The new Huerfano County Courthouse in Walsenburg provides this southern Colorado community with a modern, state-of-the-art judicial center while respecting the adjacent historic courthouse. Anderson Hallas Architects led the architectural and engineering design team. They began the project by conducting a thorough space planning effort involving interviews with county and district courts, clerks, probation, and mediation departments to verify current and projected needs. The data collected informed the team’s efforts in creating a building with a primary focus on safety, in-custody transport, and 21st-century court needs, with the ability to host community gatherings and celebrate the local art program.
360 Engineering designed energy-efficient mechanical and plumbing systems for the new courthouse. These systems included packaged gas-fired RTUs with VAVs and a variable-flow hydronic boiler system. Before deciding on these systems, our engineers provided the county with a first-cost versus energy usage analysis. This breakdown also outlined the benefits of each option.
The team’s unique challenge was concerning odors coming in from the surrounding train activity and other sources. 360 Engineering worked with structural engineering team member JVA to design custom wind baffles blocking most airflow from the prevailing winds and protecting the ventilation air intakes for our rooftop units.
