Juvenile Justice and Psychology Building

Shah Smith & Associates, Inc. provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design engineering services for a three-story, 70,000 sq.ft. classroom, office, and lecture hall building. This building consolidates the Criminal Justice and Psychology Departments into one location.

Each of the three floors is served by a variable air volume system meeting the ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Non-Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

VAV air handlers located on each floor serve fan powered VAV terminal units which provide cooling and heating to each zone. Individual classrooms and training areas are served by one terminal unit.

Pretreated outside air is ducted from an energy recovery (heat wheel) air handler to each VAV air handler unit. CO2 Sensors located in large populated areas, i.e. lecture halls, monitor IAQ to control outside air provided to the spaces.

The electrical service for the Juvenile Justice Building consists of a 1000 kVA, 12.47 kV-480Y/277V pad mount transformer located outside. The primary of the transformer is served from a 15 kV vacuum switch in a manhole located south of the site. The secondary of the transformer serves a 1600A, 480Y/277V switchboard located inside the building.  The switchboard serves lighting panels, 480-120/208V transformers and mechanical equipment panels on each floor. All 120/208V panels are provided with transient voltage surge suppression. All 480-208Y/120V transformers are harmonic cancellation type.

Normal electrical service power is backed up by a 250 kW, 480Y/277V diesel fired emergency standby generator located adjacent to the pad mount transformer outside. The generator provides emergency power for lighting, fire pump, elevators, alarm systems, and other selected loads via transfer switch and panelboard located in the building electrical room.