Insights

Historic Renovation at Northwestern University: Preserving Wieboldt Hall

Northwestern University’s Chicago campus features the historic Wieboldt Hall, constructed in 1926 to hold the university’s School of Commerce. The building’s construction was funded by Anna and William Wieboldt, German immigrants and self-made retail magnates who believed “the most effective form of charity is developing self-supporting men and women.” Today, Wieboldt Hall houses programs for […]

Interview with OSHPD Board Member and Salas O’Brien Principal Roy Lopez

Since 1979 when the firm’s big project was an energy audit at San Jose Hospital, Salas O’Brien has created thousands of well-designed, safe, and efficient healthcare facilities. As we have grown from a single California office to 24 offices nationwide, we’ve continuously expanded our health care leadership and expertise. When OMB Electrical Engineers joined Salas […]

Ebola Containment and Nuclear Medicine: Engineering for Rush University Medical Center

Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) is a key member of the larger Illinois-based Rush Health Systems that include hospitals, clinics, and a medical university. Today’s massive Rush network all began with Rush Medical College, which received its charter two days before the incorporation of Chicago. Today, RUMC and its connected medical university are pillars of […]

OMB Electrical Engineers Joins Salas O’Brien

Salas O’Brien announced today that OMB Electrical Engineers has joined the company, creating a combined firm of 24 offices with more than 650 employee-owners, 135 registered professionals, and clients that are the most significant companies in the United States. The addition of OMB and its offices in southern California and Phoenix expands Salas O’Brien’s portfolio […]

Zero Claims: How Salas O’Brien Does It

In the AEC industry, E&O (error and omissions) claims are an accepted cost of doing business. One professional liability insurer found that “firms with annual billings greater than $5 million on average experience one claim for every $10 million in revenues. Meanwhile, smaller firms tend to have greater claims frequency: those with revenues of $500,000-$5 […]

How Salas O’Brien Saved This City $50,000 Per Year

Salas O’Brien’s landfill client in Akron, Ohio, installed a landfill gas-to-energy (LFGTE) system that, combined with the anaerobic digester at a nearby composting plant, provides 95% of the two plants’ energy needs and saves the city $50,000 in utility costs each year. Here’s some background on this important technology. The US EPA’s latest report on […]

Engineering McDonald’s New Corporate Headquarters and Hamburger University

This past week, we welcomed the WMA Consulting Engineers to the Salas O’Brien family. WMA’s outstanding work, commitment to sustainability, and reputation for reliability make them an ideal addition to our team. One example of the team’s impressive work is the McDonald’s Corporation Headquarters, built in 2018 in Chicago’s West Loop. McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook […]

WMA Consulting Engineers Joins Salas O’Brien

Salas O’Brien is expanding again! We have merged with WMA Consulting Engineers, adding locations in Chicago and Denver and creating a combined firm with 21 offices and more than 600 employee-owners. The addition of WMA expands Salas O’Brien’s portfolio in the design of large high-rise, commercial, higher education, healthcare and institutional building projects. WMA will […]

Designing for the Good of Our Communities, One Fire Station at a Time

Salas O’Brien believes in supporting local communities through good design, and that’s why we’ve helped design many fire stations across North America, ensuring that these local heroes have safe, energy-efficient buildings that pay special attention to critical design elements such as generators, breathing air compressor systems, spaces for practice drills, exhaust and fume detection systems, […]

Old Meets New: Preserving the History of Buildings During Massive Renovations

For many commercial, retail, and hospitality venues in historic districts, “old” can be preferable—even premium. Some popular historic districts even put regulations in place to ensure buildings on their prime real estate maintain the historic charm that put them on the map. But historical renovations come with unique challenges. Often, these projects aim to accommodate […]

Achieving Efficiency and Value for Universities, Communities, and Hotels

At Salas O’Brien, we’ve been focusing on sustainability since well before the creation of LEED in 1995. Even without certifications and code requirements, sustainable design provides a clear long-term value for clients, and combined with the environmental benefit, the choice is often obvious. Although LEED is not the only measure of sustainability, our expertise and […]

Designing Spaces for Food, Travel, and Lodging in One of America’s Top 10 Metro Areas

Atlanta, Georgia, is exploding with offices, business headquarters, travelers, and commuters and is home to many Fortune 1000 and Fortune 500 companies, including The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, UPS, and Home Depot. Salas O’Brien has helped design and engineer many facilities in Atlanta for clients in the transportation and hospitality industries. Here are three examples. […]