4th Avenue & Lower Buckeye Jail
Solar Thermal Installations
Jail facilities require a consistent supply of large quantities of hot water daily. At Maricopa County’s two active downtown Phoenix jails, that used to mean relying entirely on gas-powered water heating systems. The challenge? Install large-scale solar thermal systems at both facilities, seamlessly integrating them with the existing gas systems, and do it all without disrupting daily operations or compromising security—all on a tight schedule. BGI delivered. Each jail now runs on a hybrid system featuring 316 solar heat collectors (each spanning 40 SF), which supply a major portion of the jails’ daily hot water needs. The result? An estimated annual savings of over $55,000 in fossil fuel costs, and a carbon emissions reduction equivalent to taking 37 cars off the road—more than half a million pounds of CO2 avoided every year.
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Markets
Delivery Method
Owner
Maricopa County
Services
Architect
Michael Baker, Jr. Inc.
Awards
Engineering News-Record's 2011 Best Projects, National and Southwest, for Specialty Contracting
Client Testimonial
“Quality and craftsmanship go beyond nuts and bolts and took on a unique spin with this project. The solar thermal systems were installed within and on the roofs of Maricopa County’s Lower Buckeye Jail and 4th Avenue Jail. Access restrictions and Sheriff’s Office mandated working procedures were variables that would not have had to be considered in a ‘standard’ project. The construction team was able to take these ever-changing variables in stride to complete the project on time and within budget. The necessary quality standards were accomplished by the construction team through professionalism, experience and good leadership. Constructability improvements were identified early, accomplished quickly and, as a rule, a savings to the owner. Also, in a deliberate effort, the team took extraordinary actions to ensure that the end user groups had the needed documentation and operator training. This was the first solar thermal system installed with the jail system and the construction team’s efforts have gone far to instill user confidence on operating and maintaining the system.”
- Don Bump, Project Manager, Maricopa County Facilities Management
