Juvenile Secure Detention Center

Overview

The City of Newport News Juvenile Secure Detention Center was opened in January 2005 to provide a positive experience for detained youth in a safe and secure environment, while protecting public safety. The state-of-the-art facility utilizes the best practices in juvenile justice and features cutting edge technology. The program includes school for approximately 110 juveniles during the traditional school year. Evening activities include visitations, religious services, physical recreation, group sessions and counseling. In alignment with its standard operations, when the center’s compressors failed, administrators implemented best practices to get systems back up and running for the comfort of its detainees and staff.

Challenge

Normal wear and tear of the original HVAC systems at the City of Newport News Juvenile Secure Detention Center had resulted in failures of both of its compressors. Administrators sought a cost-effective solution to get its air-cooled RTAC chiller back on line as quickly as possible to keep the dozens of office spaces, classrooms and portable on-demand storage areas comfortable for detainees and staff.

Solution

Per its procurement policies, the City of Newport News opened the HVAC project up for proposals. Multiple solutions proposed by different companies were evaluated.  After reviewing the challenges the detention center faced, the Trane account manager and the City of Newport News facility manager discussed the option of using the Trane R’newal™ Service instead of resorting to a complete compressor replacement. The City of Newport News had used  the R’newal service on another project and was familiar with the value it offered. After comparing it to other options, the city determined that R’newal offered the best value.

Restoring original performance

Trane R’newal Service is a comprehensive program that  restores compressors to their original performance. The program allows customers to extend the life of their equipment by replacing worn compressor components and updating the equipment with the latest product improvements and enhancements.  Trane inspected components of the detention center’s system  including circuit gaskets, O-rings, piping and bearings. The worn or failed components were replaced or upgraded with  enhanced designs, and modifications were completed to bring the chiller up to new equipment reliability levels.

Ensuring efficient system operation

The Trane R’newal Service Program is backed by a standard two-year parts and labor warranty and factory-authorized inspections to help ensure the efficient operation of the HVAC system. The program’s scheduled maintenance allows  the chiller to be serviced before a problem occurs, such as refrigerant loss due to leaks or an expensive compressor failure resulting from worn bearings.

"We chose the Trane R’newal program because it offered a lot of value at a good price," said Jeff Strickland, Operations Superintendent, City of Newport News Building Services. "The factory-authorized warranty and service were icing on the cake."

Results

Due to the previous inadequate maintenance schedule on the  equipment, it is estimated that the City of Newport News Juvenile Secure Detention Center will receive a potential 20 percent savings on the chiller’s future use, as well as increased energy efficiency and lower overall life-cycle costs.

"The system is running 50 percent more efficiently than the old unit. It is using less power and running less, but producing the same, if not better, results," said Strickland. "It’s been great working with Trane; there have been no hiccups.”