Air conditioning trial for classrooms

The Department of Education is set to trial reverse-cycle air-conditioning units in relocatable classrooms over the next few months.

The Minister for Education, Mr Phil Gude, said: "The results of this trial will determine the most effective means of cooling and heating relocatable classrooms."

The reverse-cycle air conditioners both cool in summer and heat in winter.

Currently, most relocatables are fitted only with heating units.

The cooling units are to be installed in several relocatable buildings at primary schools in the metropolitan area.

The announcement of the trial follows the recent allocation of $2.5 million to a program to provide schools in Victoria's hottest regions with air conditioning.

Under that program more than 120 schools in the northern, north-eastern and north-western regions - the state's hottest - will be fitted with air conditioning.

(News Release, Office of the Minister of Education, February 12, 1999)