City of Marysville Civic Center Case Study

AT A GLANCE

The Performance Validation Team expertly conducted a comprehensive commissioning project as the primary commissioning authority for the City of Marysville Civic Center. This new facility is a cornerstone of the downtown redevelopment plan, designed to create a one-stop campus for city services. Spanning 101,000 total square feet, the Civic Center integrates a variety of departments, including city functions, police, court, and a secure treatment facility. 

The primary tower is a newly constructed four-story, 80,369 square-foot city hall building, providing essential services such as City Hall, the Council Chamber, and the offices of the City Attorney and Mayor. Adjacent is a two-story 20,848 square foot public safety building featuring two courtrooms, a clerk’s area with a public service window, and a jury assembly space on the second floor. The ground floor is dedicated to supporting the city’s 55 commissioned police officers.  

The public safety building is an 84-bed secure treatment facility, with potential expansion to 160 beds, providing comprehensive services including intake, release, medical services, food programs, laundry, administration, visitation, and housing. Additionally, there were tenant improvements conducted on the existing 36,000 square feet, four-story civic center. This all-encompassing campus was carefully designed to efficiently serve and support the community, ensuring all city services are conveniently accessible in one central location. 

The team executed complete commissioning of the HVAC system, HVAC controls, domestic hot water, lighting controls, and energy metering. This extensive project began in July 2019 and concluded in February 2023. Throughout the process, our dedicated engineers prioritized communication and collaboration with primary stakeholders, ensuring all systems operated as designed and met the owner’s requirements for long-term facility performance. 

Optimized Building Systems  

The commissioning scope for the project spanned both the 101,000 square foot new Civic Center and 36,000 square foot tenant improvement project. The systems encompassed included the HVAC, lighting controls, metering system, and domestic hot water for the Civic Center, as well as the HVAC and lighting controls for the tenant improvement project. Our primary objectives were to verify system installation and performance, optimize system operation according to the sequence of operations, validate environmental control strategies, and minimize system maintenance issues and warranty claims. Additionally, all efforts were aligned with the requirements of the 2015 Washington State Energy Code, Commercial Provisions (WSECCP) section C408. 

Our team’s approach to testing, verification, and validation of building systems is both comprehensive and refined, honed through years of experience in the field and deep industry knowledge. We are committed to ensuring that every system is finely tuned for sustainable performance, leveraging our expertise to optimize both efficiency and functionality. Our primary focus for the Civic Center was to guarantee that the systems within both facilities operated precisely as intended. This emphasis aimed to reduce operating costs, enhance energy efficiency, and elevate occupant comfort to the highest standards. 

Prior to commencing work on the systems, our team diligently gathered the necessary preliminary information, including contractor checklists, start-up forms, and installation verification documents. This preparatory step ensured that we were well-equipped to conduct testing efficiently and effectively. Moreover, to maximize efficiency, we arranged for testing and balancing to be completed prior to our preliminary assessments. This proactive approach resulted in optimized system performance, heightened accuracy, and minimized project delays, contributing to smoother project execution. 

Subsequently, our team meticulously conducted point-to-point back checks to verify thermostat and CO2 calibration, methodically inspecting damper and motor operation. We then progressed to sequence of operation testing, precisely ensuring that all schedules were operational and set points accurately configured. This comprehensive process is designed to guarantee that every system is primed for optimal performance long beyond occupancy, underscoring our commitment to delivering enduring excellence. 

SERVICES PROVIDED

Strategic Flexibility: Navigating Challenges with Solutions and Adaptability 

Throughout the commissioning of the Marysville Civic Center and its tenant improvement project, our team encountered several challenges. However, we successfully navigated these through persistent communication and a steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional systems. Our refined processes, honed through years of experience, enable us to strategically and effectively resolve even the most complex issues. 

The contractor structured the project in four phases: phase one included the jail, phase two covered the jail administration, phase three involved the office building, and phase four comprised the office tower. This phased approach posed a significant challenge, as the building controls needed to be commissioned simultaneously across all phases. This necessitated additional site visits and meetings, which could have been streamlined with a more cohesive process. Despite this, the contractor did an excellent job of involving us in every phase, facilitating seamless integration with all stakeholders and subcontractors. 

One specific challenge arose in the data rooms, where the design engineer had planned for some rooms to be exhausted rather than cooled by a split-system air conditioning unit. This setup removed cooling from the data rooms, risking overheating of critical systems. To resolve this, the engineer rerouted the ductwork to ensure consistent cooling remained in the data rooms. 

Additionally, in the jail’s control room, a noisy diffuser was causing significant disruption to the occupants monitoring the inmates. We collaborated with the engineer to reduce airflow through this specific diffuser while increasing it in others, thereby maintaining proper air circulation without the excess noise. 

Overall, we established strong relationships with the contractor and controls team through persistent communication, allowing us to collaboratively mitigate outstanding issues. This cooperative approach enabled us to refine systems and deliver outstanding operations across the campus. 

Long-Term Excellence: Post-Project Support and Warranty Period Commitment  

At the project’s conclusion, we provided a comprehensive maintenance and operations manual, complete with detailed findings, to offer valuable insights into the performance, operation, and maintenance of the building systems for the facilities’ maintenance personnel. Our team successfully delivered an all-encompassing project to the city, ensuring that systems met both operational and design intents while promoting sustainability in compliance with the 2015 Washington State Energy Code, Commercial Provisions (WSECCP) section C408. 

The primary system of concern post-occupancy was the lighting controls, which faced delays due to the late arrival of the needed fixtures. The project, carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, encountered several delays affecting site work, systems, equipment, and more. This particularly impacted on the lighting controls, specifically the electrical components. Initially, during the verification process, the team suspected an issue with the controls, but it was ultimately traced back to the fixtures. Temporary fixtures were installed and remained in use post-occupancy until the city received the appropriate fixtures to meet facility requirements. 

Ultimately, the Performance Validation team is dedicated to delivering excellence to our clients, extending far beyond the occupancy of a facility. We remain committed to supporting our clients’ needs, ensuring every system functions optimally for lasting performance and satisfaction. 

Project Summary  

The Performance Validation Team played a pivotal role in the successful completion of the City of Marysville Civic Center and its tenant improvement project. Serving as the third-party commissioning authority, our team was instrumental in delivering optimized systems for operational excellence throughout the facilities, promoting sustainability and long-term building durability. 

The project involved the construction of a new four-story, 80,369-square-foot City Hall building, alongside an adjacent two-story, 20,848-square-foot public safety building. Additionally, our scope extended to include tenant improvements on the existing 36,000-square-foot, four-story civic center. These upgrades marked the initial phase of a downtown redevelopment initiative aimed at enhancing city accessibility to accommodate its growing population. 

Our goal as the commissioning authority was clear: to deliver facilities equipped with efficient and operationally robust systems that prioritize occupant comfort and building efficiency. Leveraging the expertise of our knowledgeable and experienced engineers, we conducted comprehensive commissioning across the HVAC, lighting controls, metering systems, and domestic hot water for both facilities.  

Drawing on our extensive industry experience, we diligently conducted thorough testing, verification, and backchecks on a wide array of systems, guaranteeing long-term performance reliability. Our team is dedicated to treating every building with the utmost care, fostering a culture of consistent excellence in delivering exceptional facilities. We take pride in our contribution to the City of Marysville’s downtown redevelopment, supporting their growing community.