News & awards

Karpinski Engineering (KE) won an Outstanding Achievement Award for their contributions to the new Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The award was part of the 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition, sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio (ACEC Ohio). The school was one of six project to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award.

ACEC’s Engineering Excellence Awards program spotlights engineering projects that demonstrate a high degree of uniqueness, ingenuity, and value. A panel of judges evaluates the projects on their innovation; value to the engineering profession; complexity; sustainable design benefits and community impact; and alignment with the client’s project goals.

With Heights High School, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District reimagined its high school for upcoming generations of students. The new building, which serves 1,700+ students, prioritizes sustainability and incorporates modern technology while preserving the community’s heritage.

KE provided mechanical, electrical, technology, and lighting design; security engineering; and energy modeling for the project.

“Heights High School is a tremendous facility,” said Brian David, PE, Principal and Senior Vice President of Karpinski Engineering. “The community cared deeply about what their new school would be like, and I’m proud of what our team accomplished for the community and its students.”

Heights High School blends new and old. The District renovated the original, 134,000-SF, 1926 school building and placed it at the center of the design. It is flanked by 216,000 SF of new construction.

Sustainability was a core value for the new school. The CH-UH community advocated specifically for sustainable design strategies. The completed Heights High School is projected to reduce site energy use by 60% and utility costs by 32% below baseline measures. It is also on track for LEED Gold Certification. A key sustainability feature is Heights High School’s hybrid geothermal system, which allowed the District to meet both sustainability and financial goals.

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ACEC Ohio, a state affiliate of the American Council of Engineering Companies, is a non-profit trade association comprised of firms that provide a wide array of engineering and other professional services for all types of construction and environmental improvement projects. ACEC Ohio member companies provide services to local, state and federal government agencies, as well as commercial and industrial clients.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council that promotes sustainable building design. Through the LEED program, buildings are evaluated on measures such as energy-efficient building systems, water efficiency, sustainable site strategies, and sustainable building materials. A building can be awarded one of four certification levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum (the highest). Karpinski Engineering’s contributions to a building’s LEED certification typically impact its energy and water use – through efficient electrical, lighting, HVAC, and plumbing design.