Washington County Law Enforcement Center & Jail
Washington County Law Enforcement Center & Jail
Location
Hillsboro, OR
Size
275,000 SF
Owner
Washington County
Services
Commissioning
Electrical Systems
Mechanical Systems
Plumbing and Piping Systems
Project Management
The Washington County Law Enforcement Center and Jail is a 24/7/365 operational facility built in 1998.
Säzän Group has been working at the facility since 2020, beginning with retro-commissioning followed by a prime contract to replace critical infrastructure systems.
Retro-Commissioning
We provided a detailed retro-commissioning study of the Courthouse (Law Enforcement Center portion of the justice complex). Our team worked with operators to obtain building trends, functional test equipment, provide test adjust and balance services, and identify and implement low/no cost measures. We identified overloaded fans caused by clogged filters due to COVID and Anthrax filtration needs. And we provided controls changes to the chiller plant, optimized the discharge air pressure setpoint of the courthouse AHUs, and tested numerous VAV boxes. We were able to obtain a $35K Energy Trust of Oregon grant to offset the cost of our commissioning scope and identified $41K/year in energy reduction measures.
Critical Infrastructure Replacement – MEP Prime and Project Management
In 2021 our team was selected as the prime consultant for a $32M HVAC and critical infrastructure upgrade project. We are currently leading design with a full HVAC upgrade that includes new jail pod handlers with increased airflow redundancy, new (or refurbished) courthouse VAV air handling units, new controls, a new chilled water plant, a new domestic hot water system, a new roof, photovoltaic, and a cogeneration system to provide on-site heat and power for resiliency and energy efficiency.
Our team has developed a phased replacement approach using temporary heating and cooling plants, and air handlers to provide required life-safety airflow to occupants and is developing a unique cogeneration system that will reduce the amount of equipment in the building, increase energy efficiency, and provide resiliency through the generation of onsite power. With the usage of solar and renewable natural gas—which the team is exploring—this retrofitted facility has the potential to be the first carbon-neutral justice center in the United States.
The project is currently at 90% DD, with the Säzän Group team performing active risk analysis and developing the CM/GC request for proposal. We have obtained a third-party cost consultant and are working collaboratively with the County to develop and execute this project using ARPA funds by the 2026 deadline.