The Lauren Condominium Association

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 20, 2005 

READING, MODIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 2, 2004 MEETING

The Board approved the Minutes as a true record of the meeting. 

TREASURER'S REPORT

Net cash available at the end of December was $747,974.22;

For year to date operations, through the end of December:

• total income was $847,533 which is under budget by $16,891;
• total operating expenses were $709,449, which is over budget by $3,209;
• capital expenditures were $42,225.

Fund Balances

• operating fund balance as of the end of December 2004 is $81,311
• reserve fund booked balance as of the end of December 2004 is $648,729.

Certificates of deposit activity during December was as follows

• None

Other

• The Board reviewed a proposal from A.G. Edwards and Sons to provide investment advice and consolidated statements for the Lauren investments. Subject to review of the contract by the Condo lawyer, the Board approved the proposal.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MEETINGS OF DECEMBER 2, 2004

HVAC Consulting report: Jack McNabb

Parts List - Procurement Procedure and Status

A list of appropriate motors, louvers, grilles and thermostats was discussed. The Lauren will purchase samples which can then be repurchased by unit owners if desired.

Hallway Ventilation and Exhaust Improvement Project

The Hallway Ventilation and Exhaust Improvement Project is intended to enhance ventilation and air quality because the current ventilation system is inadequate. Many residents have reported over the years about strong cooking and smoke odors in the hallways that then enter other units. The project will also strengthen safety by installing or replacing existing fire dampers where needed. A recent survey of HVAC equipment revealed that many of the fire dampers in hallway vents were missing or were not in working order.

The Board discussed performance specifications prepared by consulting engineer Jack McNabb. There was considerable discussion as to how closing hallway exhaust vents would improve hallway air circulation and, with vents closed, where odors from cooking, smoking, and other pollutants that do get into the hallway would go. There was concern that they would go into neighbor’s units.

Mr. McNabb explained that the project would increase airflow through the hall input vents by increasing the speed of the fan on the roof that forces air into the halls and by enlarging the roof vent where this fan draws fresh air. The project also involves closing gaps between the hallway air grills and the ducts behind them. At present, much of the air drawn from the roof vent is leaking through these gaps and escaping the building without entering the halls.

President Drummie reported that the DCRA (District of Columbia Regulatory Administration), following a letter from the Lauren's consulting engineer, had accepted that the Hallway Ventilation and Exhaust Improvement plan meets their code standards.

The Hallway Ventilation and Exhaust Improvement plan will also install a new temperature control system for the hallways. One of the biggest problems now is that the temperature control system in the hallways does not work, so that hallway ventilation frequently has to be shut down to keep the halls from becoming too hot or too cold.

The Project also calls for closing the hallway exhaust vents on an experimental basis. With increased airflow into the hallways, air pressure there will be greater than in the units, so, in principle, fresh air will flow from the outside, through the roof intake vent, into the halls, through the gaps under the apartment doors and out the exhaust vents in the kitchen and bathroom of each unit. (Six large exhaust fans on the roof draw air through kitchen and bathroom vents in units.) Cooking odors and other pollutants from units will not enter the halls because the direction of airflow will be from hallways into units.

Gaps under doors must be wide enough that air will flow by this path. At present, it appears that gaps under some doors are adequate but that some may not be. In addition, residents must keep their vents clean and free of obstructions. There will still be some mixing of unit air with hall air if residents prop their doors open to air out their apartments after burning a pot on the stove. The under-door airflow for each unit will be measured. As they should do now, residents may need to open windows to vent undesirable odors.

The Board emphasized that a systematic evaluation will be undertaken when the work is complete. The consulting engineer will supervise measurements to see how airflow has actually been affected. With that information and feedback from residents, a decision will be made about whether to leave the hall exhaust vents closed or to reopen them.

The three main elements of The Hallway Ventilation and Exhaust Improvement Project -- increasing airflow into the halls, installing hall thermostats, and replacing fire dampers -- are necessary in any case.

The Board asked Mr. McNabb to obtain bids for installing fire dampers and the hallway thermostats balancing system. They also asked for cost estimates for installing exhaust removable blocks that could be reopened should the Board decides to do so. If they find that closing the hall exhausts works well in general, there could still be times when it would be desirable to clear the hall air as quickly as possible, for example, when someone burns their dinner and opens their door to air out the apartment.

HVAC Repairs to the 04 Tier

The board discussed a proposal for achieving parity in cooling of the 04 tier units. As noted in previous minutes, there is a construction anomaly in the building in that the circumference of the HVAC pipe in the 04 tier is smaller than all other units and cannot provide adequate cooling to the units. However, the pipe cannot be replaced without also replacing the Whalen heating and cooling units. This involves removing drywall to take out the current units and replacing them. Total estimated cost is $60,000 for the full tier.

Mr. McNabb presented a report from the Morin Distribution Company, a distributor for Whalen replacement parts, that points out, "The Whalen fan coils have serviced the Lauren longer than the ASHREA standard of 18-20 years." [The Lauren is now 30 years old.] Some HVAC units may already be reaching the end their useful life and others are nearing the point that the pans may leak and cause damage to the other units. President Drummie pointed out that proactive maintenance over the years has certainly extended the life span of the units and particular attention has been paid to the drain pans. According to the bylaws, the HVAC pipe that is to be replaced is the property of the Lauren while the Whalen HVAC units are the property of the owners.

President Drummie read a Letter of Opinion from the Lauren attorney, which states that the Board has wide latitude in financing the replacements of HVAC units. The Board discussed but reached no decision about various options for paying for the 04 units this spring and also for replacing the Whalen HVAC units throughout the rest of the building in future years.

Closed Loop Water Balancing

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 7:00 P.M.

ADJOURNMENT 

The meeting adjourned at 9:20 pm.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Followed the meeting the Board met in Executive Session.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED

Elizabeth A. VanderPutten, Secretary 

TO SUBSCRIBE

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Minutes and other Lauren information may be found on The Lauren web site http://www.lauren.org/