The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) has named Simpson Gumpertz & Heger as a winner of the 2018 Gold Engineering Excellence Awards for work on the University of Massachusetts John W. Olver Design Building on the Amherst campus.

The 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards were announced at the recent ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala with emcees Beth J. Larkin, PE, MBTA Assistant General Manager for Capital Delivery and Housamm (“Sam”) H. Sleiman, PE, CCM, MassPort Director of Capital Programs & Environmental Affairs.

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, with offices in Boston, was retained by the University of Massachusetts Building Authority to assist with the University’s desire to bring their design programs – Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning and Building and Construction Technology – together in one creatively designed building exemplifying sustainable construction practices. A first of its kind for Massachusetts, the resulting Design Building uses wood products in new and creative ways and features a timber-framed superstructure with an innovative composite floor system. The exposed wood structure emphasizes the potential of engineered wood elements while complementing and influencing the aesthetics inside and out.

“The awards honor this year’s most outstanding engineering accomplishments in Massachusetts,” said ACEC/MA President Michael J. Scipione, PE President and CEO of Weston & Sampson Engineering, Inc. “They are excellent examples of how engineers create projects that improve or lives and communities. Professional engineers are dedicated to providing quality infrastructure, providing safe and reliable water and energy, and making our buildings safe and energy efficient. We congratulate our winners on their exceptional achievements.”

About ACEC/MA

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) is the business association of the Massachusetts engineering industry, representing over 120 independent engineering companies engaged in the development of transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Boston, MA, ACEC/MA is a member organization of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) based in Washington, DC. ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations. For more information on ACEC/MA, visit their website at www.acecma.org. ACEC/MA is undertaking an awareness campaign to educate the public on the many contributions engineers make (or the engineering innovations) in everyday life through their hash tag #EngineeringGoFigure. To Follow us on Twitter: @ACECMA