Stanford University has offered to pay up to $1 million to design and build an energy retrofit of the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose.

The agreement between Stanford and the county is expected to by approved by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

Stanford energy research engineers will use a computer simulation of the 20-year-old, 8-story jail at 150 W. Hedding St. to determine how to make it more energy efficient.

The work is expected to reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions at the jail.

The team will be led by Martin Fischer, a professor of civil and environmental engineering.

"This collaboration between Stanford University and the county comes at a critical time," county Supervisor Liz Kniss said.

"Both Stanford and Santa Clara County have been leaders in energy conservation. We applaud Stanford for its innovative approach and look forward to working with them and their expertise to create a more energy-efficient jail."

The research team from Stanford's Precourt Institute for Energy Efficiency will have an opportunity to build an expertise in computer simulation of existing buildings.

"Retrofit is more complicated and less well understood than new construction," James Sweeney, the director of the institute, said.

-- Don Kazak

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