Heat wave at New Court House: behind the scenes of repeated failures to repair the air conditioning system

Non-renewal of the maintenance contract, several inconclusive calls for tenders for repairs, lack of funds… so many reasons which explain why the air conditioning system at the New Court House has been in agony for several years now.

This is what emerges from a document from the Energy Services Division (ESD) that Le Défi Quotidien was able to consult. In May 2022, this department of the Department of National Infrastructure was given responsibility for updating the air conditioning system at New Court House. This, after the contract of the company which ensured the operation and maintenance of the central air conditioning system of the NCH was not renewed for “poor performance”.

Initially, from June 2022, the ESD had submitted the specifications in order to award a contract for the operation, maintenance and necessary repairs of the central air conditioning system with an estimated cost over three years. At that time, the ESD points out, only one cooler was operational and the specifications provided for the repair of two other defective coolers. However, in August 2022, due to budgetary constraints, the ESD had to review the specifications to carry out repairs and take care of operation and maintenance over a period of only six months. A tender exercise had been launched for the operation and maintenance of the air conditioning system twice, to no avail.

Replacement

In February 2023, the ESD had submitted a report on the condition of the air conditioning system to the New Court House on the one hand and proposals for its replacement, on the other hand. Suggestion had also been made to engage the services of a consultant in the field of mechanical ventilation for a new cooling system with an estimated cost of around Rs 3 million, excluding tax, for the consultancy services.

One month later, in March 2023, a call for tender exercise is launched for “investigations” on the central air conditioning system in order to identify system defects and prepare a “scope of work” for the required repairs. . Once again, this exercise will end in failure.

A foreign engineer will manage, in July 2023, to start one of the faulty coolers after some minor repairs. However, just one month later, in August 2023, one of the chillers that was in operation failed.

In September 2023, a local company, STB Ltée, was called upon to carry out “troubleshooting and surveys” and propose corrective repairs to the chillers. Following his report, a “scope of work” was submitted to the courts at the end of November for the repair, operation and maintenance of the NCH's central air conditioning system. A tender exercise was launched to this effect on December 1, 2023 with a closing date set for December 21, 2023. The only offer received is currently being evaluated.

Tenders for the purchase of repairs, operation and maintenance of NCH's central air conditioning system were invited on December 1, 2023, with a closing date of December 21, 2023. One offer was received and the offer is currently being evaluated.

Additionally, a contract for the installation of ceiling fans in the courtrooms to ensure proper air circulation in the New Court House was awarded on January 10, 2024. The installation of these ceiling fans ceiling is in progress and is expected to be completed by the end of February 2024.