2007 ARC Awards: Winning through quality and communications

In judging Consulting-Specifying Engineer's sixth annual Advancing, Reinvigorating, and Cultivating excellence in engineering (ARC Awards), we decided to keep it simple, awarding three projects for new construction and two for renovation/reconstruction. In doing so, the achievements demonstrated by the winning projects stand out in the engineering community.

By Scott Siddens and Melissa Hillebrand December 1, 2007

In judging Consulting-Specifying Engineer ‘s sixth annual Advancing, Reinvigorating, and Cultivating excellence in engineering (ARC Awards), we decided to keep it simple, awarding three projects for new construction and two for renovation/reconstruction. In doing so, the achievements demonstrated by the winning projects stand out in the engineering community.

All of the entrants were of high quality. Believing their work to be of sufficient quality to take the time to enter CSE’s ARC Awards demonstrates two things: First, confidence that a project was of a winning caliber. Second, that the engineering firm has a competitive marketing edge that will help them grow its business by combining superior engineering talent with top-quality marketing and communications.

The level of integration with building systems and the environment and their willingness to take risks—to push the envelope of innovation—made the following five winners stand out. Higher scores were awarded to the more well-rounded projects that showed more integrated building systems.

ARC Awards are conferred on engineering firms that participated in a project. This year’s winners are:

New Construction Gold : Jorge Ledon Webster, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, for Standard Refrigeration Administrative Offices, San Juan, Puerto Rico

New Construction Silver: KJWW Engineering Consultants, Rock Island, Ill., for Harm A. Weber Academic Center, Judson University, Elgin, Ill.

New Construction Bronze: EMC Engineers, Lakewood, Colo. for Kinard Junior High School, Fort Collins, Colo.

Renovation Gold : Flack + Kurtz, Seattle, for Seattle Acquarium

Renovation Silver: Cameron Engineering & Assocs., Woodbury, N.Y., for The Business and Research Center at Garden City.

You’ll learn more about the projects and the people behind them in the subsequent articles. We encourage you to begin planning for next year’s awards. The editors are already updating the entry form, as well as a “tips and tricks” file to help you develop a winning entry. Keep track of developments at www.csemag.com/arcawards .

On behalf of the entire Consulting-Specifying Engineer editorial team and the judges, congratulations to the winners, and to all of the entrants.