Henrico leaders commit to fixing HVAC issues in schools and county buildings

Henrico County's top leaders, including the county manager and the public schools superintendent, have pledged that the HVAC issues affecting schools at the start of the year will not recur, NBC12 reported. They emphasized a commitment to addressing heating problems promptly in schools and libraries during the fall and winter seasons.

A recent report by CapTech criticized Henrico County and Henrico County Public Schools for a reactive approach to HVAC repairs and highlighted inconsistent and inaccurate work order tracking, according to NBC12. The superintendent noted that technicians sometimes move on to new tasks without properly logging completed repairs.

The county manager gave the county a grade of C or C minus for its HVAC maintenance efforts and said such performance is unacceptable in Henrico County. The superintendent described the school year's opening as frustrating for students and families and acknowledged the need for systemic changes both short and long term.

Henrico schools currently have seven HVAC technicians for 74 facilities, with nine vacancies, while the county has eight vacancies among 34 HVAC positions. Officials said hiring alone will not resolve the issues and stressed the importance of proactive measures, such as boiler testing already underway ahead of the heating season.

The Henrico Board of Supervisors and School Board are scheduled to hold work sessions to discuss these issues further, as reported by NBC12 and WTVR CBS 6. The leaders spoke publicly following two third-party assessments that identified gaps in staffing, maintenance practices, accountability, and vendor oversight within HVAC operations.

The assessments also revealed a lack of clear ownership for ensuring quality work and follow-up on preventive maintenance repairs. These findings came after months of complaints from teachers and families about elevated temperatures and HVAC failures in dozens of Henrico schools, WTVR CBS 6 reported.