For the third year in a row, Wright Engineers has been named the nation’s number one structural engineering firm to work for by the Zweig Group. The Best Firm to Work For award recognizes the top A/E firms in the US and Canada based on their workplace practices, employee retention rates, and employee happiness. “An anonymous employee survey is given the most weight in the judging,” said Wright founder and CEO Brent Wright, “so the results are a pretty reliable indicator of employee happiness.” Wright is fond of saying that if Wright takes good care of its people, they will take good care of our clients. For that reason, Wright Engineers tries hard to attract the best talent and then make sure they love it so much they never want to leave.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT SOLUTION TO LUMBER SHORTAGE
Shortages of lumber and pressure-treated wood due to slowed lumber mill production caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could threaten to delay some projects. There are other construction materials that can be used as an alternative. Two energy-efficient alternatives to conventional lumber are Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs).
ICFs are expanded polystyrene (EPS or Styrofoam) blocks typically 48” long and 16” tall which interlock together similar to Legos. Reinforcing steel and concrete is placed in the hollow interior of the blocks resulting in an insulated structural concrete wall. An ICF wall has an R-Value of around 23 compared to 15 for a typical 2×6 wall with batt insulation.
SIPs consist of Oriented Strand Board (OSB, made from fast-growing harvest trees) skins pressure laminated to an EPS core. The amount of lumber used in SIPs is a small fraction of that required for a conventionally framed structure, and SIPs have the advantage of easy construction, faster build times, and little waste on the job site. SIPs can be used for walls, roofs, and floors. With an R-Value ranging from 23 to 48, SIPs are one of the most energy efficient building products on the market today.
Wright Engineers is experienced in the structural design of both ICF and SIP structures.
WRIGHT RECOGNIZES THREE LONG-TIME EMPLOYEES
Wright Engineers recently paid tribute to three team members and their families for their more than 20 years of service to the company.
Jared Johnson (left) is a BIM specialist, a die-hard Broncos fan. He loves supporting his kid’s performances and sporting events, and claims that when he retires from Wright Engineers he wants to be a bus driver or trucker. Jared and his wife, Jennifer, have five children and an adorable granddaughter who calls him papi.
Joelle Franco (center) is a CAD and BIM technician and at one time held a Nevada and Hawaii architecture license. Joelle enjoys planning family trips for her husband, Sam, and their two daughters.
Scott Jones, SE (right) is a partner and company vice president and runs Wright’s California operations. Scott loves all things connected to his family, building stuff, and the great outdoors. He and his wife, Annette, have two daughters and two sons and make their home in Rancho Santa Margarita.
NATIONAL MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARD
Wright Engineers’ monthly news has again been awarded a 2020 Marketing Excellence Award by the Zweig Group. Wright’s news ranked in the top 3 nationwide for all AEC firms in the External Newsletter category for two years in a row. “Our goal is to always provide useful content that will actually get read because it’s interesting and relevant,” said Anna Graves, Wright’s social media and newsletter manager.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS PRICING DATA
