Crook County School District

Nestled on the banks of the Crooked River sits Prineville, Oregon — a 19th Century timber town that has grown into a bustling tech region thanks to significant data center investments from Apple and Facebook. Along with economic changes, the area has undergone climate changes, specifically rising temperatures and increased wildfire events that have made classroom learning difficult for students.

In 2021, Crook County School District utilized a competitive RFP process to select a design-build partner to execute “Best Value” upgrades aimed at improving indoor environmental quality at four schools. Out of four interested firms, Millig Design Build was selected because we were the only firm able to identify design solutions that met the school district’s needs for improved indoor environmental quality within their budget.

Pioneer Campus Solutions

An antiquated steam boiler and steam radiators delivered heat to Pioneer High School and Steins Pillar Elementary. Neither school had cooling or mechanical ventilation. While competing proposals recommended a traditional variable air volume (VAV) system, Millig recommended a heat pump solution that cost half as much and delivered heating and cooling with less energy. We also added dedicated outdoor air units (DOAS) with heat recovery for ventilation, installed new building automation controls that allow the district to shut out outdoor air when air quality is poor due to forest fires, and performed a major electrical upgrade to accommodate the addition of mechanical cooling.

Barnes Butte Elementary Solutions

The air handling units (AHUs) that provided heat to Barnes Butte Elementary were in good condition, but they didn’t provide cooling to the facility. Rather than replacing the systems, we added direct expansion cooling coils and roof-mounted condensing units to provide cooling for the facility.

Powell Butte Elementary Solutions

An antiquated fuel oil steam boiler provided heat-only to Powell Butte Elementary. We installed heat pumps and DOAS units, along with associated electrical system upgrades, for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Outcome

Millig Design Build successfully modernized the district's HVAC systems and significantly improved indoor environmental quality across the four schools. The enhancements in heating, cooling, and ventilation have made for better learning conditions for students. Moreover, the new controls provide an adaptable solution to the region's wildfire problem, ensuring the schools maintain healthy indoor air quality, regardless of the outdoor conditions.