Cowlitz County moves forward on Hall of Justice HVAC, electrical modernization

Lauren, a project presenter from Millig Design Build, told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners the Hall of Justice (HoJ) needs an extensive HVAC and electrical modernization to address high operating costs, failing equipment and safety risks.

The county’s contractors said the building spends “over $200,000 a year just to pay for electricity alone,” and that the facility still carries original 1973 pneumatic controls with a Siemens digital overlay that is now obsolete. Millig described a single 50‑year‑old air handler that serves most occupied space and a 1.2‑megawatt electric resistance boiler as major single points of failure. Lauren also identified recalled Federal Pacific panels across the building as a fire risk and said about 40 panels will need replacement during the project.

The presentation explained why the county chose a design‑build delivery: Millig will hold one contract with the county, deliver design and construction, run open‑book accounting and propose a guaranteed maximum price after subcontractor bidding. Lauren said the project has gone through a scoping and design‑development phase and is “right at the cusp” of bidding, with site walks and bid comparisons planned in early February. After the bid stage, Millig will provide a GMP and the county will receive a contract that includes commissioning and a 12‑month measurement and verification (M&V) period.

Millig described the facility’s technical problems in detail: seized pumps in the perimeter hydronic system, failed actuators and dampers, clogged reheat coils, an outdated Siemens overlay with failing firmware/hardware, and remnants of a now‑disconnected ground‑source loop that leave complex hydraulics in place. The presenter said one air handler serves roughly 85,000 square feet and that dampers have been propped open with makeshift supports, reducing ventilation control. Millig estimated the main electrical distribution panel replacement will cause a three‑to‑four‑day outage for the full facility, and said downstream subpanels will be replaced in sequenced zones to limit service disruption.

Project scope includes a new HVAC system with modern controls for individual space control, replacement of Federal Pacific electrical gear and modernization of the 1973 electrical distribution, LED lighting and ceiling work under a separate grant track, and an emphasis on reusing functional existing systems where feasible. Lauren said user engagement has been critical: Millig reported more than 2,000 hours invested in design and over 100 hours of meetings with building user groups since August, and said they are meeting with judges and court leadership to avoid service interruptions during construction. Because court functions must continue, Millig said it explored moving court sessions off‑site but will proceed with an in‑place construction schedule that minimizes noise and disruption.

On costs and funding, Millig referenced an earlier estimate presented to the county (about $9 million referenced from an earlier spring estimate) and said project scope and system choices have been adjusted to respond to inflation and subcontractor pricing. External funding and incentives Millig said it is pursuing include approximately $250,000 from Cowlitz PUD, an anticipated Washington “early adopter” incentive in the neighborhood of $200,000, a Washington Clean Buildings Performance Standard grant application (LED/ceiling work) due Jan. 30, and pursuit of other utility incentives and grant sources. The county has also allocated $1,000,000 in ARPA funds to the project. Millig said a comparable project at Lewis County Jail (about $5.1 million) performed under budget and produced measured energy savings and outside funding near $300,000.

Board members asked for more precise energy‑savings numbers; Lauren said she would supply exact projected annual savings but estimated roughly a $100,000 annual reduction (about 50% of current utility spend) from memory and promised follow‑up documentation. Commissioners and staff discussed the timeline: Millig plans bidding in early February and targeted construction start in September or October, with an overlapping commissioning period and a 12‑month warranty/M&V phase.

The presentation concluded with Millig offering to return with a deeper technical briefing and to provide detailed bid documents, an electrical panel map for IT coordination and a final guaranteed maximum price after subcontractor bids. The county indicated it will continue collaborative weekly meetings between Public Works, Facilities and Millig as the GMP and construction plan are developed.