The Hilsborough Board of Education was set to approve a $127,522 contract for a new HVAC system for the school's computer server room, but tabled the contract Monday night to check for the most efficient option.

The move came after board member Thuy Anh Le suggested the board consider the energy efficiency of purchases, when options are available. She said she asked if the efficiency of the system under consideration was taken into consideration in the design, and urged the board to include it in future contracts. 

"I would like the district to look at the efficiency all the time," she said. "I think that's the mindset we should have all the time with any purchase that we make."

Business Administrator Aiman Mahmoud said he received a "cutsheet" comparing the energy efficiencies of the components and options for the server room HVAC system, which will be reviewed by the board's Operations Committee on Wednesday.

But he added that while that was a "temporary solution" to the HVAC contract, he agreed the board should include efficiency as a consideration in all purchases, whether for major contracts or for items like refrigerators and appliances.  

"It would be senseless to go through all this effort we go through to be efficient and then go out and buy a washing machine that's completely non-efficient and a waste of money," he said.

The board then agreed to vote on the contract with Gabe Sganga, of Farmindale, for the HVAC system at the Dec. 17 meeting.