December 2023 Newsletter
RWB Hosts Open House
RWB extends its gratitude to all those who attended our Open House, where we celebrated our new office alongside our valued clients and business partners. The event saw a fantastic turnout, and we appreciate your presence.
Sanger ISD High School
On October 25, 2023, Sanger ISD celebrated the groundbreaking of their new high school campus. School officials, current and former board members, and project team members kicked off the start of the project by grabbing a shovel and tossing some dirt. Board President Pete Filippi said, “This has been a long time coming. We’ve planned this project for ten years, and now we are at the point of putting buildings up.”
Sanger Superintendent Adela Jones said, “The district continues to grow, and right now, we have 3,100 students at the existing high school, which was built for 2,200 students.”
The 280,000-square-foot campus will include four academic wings and a centrally located administration suite. Three of the academic wings contain core subjects, science labs, small collaboration spaces, and a 100-seat lecture hall. The fourth wing has Career and Technology Education spaces that include a culinary lab and bistro, a floral design lab, and an audio/video lab. The campus is arranged around a large, secured outdoor courtyard that students can use during the day or for after-school events. The campus will also feature a competition gymnasium, a storm shelter, and a new athletic fieldhouse.
The new high school campus is expected to be completed in 18 months.
JJ Pearce Renovations
RWB Consulting Engineers is proud to be part of the design team at JJ Pearce High School in Richardson ISD. We designed the MEP systems for renovations and additions that upgrade existing infrastructure and support new construction. These efforts will increase the campus capacity to 3,013 students.
Building Additions and Expanded Learning Spaces
The project includes several new additions: two-story classroom wings at the northwest and southwest corners, a one-story fine arts storm shelter on the southeast side, and a two-story storm shelter gymnasium with offices and classrooms on the north end. Additionally, a new cafeteria now occupies the space of a former outdoor courtyard.
These additions create enhanced collaborative learning environments for both teachers and students.
Major Renovations and Campus Improvements
Alongside the new construction, the majority of the existing school underwent extensive renovations. Notably, the auditorium was upgraded to an ADA-accessible, 1,400-seat multi-functional theater with a new and expanded lobby. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and administrative spaces were also renovated.
In total, the project includes 140,270 square feet of new construction and 348,720 square feet of renovation. Furthermore, relocating the main entrances and administration office transformed the campus flow, creating a more welcoming and navigable experience for visitors.
Project Completion and Impact
As the project nears completion in August 2024, both the previously finished Phase I and the current Phase II additions and renovations will come together to deliver a modern, 21st-century educational facility.
Project Highlight Flashback
RWB has over 37 years of experience working with multiple school districts in North Texas and beyond. During this time, we’ve witnessed significant population growth and had the opportunity to design efficient MEP systems for many large high school replacement projects.
Below are three notable projects that have either completed construction or started design within the last two years:
Denton High School
Denton High School (pictured above) is a 490,000-square-foot replacement campus built to accommodate 2,200 students. This facility was constructed next to the existing occupied campus and now sits on a 150-acre site. Meanwhile, the previous high school building is being renovated to serve as a middle school and other district facilities.
Sherman High School
Sherman High School is a 490,000-square-foot, ground-up, three-story building designed for 2,600 students in grades 9 through 12. It replaced the former Sherman High School facility. Similar to Denton, the old high school is being converted into a middle school. Notably, Sherman HS earned the AIA Merit Award for design in 2022.
Crowley High School
Crowley High School is currently in the design phase. Most of the building will be new construction, while a portion of the existing structure will be renovated and incorporated into the new design. Some buildings and site elements will be replaced, whereas others will remain without renovation.
The main building is estimated to have approximately 425,000 square feet of occupiable space. New construction will include administration areas, a multi-level academic wing, cafeteria and kitchen, fine arts center, basketball arena, and other program spaces.
The project site remains on the current Crowley High School campus and will proceed in multiple phases. This approach allows the existing school to stay occupied during construction, similar to the Pearce High School project, where the high school was replaced in essentially the same location.
RWB Seeks Interns at University Career Fairs
RWB recently attended career fairs at UTD, UTA, and Texas A&M. There, we connected with many talented students interested in joining our Spring and Summer Internship Program for 2024.
As part of this program, RWB offers interns real-world experience in the A/E/C industry. Interns apply their knowledge to support our team in designing MEP systems for a wide range of commercial building projects.
By participating, students gain valuable skills while contributing meaningfully to ongoing work.
Darrell Williams Serves as Panelist at UTD Event
In October, Electrical Engineer Darrell Williams joined a panel at The University of Texas at Dallas. He shared insights with students about careers in electrical engineering.
The panel aimed to highlight various career paths within the electrical field. Darrell, along with other industry professionals, discussed their backgrounds, career journeys, and current roles. This event gave students valuable perspectives to help guide their future choices.
TASA | TASB Conference
RWB Consulting Engineers successfully attended the TASA | TASB conference. During the event, we connected with clients and engaged with attendees from school districts across Texas.
Overall, the conference provided valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships and explore new collaborations.
NTAEE Conference
The North Texas Association of Energy Engineers (NTAEE) held a conference at the Lone Star horse racing track in Grand Prairie. At the event, we engaged with attendees and attended educational presentations focused on energy efficiency.
Topics included the evolving energy landscape, benefits of solar panels, air disinfection technologies, and recent code changes to the 2021 IECC. Additionally, these sessions provided valuable insights to help us stay current in the industry.
Office Halloween Festivies
Check out the creative costumes from our team!
Welcome to RWB!
Brad Clark, P.E. — Mechanical Engineer
Brad joined RWB’s mechanical team in August. Over the past few years, he passed both the FE and PE exams. In February of this year, he earned his Texas Professional Engineering license. Brad graduated from Texas Tech University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. For the last decade, he has worked on projects ranging from residential and commercial office buildings to multi-family, mixed-use, hospitality, automotive, and manufacturing facilities.
Sina Darehshori — Mechanical Designer
Sina started with RWB in August as a Mechanical Designer. He brings nearly nine years of experience in mechanical design. Sina has worked across several markets, including K-12 education, commercial, multi-family, industrial, hospitality, and religious facilities.
Josiah Newman — Mechanical Engineer
Josiah interned at RWB in 2018 and again in 2023. He then joined full-time in August. Josiah earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Dallas. Outside of work, he enjoys biking, playing pickleball, and serving in the student ministry at his alma mater.
Fall 2023 Interns
Issac Barnes
Issac Barnes is a senior at the University of North Texas, majoring in Mechanical Energy Engineering.
From a young age, Issac showed curiosity about how things work. He often took apart RC cars and built projects like hoverboards and ziplines. Later, a technical program in Mechatronics at SOTC inspired him to pursue engineering as a career.
High School Interns: Ziyaad Ahmed & Julian Villamar-Robbins
Ziyaad Ahmed attends Berkner High School, while Julian Villamar-Robbins studies at Lake Highlands High School. Both schools belong to the Richardson School District.
Currently, Ziyaad compiles drawings and Revit models for DFW Airport. Meanwhile, Julian works on similar tasks for Lake Highlands High School.
Their project involves creating “record projects,” which requires filling in any missing details. Additionally, they may need to model MEP work using PDFs or AutoCAD files.
