.

Why is it Important?

Ventilation is essential for maintaining healthy learning environments. Proper ventilation removes indoor pollutants, reduces airborne contaminants, and improves comfort for students and teachers. Studies have shown that improved indoor air quality can positively impact student health, attendance, and academic performance.

How Much Funding is Available?

The HVAC Infrastructure Improvement Grant Fund provides approximately $168 million to support ventilation assessments, repairs, and upgrades in schools. These funds are available until June 30, 2028 or until fully allocated.

Why does it Matter?

The Colorado Infrastructure 2025 Report Card for Schools was given a grade of D+ from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). These schools often have aging HVAC systems that require assessment, repair, or replacement.

Who performs the ventilation assessments?

Ventilation verification must be conducted by qualified professionals, such as certified Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) technicians. Certifications may include organizations such as TABB, AABC, or NEBB, or other professionals certified in ventilation assessment.

What does a ventilation assessment include?

A comprehensive HVAC assessment may include:
Measuring outdoor air ventilation rates
  • Verifying supply, return, and exhaust airflow
  • Confirming ventilation rates meet the minimum requirements in the International Mechanical Code (IMC)
  • Evaluating economizer operation
  • Verifying proper operation of demand control ventilation systems
  • Inspecting filtration levels and determining whether MERV-13 or higher filtration can be supported
  • Assessing airflow distribution and building pressurization
These measurements help determine whether the HVAC system is delivering adequate ventilation to support healthy indoor environments.

What happens after the HVAC assessment?

  • Certified Contractors make repairs.
  • Mechanical Engineers review ventilation verification and HVAC assessment, and recommend additional adjustments or upgrades.
  • Local Education Provider shall maintain a copy of the HVAC Verification Report for at least five years and make it available to the public upon request.

What role does Installed Airflow Measurement play?

Installed airflow measurement will provide long-term monitoring well after the ventilation verification and HVAC assessment, repairs, and upgrades have been completed. Whether this grant is used or not, they should be considered.
Airflow measurement devices help professionals determine whether systems are:

  • Delivering sufficient outdoor ventilation air
  • Maintaining appropriate building pressure
  • Energy-saving controls are operating as intended
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