DBIA Honors Outstanding Design-Build Projects from US to Antarctica

DBIA recognized nearly 50 project and team awards during a special awards dinner recently at the 2024 Design-Build Conference & Expo. In addition to celebrating Merit Award winners from each category, DBIA revealed the recipients of this year’s Excellence Awards, several Best-In honors and the coveted Project of the Year.

Each year, one project’s commitment to Design-Build Done Right rises above the others to receive DBIA’s Project of the Year. This project excels in teaming, design and process –– and far exceeds the basic requirements of DBIA awards submissions. The Project of the Year is chosen by a jury of industry professionals from submissions across 10 categories.

Chosen by the chair of DBIA’s National board of directors, the Chair’s Award is a special honor recognizing Design-Build teams that have shown extraordinary commitment to triple bottom line success –– economically, environmentally and socially –– and have worked to positively impact the communities they’ve engaged. This year’s winners include:

• 2024 Project of the Year: University of Arizona Applied Research Building (Ariz.)
• 2024 Chair’s Award: Holt Watters Field Camp (Livingston Island, Antarctica)
• Best in Process –– Best Value: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research and Innovation Laboratory (Colo.)
• Best in Process –– Progressive Design-Build: Wake Technical Community College, Central Energy Plant (N.C.)
• Best in Design –– Architecture: University of Arizona Applied Research Building (Ariz.)
• Best in Design –– Engineering: Central 70 Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (Colo.)
• Best in Virtual Design and Construction: Nashville International Airport Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility (Tenn.)
• Best in Small Projects –– Horizontal: Fern Hollow Bridge Emergency Replacement Project (Pa.)
• Best in Small Projects –– Vertical: Holt Watters Field Camp (Livingston Island, Antarctica)
• Best in Teaming: Millbrae Recreation Center (Calif.)
• Meaningful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: I-270 North Design-Build (Mo.)
• Enlightened Owner: NREL Research and Innovation Laboratory (Colo.)
• INSPIRED Owner: Queens Borough Hall Municipal Garage and Community Space (N.Y.)

The jury also chose National Award of Excellence winners, representing the best of their category. The 2024 Excellence Awards winners are:

• Aviation: Nashville International Airport Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility (Tenn.): This 780,000-square-foot renovation transformed a 35-year-old terminal into a modern, efficient facility that enhances passenger experience and reflects Nashville’s musical heritage through innovative design elements.
• Civic/Assembly: Millbrae Recreation Center (Calif.): Rebuilt after arson destroyed the original structure, this recreation center features sustainable design and net-zero emissions standards and is a flexible community hub in Millbrae, California.
• Commercial/Office Buildings: Wake Technical Community College, Central Energy Plant (N.C.): This facility in Wendell, North Carolina features one of the largest geothermal well installations in the Southeast and serves as a living classroom showcasing sustainable energy solutions.
• Educational Facilities: University of Arizona Applied Research Building (Ariz.): This research facility at the University of Arizona supports diverse atmospheric and space exploration research activities. It features the world’s largest university-based thermal vacuum chamber.
• Federal, State, County, Municipal: Queens Borough Hall Municipal Garage and Community Space (N.Y.): New York City’s first Design-Build project under new legislation, this Parksmart Bronze-certified garage and community space exemplifies urban sustainability and civic integration.
• Industrial/Process/Research Facilities: NREL Research and Innovation Laboratory (Colo.): This flexible, cross-disciplinary research facility at NREL in Golden, Colorado sets a new standard for sustainable and collaborative laboratory spaces. It focuses on advanced energy materials and next-generation batteries.
• Rehab/Reno/Restoration: Large Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation Project (Ky.): This project successfully rehabilitated critical sewer infrastructure using innovative techniques and strong community engagement, ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.
• Transportation: Central 70 Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (Colo.): This transformative project modernized an 11-mile stretch of one of Denver’s busiest highways, replacing an aging viaduct with a below-grade highway topped by a park, reconnecting divided communities.
• Water/Wastewater: Headworks Facility at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility (Calif.): As part of a major capital improvement program, this project modernized one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the Western U.S., enhancing efficiency and sustainability.

Learn more on DBIA’s Awards page.