ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. — Orange County recently selected Moseley Architects of Charlotte, N.C., to design the new Orange County Detention Facility. The new jail aims to improve both energy efficiency and mental health care for inmates.
While design is still in its earliest phases, the new jail will likely include a number of sustainable features and cost approximately $20 million. It will replace the current Orange County Jail, which was originally constructed in 1925.
The new environmentally friendly facility will be located adjacent to the State Correctional Facility in Hillsborough and will house approximately 144 inmates, a nearly 90-inmate increase in capacity. However, rather than simply building big, the county is also focusing on building smart. Designing for improved daylighting will be one significant improvement, especially for inmates with mental health diagnoses and behavioral disorders.
In addition to potentially integrating green and sustainable systems such as geothermal heating and cooling, energy- and water-efficient fixtures and LED lighting, the jail’s flexible design will also include space for alternative and community integration programs aimed at improving outcomes and reducing recidivism rates, while also taking into account the possibility for future expansion.
