Company News from RWB

RWB is an MEP consulting engineering firm based in Dallas, Texas. On this page, you’ll find the latest updates on company news, ranging from special events or corporate announcements.

The firm has been in operation for over thirty years and employs more than 50 designers, engineers, and support staff. Learn more about our leadership and firm history.

RWB consulting engineers specialize in K-12 schools, higher education projects, aviation facilities, municipal structures, and office buildings.

RWB Wins 2020 ASHRAE Dallas Technology Award for Braswell High School Design

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Project Moves on to Regional Competition

This week, the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE recognized RWB Consulting Engineers for exceptional HVAC design. Denton ISDs Ray  Braswell High School earned the chapter’s Technology Award for New Educational Facilities.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievement in mechanical system design and operation. While other programs such as LEED recognize buildings for minimizing energy usage, the Technology Award celebrates designs with a holistic approach.

Winners of the technology award demonstrate competency and success in applying effective strategies for:

  • Energy management
  • Indoor air quality
  • Thermal comfort
  • Operational cost effectiveness
  • Innovation
  • Operation and maintenance
  • Environmental impact

RWB Consulting Engineers is well-known for their experience in successful K-12 MEP design, with Braswell High School being particularly exemplary.

Leaders of the Dallas Chapter presented the award on Wednesday, February 12th. As seen on the photo below, several members of the RWB leadership team were on-hand to accept the award.

Group photo of seven people standing in front of a presentation screen.

Contact us for K-12 MEP Engineering Services

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THE WINNING PROJECT: RAY BRASWELL HIGH SCHOOL

In Little Elm, Texas, this new facility for over 2,600 students in 9-12th grade opened in August 2016.

The HVAC design for Braswell High School features a geothermal system with over 1,100 wells serving 239 heat pumps. With so many wells, our team broke the geothermal system up into smaller well fields that serve different areas of the building. Ground source heat pumps were piped in parallel for redundancy. And three-way valves installed at the extremity of each lunch ensure proper water flow and temperature during operation.

Our team used an innovative humidity control system in high-latent areas like the auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria. Using a unique hot gas reheat system, the air in these spaces can be dehumidified without having to reject any heat to the associated well field. In addition, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) were used in tandem with carbon dioxide sensors to provide the precise amount of fresh air to spaces. Both design strategies contribute to improved occupant comfort and reduced energy consumption.

This isn’t the first time that the design team for Braswell High School has been recognized. In 2017, the Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards Exhibit of School Architecture awarded architecture firm VLK with the Design and Value award.

Read the Full Case Study

 

ASHRAE DALLAS TECHNOLOGY AWARD

The Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE  accepts nominations each year for their Technology Award competition. They can recognize multiple MEP engineering firms in 19 different categories as shown in the bulleted list below below.

As the winner of the Chapter award, this project will move to the Regional competition. RWB faces competition from other ASHRAE Chapters in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mexico. The regional judging committee will announce the winner of the region competition during the Chapter Regional Conference in April 2020.

A vintage sepia photo of a living room with a TV and furniture.

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RWB Honored with 2022 ASHRAE Technology Awards

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RWB Consulting Engineers has once again been recognized by the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE and ASHRAE Region VIII for excellence in building design.

In early January, the Dallas Chapter of ASHRAE awarded RWB Consulting Engineers the Building Technology Award. A few months later in April 2022, the projects clinched the regional competition.

Our design of Vanguard High School earned the Building Technology Award in New Construction – Educational Facilities, and our work on the Frisco Athletic Center earned the Building Technology Award in Existing Buildings – Institutional Facilities. We are grateful to have RWB recognized by ASHRAE again.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognizes prestigious buildings with innovative HVAC designs. Criteria for the award include:

  • Energy Efficiency
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Innovation
  • Operation & Maintenance
  • Cost-Effectiveness
  • Environmental Impact

RWB Consulting Engineers Expands to Fort Worth

We’ve been counting down the days to our BIG announcement, and we know the anticipation has been building to this moment of our journey together. On May 20, 1986, our three founding principles, James H. Reed, Jr., John A. Wells, Jr., P.E., and Eric Benson, P.E., formed the company named Reed, Wells, Benson, and Company, which would later become RWB Consulting Engineers.

Where We Started

On June 19, 1986, our three founders embarked on a journey to provide excellent MEP engineering services to satisfy the goals of our clients and Owners. After starting out with a sublease from an architect in Dallas, RWB found a permanent home in Coit Central Tower. The firm had two separate office spaces in that building over the years and remained there for 36 years. During the first few years of business, the firm primarily worked with clients we had known and worked with previously.  We continue to work with many of these same clients to this day. The number and types of clients and projects have grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Since opening, RWB has evolved into a company that has developed an unwavering commitment to design energy-efficient sustainable building systems for its clients. The number and type of services have grown significantly as well.

Over this time our employees remain fully dedicated design professionals who diligently provide innovative, energy-efficient, and cost-effective MEP designs that strive to meet or exceed our client’s goals! Many repeat clients tell us that they use our firm because of the detail and quality of our drawings and specifications, our integrity and the fact that we diligently enforce the products of our services.

Where We Are Going

Today, August 1, 2024, marks the day of a milestone event for RWB as we open the doors to a second office West of 360 in Fort Worth, Texas. That’s right, folks! RWB will now have a physical presence in a city known as Cowtown, where we’ve now dug our boots into. This is the place Where the West Begins! RWB now has a new office in Fort Worth. We have been working in Fort Worth and surrounding areas since 1986.  As a result of our long-term client relationships and the growth of our staff and firm, we knew it was time to expand our footprint to another major area of the metroplex, so that RWB can better serve its current and future clients.

The new office will be located at 1751 River Run Suite 200, Fort Worth, TX 76107.

 

RWB Celebrates 33 Years

On June 19, 2019, RWB Consulting Engineers celebrated 33 years of operation. Our entire staff spent took the afternoon off to enjoy some time together at Topgolf Dallas.

Everyone tried their hand at the deceptively easy driving range games. We’ll admit that some of our engineers are more experienced – and more competitive- than others. For the rest of us, there was plenty of food and drink to go around. Plus, nearby our assigned party area were some garden games for added entertainment. Special thanks to our office manager and marketing coordinator Brooke for organizing the event! She took great care in bringing the RWB-themed decorations and ensuring this party was one for all to remember!

We greatly value the history of our firm and the work of our clients. In recent years, our team has grown to over 50 people. Our team supports projects across all sectors from K-12 to aviation. And, we are still growing. We have plenty of career opportunities available to engineers looking to be a part of our dynamic history.

Since the very beginning, RWB Consulting Engineers has aimed to put client first. We take this commitment very seriously, working every day to ensure client satisfaction. In this way we know we will not only meet the goals of our clients, but also our own goal: repeat business with satisfied clients. We know we have done our job when Owners choose to work with RWB Consulting Engineeers for MEP engineering a second, third, fourth, or fiftieth time.

We are grateful for our 33 years here at RWB, and hope for plenty more to celebrate in the coming years!

We’ve Moved!

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Aviation Project Wins Building Industry Award

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In late December, the construction team responsible for the Southwest Airlines Wings aviation project was honored with an industry award.  

McCarthy Building Companies Inc. took home the prize for the 2019 Distinguished Building Award presented by the Construction Industry Association/TEXO. This project beat out competition from other massive projects, competing the category of buildings with construction costs in excess of $75 million.

Criteria for the award included:

  • Difficulty in construction
  • Original construction techniques involved
  • Final appearance
  • Quality of the finished product
  • Timeliness of the project’s completion

RWB is proud to be a part of the design team for this award-winning aviation project.

About the Project: SWA Wings Complex

Southwest Airlines recently built a new, 865,000 square foot building complex just southwest of the Dallas Love-Field Airport. This enormous multi-building facility includes several unique features, including:

  • Four-story Flight Training Center to improve and expand pilot training
  • Six-story office facility including modern amenities and layout for SWA employees
  • A 1950-space parking garage for plenty of capacity
  • A pedestrian sky bridge spanning 400 feet connecting the new building to the existing SWA campus

The project broke ground in spring 2016. Construction was completed two years later in spring 2018.  

RWB Consulting Engineers: MEP Engineering for Award-Winning Aviation Projects

At RWB, one of our core areas of expertise is aviation projects, including flight training academies, flight simulators, airports, office buildings, and hangars. Because of our long history with the airline industry, we are well-versed in every airline’s standard of engineering design and construction.

We treat every air transportation project with the same level of accuracy, detail, and attention required to win awards. If you would like to speak with one of our principals about your next aviation project, please contact us.

Collin College Wylie Campus Wins IIDA Design Excellence Award

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The IIDA Texas Oklahoma Chapter Design Excellence Awards recognize the highest quality and achievement in interior design, and honor the creativity and innovation of the best of Texas and Oklahoma designers. The Collin College Wylie Campus was named the winner of the Design Excellence Award for Education Research (Design). We’re thrilled to see our colleagues at Page recognized for their hard work on this innovative design with this honor. RWB Consulting Engineers served as the MEP Engineering consultant on this higher education project.

This design project included three separate occupied buildings and a standalone central utility plant across 350,000 square feet. The project was designed and coordinated in Revit MEP. Keep reading about our MEP design on the Collin College Wylie Campus.

We treat every higher education project with the same level of accuracy, detail, and attention required to win awards. If you would like to speak with one of our principals about your next campus project, please contact us.

RWB Teaches, Learns at Plumbing Design Course in DFW

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On August 23 and 24, 2019 the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of ASPE held the Basic Plumbing Design Course at the PCETX Facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Michael Danielson, Senior Associate at RWB, served as the course instructor.  He has a wealth of plumbing design experience in healthcare, municipal, multifamily, and institutional designs.

The Basic Plumbing Design Course is a 14-hour design training class. The curriculum is intended to educate designers on the basics of plumbing design. The coursework covers plumbing terminology, trade tendencies, history of the professional, and fundamental plumbing calculations.

Over 40 designers and engineers from the DFW area attended the course last week, including attendees from multiple other design firms in the area. Among the attendees were three engineers from the RWB mechanical team seeking to expand their skill set.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A PLUMBING DESIGN COURSE

 

Typically, plumbing design is not taught as a part of any engineering degree program. So, most plumbing designers learn from on-the-job experience. In many cases, gathering such experience is not feasible. For example, if a design engineer works in a firm that doesn’t offer plumbing services, the amount of education on plumbing design and best practices would be limited.

Another important reason for a plumbing design course is for coordination amongst disciplines.  Anyone that works in building design and construction would agree that colleagues in different trades could do more to learn about each others’ work. So, although some attendees of a plumbing design course may never design plumbing systems themselves, learning about the fundamentals can be immensely beneficial to their work.

Plumbing Design Course Curriculum

The ASPE Basic Plumbing Design Course is 14 hours of training split over two days, covering a variety of plumbing topics.

Day 1

  • Introduction & History to Plumbing
  • Plumbing Definitions & Codes
  • Plumbing Fixtures, Trim & Chase Requirements
  • Piping & Fittings
  • Storm Drainage Piping Systems Design/Examples
  • Sanitary Sewer & Vent Piping Systems Design/Examples

Day 2 

  • Domestic Cold Water Piping Systems Design
  • Domestic Cold Water Piping System Design/Examples
  • Domestic Hot Water Piping Systems Design
  • Domestic Hot Water Piping Systems Design/Examples
  • Sizing Pumps & Sizing Pump Piping Systems
  • Natural Gas Piping Systems Design (Time permitting)

RWB PARTICIPATION IN INDUSTRY GROUPS

At RWB, we encourage our team to participate in local industry groups. Through these groups, our employees are able to learn from the experiences of other design teams. Additionally, our employees serve in volunteer leadership roles in many different organizations. For one, Michael Danielson volunteers as the Education Chairman of the DFW ASPE Chapter. As volunteer leaders, our team is able to gain valuable teamwork experience that can apply to our own work. Also, volunteering or speaking at industry events is one way we are able to expand our reach and share our knowledge with the greater engineering community.

DALLAS/FORT WORTH EXPERTS IN PLUMBING DESIGN

RWB offers high-quality engineering services to the North Texas area and beyond, including mechanical, engineering, and plumbing design services. Our team is not only committed to learning the latest in plumbing design, we’re the ones teaching the course on the subject. For a plumbing system designed by the experts, contact RWB.

Welcome 2022 Summer Interns

RWB is proud to welcome six new interns this summer as part of our 2022 firm internship program.

During their time here at RWB, they will gain hands-on experience with MEP Engineering Design. They will help with the design process and documentation of current projects by working in AutoCAD and Revit and visiting project jobsites.

Allyson Lux

Allyson Lux

School: University of Alabama
Year in School: Graduated with BSME May 2022, now pursuing an MBA (May 2023)
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Allyson chose mechanical engineering because she had always enjoyed math and wanted a field that gave me many career options. Also, there are few women in mechanical engineering (about 10% total) and she wanted to change that. Hobbies include tennis, hiking, staying busy, and going to Alabama athletics games (football, basketball, baseball).



A young man in a blue polo shirt smiling.Braden Santer

School: University of Texas at Dallas
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Braden chose to pursue engineering because it combined his passions for science, technology, and design. He is looking forward to gaining practical engineering experience and connecting with the engineers at RWB. Braden’s hobbies include gaming as well as modifying and racing cars.



A man with a beard wearing a teal polo shirt sitting indoors.Jacob Tschetter

School: Texas A&M University
Year in School: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering – MEP track

Jacob has always enjoyed learning about buildings and solving problems. He is excited to be learning from the associates while here at RWB.

Jacob is involved in Scouts, enjoys playing music and is a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.



A young person with medium-length hair and glasses smiling outdoors.Nicolas Lawrence

School: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Year in School: Incoming Freshman
Major: Chemical Engineering

Nicolas was inspired to pursue chemical engineering by his high school Environmental Science teacher, who helped him realize how important chemical sciences are to modern society. He find myself fascinated by the complex web of chemical interactions between human industries, the environment, and our very bodies. Through chemistry, everything is united as one crazy complicated system.

Nicolas says, “Working at RWB has helped me realize that it is one hundred percent within my power to interact with this system, something that the engineers I work with get to do every day through their own expertise with MEP.”

A smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a black polka dot dress and gray cardigan.Nicole Svetlov

School: University of Texas, Austin
Year in School: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering

Nicole is an incoming transfer student, and a part of the class of 2024, at the University of Texas at Austin where she will be studying Architectural Engineering.

Going into university, Nicole aspired to become a Civil Engineer. That changed after she found out about ArchE. Working in two research labs, doing research on thermal comfort, and energy efficiency made her realize that a career in MEP would give her more intellectual fulfillment.  Placing in 1st place at the Utilities Challenge Competition at her school, cemented this feeling for her.

Additionally, Nicole believes that a healthy work-life balance is necessary to be successful and happy. Therefore, she highly values the time that she can spend reading, home decorating, and shopping.

Peter PhamPeter Pham

School: University of Missouri, Kansas City
Year in School: Senior
Major: Electrical & Computer Engineering

Inspired by his family, financial stability, construction design, electrical design and loves solving problems.

Hobbies include reading, chess, gym, fishing, and shopping.

Welcome 2023 Spring Interns

RWB is proud to welcome two new interns this Spring as part of our firm internship program.

During their time here at RWB, they will gain hands-on experience with MEP Engineering Design. They will help with the design process and documentation of current projects by working in AutoCAD and Revit and visiting project jobsites.

Amanda Swart

Amanda Swart

School: University of North Texas
Year in School: Senior
Major: Mechanical and Energy Engineering

What inspired you to go after your major?
Initially, I graduated with a major in Wildlife Conservation and Science. After briefly working in the field, I wanted more of a challenge (and a career change!) and went back to school for Mechanical Engineering. I found that I really enjoyed tackling problems and solving them. Working towards an engineering degree also made it easier to tackle my own personal projects.

Any outside hobbies you wish to share?
Gardening, aquarium keeping, koi pond keeping, reading, and woodworking



Joe GarciaJoe Garcia

School: University of Texas at Arlington
Year in School: Junior
Major: Electrical Engineering

What inspired you to go after your major?

From a young age, my passion for electricity has been a driving force in my life. The way it flows, sparks, and powers the world around me has always fascinated me, and I knew that pursuing a career in this field was my calling. My family have been a major factor in my pursue of college. Their unwavering love and support have given me the courage and determination to pursue higher education and achieve my goals.

Any outside hobbies you wish to share?

Fishing, playing sports, cooking, hiking and camping