Construction teams delivering education facilities through collaborative project delivery continue to gain recognition for design-build performance, highlighting the growing emphasis on integrated planning, stakeholder engagement, and workforce-focused infrastructure. Sundt Construction's latest honors recognize a higher education project designed to expand science and engineering education capacity in California's Imperial Valley.
The Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region recognized the Sciences & Engineering Laboratories project at San Diego State University Imperial Valley with two regional awards. The project received both a Design-Build Award of Distinction and a Small Business Engagement & Growth Award.
Located in Brawley, California, the approximately 37,000-square-foot academic facility was completed through a partnership involving Sundt Construction, San Diego State University, and AC Martin.
The building includes instructional laboratories, research laboratories, faculty offices, and academic spaces intended to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education while providing resources for students, researchers, and industry collaboration.
Project planning incorporated a progressive design-build approach that combined architectural and construction expertise throughout development. The facility was designed to address the Imperial Valley's desert environment through passive building strategies, durable construction materials, and shaded outdoor areas intended to improve long-term building performance.
The project also supports workforce development initiatives by expanding educational resources in a region experiencing continued economic activity and increasing demand for skilled technical professionals.
Recognition for integrated project delivery demonstrates the continued use of design-build methods on higher education construction projects where collaboration, schedule coordination, and stakeholder engagement are priorities. For construction owners, developers, and contractors, the project illustrates how education infrastructure investments can advance workforce development while meeting regional academic and research needs through coordinated design and construction delivery.
Source: Sundt.
