An analysis of Dun & Bradstreet stats by consultant Paul Abramson indicates that some $11 billion was spent on higher ed construction last yearâup a billion from 2012, with nearly 70% comprising new buildings (http://bit.ly/1qhMzaw).Â
As examined in BD+Câs in-depth May report, university stakeholders face complicated cap-ex stressors, from chronic (lender stinginess, deferred maintenance) to impending (President Obamaâs pledge to start rating colleges on value delivered, consumer pushback on ever-rising costs).
Creative approaches to financing, design, and delivery are top-of-mind. Paula Stamp, Business Development Manager in the Los Angeles office of PCL Construction, says clients are exploring CM at risk, design-build, and design risk. Margie Simmons, VP and Education Sector Leader at Stantec, adds: âHigher debt levels will encourage institutions to seek off-balance-sheet financing solutions and P3s.â
Teri Jones, VP at Sundt Construction, sees a similar pattern, plus emphasis on revenue-generating buildings like dorms and recreation centers.
Facility trends observed by Stamp include housing construction by community colleges (serving a growing international-student population) and better use of indoor and outdoor circulation and common space. John Baxter, Education Sector Leader at EYP, says clients are asking for features that enhance an interactive âcorridor cultureâ in dorms.
Michael Medici, AIA, NCARB, Learning Practice Leader and Senior VP at SmithGroupJJR, mentions growing demand for facilities that support interprofessional health sciences education and project-based, career-oriented learning. Also gaining traction: office zones that mimic private-sector workplaces, with less assigned space and more team zones.
Perkins+Will higher ed designers Jeff Ziebarth, Jeff Stebar, and John Long are also seeing this pattern; Long says younger faculty and administrators have been a lot more receptive than veterans.
Â
Top University Sector Architecture FirmsÂ
| Rank | Company | 2013 Higher Ed Revenue |
| 1 | CannonDesign | $76,000,000 |
| 2 | Perkins+will | 45,582,532 |
| 3 | Stantec | 42,368,888 |
| 4 | EYP Architecture & Engineering | 39,000,000 |
| 5 | Gensler | 29,492,000 |
| 6 | SmithGroupJJR | 27,088,190 |
| 7 | Clark Nexsen | 21,732,694 |
| 8 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | 20,933,579 |
| 9 | Page | 19,771,000 |
| 10 | ZGF Architects | 19,397,489 |
| 11 | Wilson Architects | 18,500,000 |
| 12 | Ennead Architects | 18,086,505 |
| 13 | Flad Architects | 16,260,000 |
| 14 | SHW Group | 15,991,000 |
| 15 | Shepley Bulfinch | 15,595,000 |
| 16 | Harley Ellis Devereaux | 15,120,000 |
| 17 | Moseley Architects | 15,016,516 |
| 18 | Lord Aeck Sargent | 13,533,882 |
| 19 | HMC Architects | 13,440,933 |
| 20 | NBBJ | 13,242,000 |
| 21 | HKS | 12,847,559 |
| 22 | Ballinger | 12,113,215 |
| 23 | Beyer Blinder Belle | 11,627,926 |
| 24 | DLR Group | 11,100,000 |
| 25 | LS3P | 10,532,964 |
| 26 | Morris Architects | 10,000,000 |
| 27 | Solomon Cordwell Buenz | 10,000,000 |
| 28 | Davis Brody Bond | 9,835,655 |
| 29 | FGM Architects | 9,821,820 |
| 30 | LPA | 9,561,760 |
| 31 | Perkins Eastman | 9,300,000 |
| 32 | Moody Nolan | 9,104,965 |
| 33 | CO Architects | 8,912,400 |
| 34 | EwingCole | 7,430,000 |
| 35 | Heery International | 7,186,274 |
| 36 | Hastings+Chivetta Architects | 6,378,602 |
| 37 | Westlake Reed Leskosky | 6,325,000 |
| 38 | FXFOWLE Architects | 6,200,000 |
| 39 | Mithun | 6,158,000 |
| 40 | Goodwyn Mills & Cawood | 6,127,329 |
| 41 | HOK | 5,876,913 |
| 42 | BSA LifeStructures | 5,789,413 |
| 43 | NTD Architecture | 5,586,000 |
| 44 | LMN Architects | 5,549,900 |
| 45 | Ratio Architects | 5,537,316 |
| 46 | Leo A Daly | 5,395,356 |
| 47 | Bergmann Associates | 5,304,175 |
| 48 | Little | 5,249,190 |
| 49 | Hammel, Green and Abrahamson | 4,836,088 |
| 50 | Legat Architects | 4,685,600 |
| 51 | GBBN Architects | 4,560,000 |
| 52 | Carrier Johnson + Culture | 4,060,468 |
| 53 | Parkhill, Smith & Cooper | 4,026,000 |
| 54 | Cooper Carry | 3,961,244 |
| 55 | CTA Architects Engineers | 3,737,320 |
| 56 | Cambridge Seven Associates | 3,473,000 |
| 57 | PGAL | 3,260,300 |
| 58 | BLDD Architects | 3,000,000 |
| 59 | IBI Group ? Gruzen Samton | 3,000,000 |
| 60 | Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates | 2,974,000 |
| 61 | Slaterpaull Architects | 2,879,532 |
| 62 | Hord Coplan Macht | 2,843,072 |
| 63 | OZ Architecture | 2,825,000 |
| 64 | Kirksey | 2,822,225 |
| 65 | Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio | 2,801,380 |
| 66 | WDG Architecture | 2,757,000 |
| 67 | RS&H | 2,450,000 |
| 68 | SchenkelShultz Architecture | 2,386,000 |
| 69 | Payette | 2,282,352 |
| 70 | Corgan | 2,202,280 |
| 71 | Integrus Architecture | 2,191,762 |
| 72 | BLTa | 2,175,000 |
| 73 | H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture | 2,141,323 |
| 74 | WHR Architects | 1,958,367 |
| 75 | Baskervill | 1,853,208 |
| 76 | Ashley McGraw Architects | 1,836,510 |
| 77 | KZF Design | 1,698,300 |
| 78 | Eppstein Uhen Architects | 1,691,787 |
| 79 | VOA Associates | 1,628,847 |
| 80 | GWWO | 1,623,501 |
| 81 | Wight & Company | 1,586,000 |
| 82 | Hoffmann Architects | 1,548,000 |
| 83 | Symmes Maini & McKee Associates | 1,530,000 |
| 84 | PBK | 1,500,000 |
| 85 | NAC|Architecture | 1,424,431 |
| 86 | LaBella Associates | 1,310,186 |
| 87 | Niles Bolton Associates | 1,263,210 |
| 88 | Nelson | 1,213,987 |
| 89 | Fentress Architects | 1,120,400 |
| 90 | Urban Design Group | 1,100,000 |
| 91 | Environetics | 1,087,370 |
| 92 | NORR | 1,052,484 |
| 93 | Becker Morgan Group | 1,037,159 |
| 94 | Albert Kahn Associates | 904,065 |
| 95 | RTKL Associates | 849,000 |
| 96 | Good Fulton & Farrell | 815,800 |
| 97 | Goettsch Partners | 810,000 |
| 98 | BBS Architects | 800,240 |
| 99 | Commonwealth Architects | 775,074 |
| 100 | Francis Cauffman | 707,774 |
| 101 | RNL | 690,000 |
| 102 | RBB Architects | 657,149 |
| 103 | RSP Architects | 620,000 |
| 104 | Gresham, Smith and Partners | 567,000 |
| 105 | Fanning/Howey Associates | 541,000 |
| 106 | Rosser International | 539,460 |
| 107 | Harvard Jolly Architecture | 530,103 |
| 108 | DesignGroup | 457,970 |
| 109 | Hnedak Bobo Group | 353,000 |
| 110 | JRS Architect | 295,000 |
| 111 | Emersion Design | 273,766 |
| 112 | Ware Malcomb | 240,000 |
| 113 | H+L Architecture | 236,252 |
| 114 | Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates | 226,716 |
| 115 | Sherlock, Smith & Adams | 219,000 |
Â
Â
Top University Sector Engineering FirmsÂ
| Rank | Company | 2013 Higher Ed Revenue |
| 1 | AECOM Technology Corp. | $76,410,000 |
| 2 | Jacobs | 35,150,000 |
| 3 | URS Corp. | 29,434,668 |
| 4 | Vanderweil Engineers | 26,614,500 |
| 5 | Burns & McDonnell | 24,152,332 |
| 6 | Affiliated Engineers | 22,469,000 |
| 7 | Parsons Brinckerhoff | 20,057,993 |
| 8 | STV | 18,416,000 |
| 9 | Arup | 14,561,909 |
| 10 | KJWW Engineering Consultants | 13,071,767 |
| 11 | BR+A Consulting Engineers | 10,120,000 |
| 12 | WSP Group | 9,120,000 |
| 13 | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger | 9,070,000 |
| 14 | Thornton Tomasetti | 7,942,631 |
| 15 | M-E Engineers | 7,243,000 |
| 16 | P2S Engineering | 7,170,208 |
| 17 | Shive-Hattery | 6,612,598 |
| 18 | Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | 6,550,000 |
| 19 | Dewberry | 6,331,593 |
| 20 | Environmental Systems Design | 6,144,227 |
| 21 | RMF Engineering | 5,400,000 |
| 22 | AKF Group | 5,261,000 |
| 23 | Glumac | 4,922,565 |
| 24 | M/E Engineering | 4,699,367 |
| 25 | TTG | 4,600,100 |
| 26 | Newcomb & Boyd | 4,505,166 |
| 27 | RDK Engineers | 4,490,000 |
| 28 | Heapy Engineering | 4,426,631 |
| 29 | KCI Technologies | 4,400,000 |
| 30 | Interface Engineering | 4,351,590 |
| 31 | Joseph R. Loring & Associates | 4,100,000 |
| 32 | I. C. Thomasson Associates | 3,500,000 |
| 33 | Spectrum Engineers | 3,347,542 |
| 34 | Highland Associates | 3,200,000 |
| 35 | KPFF Consulting Engineers | 3,125,000 |
| 36 | Syska Hennessy Group | 3,072,512 |
| 37 | Ross & Baruzzini | 3,043,445 |
| 38 | H.F. Lenz | 2,878,115 |
| 39 | Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering | 2,850,000 |
| 40 | Sparling | 2,553,080 |
| 41 | Smith Seckman Reid | 2,519,005 |
| 42 | Martin/Martin | 2,263,812 |
| 43 | Karpinski Engineering | 2,170,197 |
| 44 | Aon Fire Protection Engineering Corp. | 2,000,000 |
| 45 | Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber | 2,000,000 |
| 46 | SSOE Group | 1,912,012 |
| 47 | Henderson Engineers | 1,838,909 |
| 48 | TLC Engineering for Architecture | 1,806,782 |
| 49 | Zak Companies | 1,706,697 |
| 50 | Bridgers & Paxton Consulting Engineers | 1,686,953 |
| 51 | CJL Engineering | 1,657,350 |
| 52 | Graef | 1,584,321 |
| 53 | Primera Engineers | 1,456,000 |
| 54 | CCRD Partners | 1,388,000 |
| 55 | Brinjac Engineering | 1,303,855 |
| 56 | Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor | 1,200,000 |
| 57 | Wallace Engineering | 1,133,000 |
| 58 | Stanley Consultants | 1,090,529 |
| 59 | Leidos | 1,040,000 |
| 60 | Walter P Moore and Associates | 1,005,161 |
| 61 | Allen & Shariff | 1,000,000 |
| 62 | Dunham Associates | 950,000 |
| 63 | Bala Consulting Engineers | 926,000 |
| 64 | Degenkolb Engineers | 855,093 |
| 65 | OLA Consulting Engineers | 840,000 |
| 66 | Mazzetti | 774,981 |
| 67 | DeSimone Consulting Engineers | 474,096 |
| 68 | KLH Engineers | 468,745 |
| 69 | ThermalTech Engineering | 460,000 |
| 70 | French & Parrello Associates | 300,690 |
| 71 | GHT Limited | 260,000 |
| 72 | Wick Fisher White | 223,276 |
| 73 | CTLGroup | 220,000 |
| 74 | Davis, Bowen & Friedel | 204,422 |
| 75 | Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon | 200,000 |
| 76 | Magnusson Klemencic Associates | 166,730 |
| 77 | Coffman Engineers | 116,263 |
Â
Â
Â
Top University Sector Construction FirmsÂ
| Rank | Company | 2013 Higher Ed Revenue |
| 1 | Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., The | $818,698,552 |
| 2 | Turner Construction | 774,984,000 |
| 3 | Gilbane | 475,524,757 |
| 4 | Skanska USA | 371,024,162 |
| 5 | PCL Construction | 368,990,947 |
| 6 | Clark Group | 312,942,079 |
| 7 | Shawmut Design and Construction | 265,610,000 |
| 8 | Barton Malow | 264,908,516 |
| 9 | Structure Tone | 229,539,000 |
| 10 | Consigli Construction | 227,995,719 |
| 11 | Mortenson Construction | 220,320,000 |
| 12 | McCarthy Holdings | 203,600,000 |
| 13 | Sundt Construction | 185,867,366 |
| 14 | Holder Construction | 176,219,000 |
| 15 | Messer Construction | 172,997,147 |
| 16 | Balfour Beatty US | 171,519,250 |
| 17 | JE Dunn Construction | 164,791,311 |
| 18 | LeChase Construction Services | 164,000,000 |
| 19 | Walbridge | 163,500,000 |
| 20 | Power Construction | 159,000,000 |
| 21 | Beck Group, The | 157,055,739 |
| 22 | Suffolk Construction | 149,745,824 |
| 23 | Tutor Perini Corp. | 145,671,900 |
| 24 | DPR Construction | 140,724,634 |
| 25 | W. M. Jordan Company | 130,566,823 |
| 26 | C.W. Driver | 127,735,000 |
| 27 | Flintco | 113,500,000 |
| 28 | Walsh Group, The | 111,960,180 |
| 29 | Boldt Company, The | 107,802,444 |
| 30 | Brasfield & Gorrie | 107,242,213 |
| 31 | Juneau Construction | 97,432,186 |
| 32 | Manhattan Construction | 89,176,000 |
| 33 | Rodgers Builders | 88,744,572 |
| 34 | McGough | 82,000,000 |
| 35 | Summit Contracting Group | 80,286,141 |
| 36 | Choate Construction | 77,541,745 |
| 37 | Pepper Construction | 72,000,000 |
| 38 | Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction | 66,219,000 |
| 39 | Bernards | 66,000,000 |
| 40 | Hensel Phelps | 65,670,000 |
| 41 | O'Neil Industries/W.E. O'Neil | 65,552,134 |
| 42 | Kraus-Anderson Construction | 64,000,000 |
| 43 | Hunt Construction Group | 64,000,000 |
| 44 | B. L. Harbert International | 63,854,476 |
| 45 | Lend Lease | 56,720,000 |
| 46 | CORE Construction Group | 55,821,501 |
| 47 | Fortis Construction | 53,628,000 |
| 48 | Layton Construction | 52,600,000 |
| 49 | Paric Corp. | 50,000,000 |
| 50 | New South Construction | 47,702,000 |
| 51 | Hill & Wilkinson | 46,288,000 |
| 52 | Austin Commercial | 44,335,793 |
| 53 | Yates Companies, The | 42,800,000 |
| 54 | Bette Companies, The | 38,929,000 |
| 55 | Hoffman Construction | 37,000,000 |
| 56 | Coakley & Williams Construction | 32,064,969 |
| 57 | Adolfson & Peterson Construction | 30,713,572 |
| 58 | URS Corp. | 29,434,668 |
| 59 | James G. Davis Construction | 27,506,326 |
| 60 | Weitz Company, The | 26,478,980 |
| 61 | Bomel Construction | 24,949,344 |
| 62 | Linbeck Group | 24,410,000 |
| 63 | LPCiminelli | 23,426,935 |
| 64 | IMC Construction | 22,086,310 |
| 65 | Hill International | 22,000,000 |
| 66 | HITT Contracting | 20,900,000 |
| 67 | E.W. Howell | 20,566,000 |
| 68 | Parsons Brinckerhoff | 20,057,993 |
| 69 | STV | 18,416,000 |
| 70 | Stalco Construction | 17,780,000 |
| 71 | Haselden Construction | 17,425,677 |
| 72 | Kitchell Corp. | 13,043,551 |
| 73 | Hoar Construction | 12,920,000 |
| 74 | Batson-Cook | 12,513,549 |
| 75 | Absher Construction | 12,280,813 |
| 76 | S. M. Wilson & Co. | 10,863,488 |
| 77 | James McHugh Construction | 10,538,534 |
| 78 | Robins & Morton | 8,714,264 |
| 79 | Clune Construction | 8,635,947 |
| 80 | Haskell | 8,294,931 |
| 81 | Alberici Constructors | 7,380,631 |
| 82 | Heery International | 7,186,274 |
| 83 | Wight & Company | 4,935,000 |
| 84 | Gray Construction | 3,880,000 |
| 85 | Ryan Companies US | 3,715,948 |
| 86 | KBE Building Corp. | 2,694,826 |
| 87 | Leopardo Companies | 1,907,266 |
| 88 | Douglas Company, The | 1,507,502 |
| 89 | JLL | 1,375,045 |
| 90 | Astorino | 1,222,033 |
| 91 | Allen & Shariff | 1,000,000 |
Â
Read BD+C's full 2014 Giants 300 Report
Related Stories
MFPRO+ News | Jun 3, 2024
Seattle mayor wants to scale back energy code to spur more housing construction
Seattleâs mayor recently proposed that the city scale back a scheduled revamping of its building energy code to help boost housing production. The proposal would halt an update to the cityâs multifamily and commercial building energy code that is scheduled to take effect later this year.Â
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington Universityâs net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
Construction Costs | May 31, 2024
Despite challenges, 2024 construction material prices continue to stabilize
Gordianâs Q2 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report indicates that supply chain issues notwithstanding, many commodities are exhibiting price normalization.
University Buildings | May 30, 2024
Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the worldâs largest neuroscience research buildings
In St. Louisâ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.
Architects | May 30, 2024
AE firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood merges with Southland Engineering
Architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is further expanding its services through a strategic merger with engineering firm Southland Engineering in Cartersville, Ga.
K-12 Schools | May 30, 2024
Inclusive design strategies to transform learning spaces
Students with disabilities and those experiencing mental health and behavioral conditions represent a group of the most vulnerable students at risk for failing to connect educationally and socially. Educators and school districts are struggling to accommodate all of these nuanced and, at times, overlapping conditions.
MFPRO+ New Projects | May 29, 2024
Two San Francisco multifamily high rises install onsite water recycling systems
Two high-rise apartment buildings in San Francisco have installed onsite water recycling systems that will reuse a total of 3.9 million gallons of wastewater annually. The recycled water will be used for toilet flushing, cooling towers, and landscape irrigation to significantly reduce water usage in both buildings.
Healthcare Facilities | May 28, 2024
Healthcare design: How to improve the parking experience for patients and families
Parking is likely a patientâsâand their familiesâfirst and last touch with a healthcare facility. As such, the arrival and departure parking experience can have a profound impact on their experience with the healthcare facility, writes Beth Bryan, PE, PTOE, PTP, STP2, Principal, Project Manager, Walter P Moore.
Urban Planning | May 28, 2024
âFlowingâ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development
The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the worldâs largest names in tech and hospitality.Â
MFPRO+ News | May 28, 2024
ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings. The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industryâs adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release.Â
