KTEC sues firms for alleged heating system issues

COEUR d'ALENE — The technical high school in Rathdrum is suing companies associated with construction of the facility for $190,300 in repairs needed to get the heating system to function properly.

The suit filed in First District Court by the Kootenai Technical Education Campus — which consists of students from the Lakeland, Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene school districts — names Longwell-Trapp Architects, Contractors Northwest, Safeco Insurance, Riverside Engineering and Northwest Engineering as the defendants.

"To date, KTEC paid an additional $210,000 (than a traditional heating system) for the original installation of the defective heating system, as well as heightened monthly heating bills and the costly glycol injections," the complaint states.

"KTEC has also incurred professional fees and ongoing repair and replacement costs associated with the heating system. The full extent of these damages are unknown at this time."

The 50,000-square-foot KTEC opened in fall 2012 and, as winter weather set in and heat was necessary, school officials discovered the heating system was not functioning, the complaint states.

School officials were informed the groundwater used to fuel the heating system was too cold and glycol injections were needed for the system to work properly. The cost of the injections and related labor was about $80,000.

KTEC was also informed that portions of the system were installed incorrectly and required repair.

"Upon information and belief, CNI was informed of these issues and required to perform remedial measures," the complaint states. "Those repairs were insufficient and caused further damage."

Additional problems were discovered, including alarm trip failures, compressor and sensor failures and inadequately functioning pumps, the filing states.

"The defendants were put on notice of these issues and failed to remedy the defects associated with the original recommendation, the design and the construction/installation of the heating system," the complaint states.

Jerry Keane, chairman of the KTEC board and Post Falls School District superintendent, said contracts with the companies call for arbitration of the matter.

"The complaint is just about meeting a timeline requirement so as not to close any future doors," he said. "It is my hope we can work it out."

He declined to comment further.

Linda Davis, director of building relationships for Contractors Northwest, which is now a part of LaRiviere, said it her understanding that the issue is related to engineering.

"But we are fully committed to assisting and working together for a solution to keep these young people comfortable in the winter," she said. "We want to help, make it right."

The complaint states Longwell-Trapp and Northwest Engineering recommended a groundwater-based heating system that cost about $210,000 more to install than a traditional system, but would eventually be more-than-offset by an estimated $27,000 per year savings in utility costs. KTEC officials agreed to the recommendation.

However, the complaint alleges, the firms did not obtain groundwater temperatures before the design and installation were recommended.

"As a result of installing the heating system, KTEC has incurred substantial economic damages and will continue to incur economic damages in the form of repair and replacement costs, heightened heating bills, professional fees and new system components," the complaint states.

Michael Hubbard of Riverside Engineering and formerly Northwest Engineering and principles at Longwell-Trapp Architects couldn't be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Megan O'Dowd, an attorney representing KTEC, declined to comment.

The complaint states KTEC paid Longwell-Trapp $665,000 and CNI $7.91 million for the services related to the construction of the facility. Northwest Engineering was a subcontractor in the project hired by Longwell-Trapp.

Safeco is named in the complaint because it guaranteed the performance of all the work performed by CNI.