Incorporating Energy Efficiency in the City of Chicago Police Station (Building 521) Renovation at O’Hare International Airport

We were part of a team that completely remodeled and transformed an abandoned, 5,000+ square-foot warehouse into a state-of-the-art law enforcement facility for Chicago Police Department personnel assigned to the nation’s third busiest airport. 

The $4.2 million renovation was awarded to Chicago firm BOWA Construction, the first African-American prime contractor to be awarded an airport concessions construction contract in Chicago. The renovation included offices and storage areas for the Bomb Disposal Unit, Airport SWAT Team and Canine corps. It also accommodated a fitness room, locker room and showers, a radio room, server room, five holding cells and a sally port (a secure garage for the arrival and escorting of inmates). 

Energy efficiency was part and parcel of the overall renovation. Our team designed the facility’s new heating and ventilation to replace the aging HVAC system, along with plumbing, fire protection, and electrical to accommodate energy-efficient lighting and IT cabling. Additionally, we designed structural modifications to enable the placement of two new air-handling units on the roof. We also designed the airlocks and associated access-door controls for building security.