Clackamas County Courthouse

Sustainability is in our court

:+:By Nicole Martin

MacDonald-Miller is excited to be part of the Clackamas County Courthouse replacement. The current building, built in 1935, now poses significant safety risks and is functionally obsolete. It is being built through a public-private partnership referred to as P3. The replacement state of-the-art courthouse will be the first in Oregon to be delivered through this model which is relatively new to the Northwest. This P3 is a collaboration between a government agency and a private company to build a large infrastructure project where the private company will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the building for 30 years. At the end of that 30-year period Clackamas County will own the courthouse outright.

MacMiller partnered with the design team to create 50% DD level documents as part of the bid deliverable. This effort took place over a yearlong pursuit to craft the best solution for the County. This early dedication proved to make the difference in Clackamas County’s decision to select our team for the project. The MacMiller scope of work includes in-house design/engineering of the mechanical and plumbing systems, in-house detailing, fabrication, and of course, installation of the complex mechanical systems. The project has an accelerated schedule that means we’re simultaneously designing, detailing, and building. It’s a challenging approach that relies on a strong team working toward a common goal. Our team is in lockstep with our high-standard approach to design, detailing, fabrication and installation.

Engineering for Carbon Neutrality

The systems have been engineered in the pursuit of LEED Gold, with a focus on sustainability and resiliency for the next 50 years.

• The design incorporates a zero-carbon approach (all electric, no natural gas).
• Heat recovery from high-density heat sources will be recycled for domestic hot water generation and occupant heating through radiant slabs.
• There’s a mass timber component to the structure.
• Solar PV panels will cover the entire roof as well as the new parking lot.

Engineering was a huge factor in the pursuit phase and continues to positively impact the project development. Our engineering team, Ryan Armstrong, Ryan Carlson, and Sara Van Pelt deserve a shout out for working through the unique challenges this project presents. They’ve taken those challenges in stride that exemplify the values of MacMiller.

Challenging Project Timeline

We’re currently past the 100% DD milestone working toward 50% CD, detailing the first phases of construction, and preparing for boots on the ground. All aspects of MacMiller are engaged in this project from operations to fabrication to detailing to procurement to engineering. As the lead for the project’s virtual design coordination, our team has helped define the project’s approach to sustainability, collaborative approach to virtual design coordination, architectural planning and solutions to resiliency.

Community Impact

MacMiller is committed to improving the communities in which we work and where our employees live, by utilizing local labor and supporting minority businesses to participate, develop and prosper as a member of our collective team. We’re actively working with local partners for mutual success. The project will generate hundreds of local jobs and business opportunities and will not require any new taxes.

Read more from our latest Perspective Newsletter