In this industry, it is so refreshing to hear about companies that are responding to today’s tough project challenges, creating innovative solutions, and pushing the (building) envelope. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is doing just that.

Mathew Carlton (left) takes Elizabeth Obloy on a tour of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger's engineering facilities in Boston.

I recently had the privilege of discovering this while touring SGH’s engineering facilities in Boston. Guided by Building Enclosure Consultant Matthew Carlton, AIA, LEED AP — one of the company’s many masterminds — I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a convention room, a library, and even a forensics laboratory. It was definitely a far cry from your typical office, and I could not have been more impressed.

Matt explained that these unique features assist SGH’s experts in upholding the company’s ultimate goals: to earn the lasting trust of its clients, to gain the respect of its most capable peers, and to further the standards of practice in all areas of its profession. The convention room serves as an amphitheatre for interactive presentations; the library houses more than 50 years worth of manufacturer spec sheets for staff reference; and the fully equipped forensics laboratory is used to test the latest products and materials. All this rolled into one expertly engineered building? I never wanted to leave.

As you may have guessed, these creative facilities are breeding creative ideas and developments. Not only does SGH design cutting-edge structures and building enclosures, it also specializes in investigation and rehabilitation of these types of projects. In addition, the company strives to incorporate sustainable materials into its work whenever possible.

Here at Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing, we are proud to have a relationship with a national engineering firm that is investing resources in original research and exercising out-of-the-box thinking to push the industry forward. If you are not yet familiar with SGH, I recommend you tune in to ARW’s next webinar, Understanding the Influence of the Building Enclosure Commissioning Process, on Tuesday, June 18.