CWU Secures $1 Million in Federal Funding for HVAC Upgrade at Student Medical Center

In the wake of a global pandemic, new focus has been placed on air filtration systems in medical settings to prevent the spread of airborne diseases. Central Washington University took one step closer to meeting this challenge last fall when it secured $1 million in federal funds to upgrade the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Student Medical Center (SMC).

The award-included in the Community Funding Program portion of the U.S. government's fiscal year 2023 budget-will help fund state-of-the-art, medical-grade air filtration and other performance-enhancing features as part of ongoing renovations to the SMC.

Dr. Kim Schrier, Washington's 8th Legislative District representative, was instrumental in securing the funding for Central, along with more than $22 million overall for 15 different projects in her district. She says the HVAC system upgrade addresses a community-wide need.

"I am proud to have helped CWU secure funding for much-needed renovations for their Student Medical and Counseling Center," Schrier said. "The new air distribution system made possible by this funding will improve the center's energy efficiency, save money, and benefit the overall health of students and staff by reducing the spread of disease. CWU and the overall Ellensburg community deserve to have up-to-date, quality facilities, and this project works towards that."

Student Health and Counseling Services Operations Manager Stefanie Parker says the funding will help address a pressing need.

"In a health care setting, exact control of temperature and humidity is a huge deal, and air filtration is vital, too," Parker said. "Low humidity creates a higher risk of fire, and air filtration is an important barrier to airborne infections."

In addition to the continuous maintenance and upgrades that will be required to keep the SMC relevant and running smoothly, the university plans to ask for an additional $4 million in federal funding to separate the administrative and clinical sides of the facility. The overarching goal of this effort will be to contain airborne pathogens even more efficiently.