Insights

Our Recruiting Process: How Salas O’Brien Builds Its Team

“Wow! At Salas O’Brien I’d have unlimited growth opportunity, projects that challenge me technically, and a team that has my back.” That, in a nutshell, is the response that our recruiting team hears every day from applicants to Salas O’Brien, regardless of whether those applicants join our team. We do this through a relentless focus […]

Designing Burner Management Systems for Industrial Facilities

Any facility that combusts fuel for process heating needs a burner management system (BMS). The BMS is a fuel safety system that works as a failsafe in case of any dangerous problems with the fuel. It’s governed by the boiler code NFPA 85. How It Works Boiler and combustion systems for power generation, campus heating, […]

Engineering Designs for Healthcare: DaVita Kidney Care

With one in every three adults in the US at risk for chronic kidney disease, dialysis has become an unfortunately common reality. DaVita, a healthcare organization whose name means “giving life” in Italian, is the industry leader in caring for people with kidney disease. They also run an independent medical group with locations in six […]

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, […]