Geothermal heating in preliminary design and specifications for Logan County Courthouse renovation

 

[August 10, 2021] 

Logan County Building and Grounds Committee meeting met this month with CTS, who is working on some of the plans and layouts for the courthouse restoration. CTS provided a preliminary design and specification review.

As some may recall, there will be two primary contracts for this project; the Performance Contract dealing with energy related items and the Construction Management dealing with the restoration of existing elements of the building.

CTS is working to get the preliminary layout and specifications approved in the next one to three weeks. They are still working on the construction management piece and hope to have design work for it completed by October. Though CTS is doing the design, Bill Walter of MRTS oversees the construction management.

CTS is doing both the design and project management for the performance contract and plans to bring that contract to the Logan County Board for approval in September.

A priority list of items for renovation is being put together. Walter said for construction management, the list will have things they must do, things they need to do and things they want to do. Things they must do are the top priority. He reminded everyone it is a restoration not a remodel and needs to be functional. Office renovations are on the bubble list and may not be considered depending on bids and how the funds extend.

The construction management scope of work will be done in several steps. Walter said the scaffolding planking will soon be completed and allow for encapsulation of the dome. By mid-September the encapsulation should be completed. Enclosure of the dome will coincide with procuring contractors to do the restoration work on it. Barring delays, Walter said he hopes the dome will be completed by April.

The pandemic has certainly had its affect, altering the schedule of work, and affecting the cost of materials and availability of work forces.

CTS representatives Michele James and Gil Bucio then shared some of the preliminary plans.

CTS is working on the design for the stained-glass restoration. The stained glass has been in storage for the past few years and CTS plans to open the boxes the glass is stored in and take photos of the panels to show contractors.

For the exterior sandstone façade restoration, CTS representatives said the intent is to improve the aesthetics of the overall building, though the structural aspect is also important.

HVAC installation and upgrades are perhaps the highest priority. CTS said there are currently two boilers operating beyond their life span. Throughout the building, there are many window air conditioning units. Neither the boilers nor air conditioning units are as efficient as they should be.

One goal for CTS is to come up with a central HVAC system that will provide better comfort in the building and reduce long-term energy maintenance costs. They have looked at the design of six different systems assessing overall installation costs as well as energy costs, maintenance costs, and replacement costs. Other considerations were aesthetics, ease of maintenance and noise.

After going through an assessment process and getting feedback from the Construction Technical Committee, CTS is recommending a geothermal system. It would include a geothermal heat pump system with well field and dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) Units. Pipes underneath the ground will transfer heat in the winter and cool air in the summer.
 

The DOAS will be in the basement, which will provide better access for equipment maintenance. Most of the current boiler system will be kept in place in the basement, but one steam boiler will be removed, and the second boiler would be used for supplemental heat.

Heat pumps will be concealed in the ceilings, and designed with redundancy. These units will provide ventilation to all spaces.

Lighting options being considered include 2 x 2 flat panels, a decorative style pendant and LED strip fixtures. Some of the flat panels would have dimming controls.

CTS is looking at more efficient layouts for configuring the courtrooms to provide additional security and proper lines of sight along with ADA compliance. In the third-floor courtroom, one consideration is moving the jury box to allow jurors to enter it straight from the deliberation room.

The security camera system is also being evaluated. CTS representative Gil Bucio said on the first floor, bathrooms may be moved along with adding a security office in half of the current conference space.

The scope of work for painting includes various areas of the courthouse. Areas to be painted include plastered walls and exposed ceilings in public area, wrought iron handrails along the staircase and rotunda and several columns. The public sides of the doors and hardwood handrails will be refinished.

There will also be interior woodwork trim upgrade with some wall paneling to be removed and refurbished. In the rotunda, the plaster ceiling will be restored.

CTS plans to present several interim scope of work updates. Then they hope to present the final performance contract scope and pricing for review and approval by September 10, 2021.

[Angela Reiners]