2020 Recap: A Year in Review

While it can be hard to feel optimistic when there are still so many challenges ahead, we at Primera are hopeful for the future. As 2020 comes to a close, we reflect back on the power of our people. This year, more than ever, we were all united by a common need for flexibility, discipline and strength. Together, we maintained our values of collaboration, relationship-building, and most importantly, kindness ambassadorship.

For nearly 35 years we have prided ourselves on these values and a superior level of client service, and this year was no different. As we wrap up this unprecedented year, we would like to acknowledge and highlight some of the accomplishments and expertise of our incredible staff by rounding up our top 15 stories from 2020.

Primera joins O’Hare 21 design team – As a member of the HNTB-lead civil engineering team, Primera was selected to help design the heavy infrastructure components to support the new terminal facilities for this $8.5 billion project at O’Hare International Airport.
With news of the pandemic, Primera was quick to enable a pandemic preparedness plan and efficiently transition employees in each of our offices to working from home. We’ll continue to do so for the better part of the next year.
Senior Vice President Lourdes Gonzalez highlighted the importance of the Integrated Project Delivery method, especially for projects that were delayed or postponed due to COVID-19.
Primera’s President & CEO, Erin Inman, was named to both Crain’s Notable Women in Construction and Design list and Construtech’s Women in Construction list for 2020. She was also featured in The Zweig Letter.
Our Keller Center, Harris School of Public Policy renovation project was recognized with a 2020 COTE® Top Ten Award for Sustainability.
Engineering Director Rosa Lazebnik and electrical engineering expert John Fetter focused on how the right mass notification system can save lives.
Primera was ranked in Engineering News-Record‘s (ENR) annual Top 500 Design Firms list, ENR-Midwest’s Top Design Firms list, and in Building Design+Construction’s (BD+C) annual Giants 400 report.
Lighting Studio Manager Deborah Steimel-Clair had our most-read article of the year with her feature on “Reducing the Spread of Germs and Viruses with Germicidal Ultraviolet Lighting.”
Primera moved to a bigger, permanent office in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania to better serve our Mid-Atlantic clients.
Architecture Lead + Code Consultant Jill Deichmann helped clients navigate the new Title 14B Chicago Building Code updates, which took effect in August of this year.
Known as the largest, newly-constructed building solely dedicated to biomedical research at an American medical school, our Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center was awarded LEED Gold certification.
Our Chicago office successfully moved to a new headquarters location directly across from Union Station and three blocks from Ogilvie Transportation Center near downtown Chicago.
Senior Mechanical Engineer John Palasz took us for a deep dive into the exciting world of HVAC with his article “A Comprehensive Look at Selecting the Right HVAC System.”
Our Marketing team was honored with a 2020 Marketing Communications Award from the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
Two Primera projects were recognized with 2021 ACEC-IL Engineering Excellence Awards, including a much-coveted Honor Award and a Merit Award.