DCI Engineers

Produced by the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) and presented by TIME Magazine, "Engineers at Ground Zero" tells the story of the structural engineers who answered the call in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The short film honors the professionals who worked alongside contractors and first responders to help safely assess, stabilize, and remove debris from the World Trade Center site, demonstrating the critical role engineers play in times of crisis.

As President of SEAoNY at the time the film was released, DCI Managing Principal of the New York office, Erik Madsen, expressed pride in both the engineers who volunteered their expertise and the SEAoNY committee that ensured their story would be preserved.

"In the face of tragedy, engineers from firms across New York came together without hesitation, contributing their skills to a truly noble effort. I'm proud that this film captures their commitment and the extraordinary collaboration that followed one of our nation's darkest days," Erik said.

Erik, who had moved to New York the day after the attacks, recalls how the entire city united in response.

"Structural engineers from small, mid-sized, and large firms worked around the clock alongside contractors, carefully supervising operations at Ground Zero to help ensure the safety of everyone involved."

Today, we remember those we lost, honor the resilience of those who responded, and recognize the engineers whose expertise helped support recovery when it was needed most.

https://youtu.be/8QBX3Q4ShZI?si=lvlzjjzteKqnzQAA

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After 9/11: The Untold Story of the Engineers Who Entered Ground Zero | TIME Engineers who responded to Ground Zero after 9/11 reflect on the co...

If a wall system carries load, does it change the carbon math for the whole structure?
DCI ran a comparative whole building life cycle assessment on a completed data center, modeling several functionally equivalent wall and structural systems against each other. What the numbers show doesn't follow the assumption most projects start from.

Data centers are one of the fastest-growing building types in the country, which makes the question worth asking now rather than later.

https://www.dci-engineers.com/news/the-lowest-carbon-wall-isnt-always-the-lowest-carbon-building

Knife River Prestress
Ware Malcomb

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The lowest-carbon wall isn't always the lowest-carbon building - DCI Engineers DCI Engineers, in partnership with Knife River Prestress and Ware Malcomb Architects, has published a new case study examining embodied carbon in data center construction — a building type seeing rapid growth worldwide and increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint.

In case you missed it, DCI's Eastrail Flats in Woodinville, WA took home the coveted Grand Award prize in the 63rd Annual Gold Nugget Awards!

The seven-story, mixed-use development capitalizes on smart, efficient design while providing market-rate and affordable housing options, along with over 24,000-sf of commercial retail space -- anchoring the Schoolhouse District's growing and vibrant community.

Learn more about the project: https://www.dci-engineers.com/work/eastrail-flats

Eastrail Flats - DCI Engineers Located in Woodinville, Washington, Eastrail Flats expands housing opportunities within the city’s growing Schoolhouse District while supporting a vibrant mix of residential and commercial uses. Developed by MainStreet Property Group, the project includes 207 residential units—26 of which are de...

Congratulations to the DCI Marketing team on two Society for Marketing Professional Services awards!

The DCI Core Values Campaign ran for six months, giving each of DCI's six core values a month and a firmwide staff activity to go with it. For example, Creative month brought a popsicle stick bridge design competition while the month of Trust passed an activity from one office to the next. The campaign won Judges' Choice at the SMPS Seattle Reign Awards in May and went on to earn Best Internal Communications – Mixed Media at the SMPS Marketing Communications Awards in Las Vegas in July.

Jessica Congdon, CPSM, Senior Marketing Coordinator, accepted both awards for the team.

The awards also serve as recognition of all our staff who showed up to embrace the Core Values. Each month asked for something different, and each month they showed up for it.

WE made the experience matter!

SMPS Seattle

With more than 23 years of technology leadership experience, a background in Information Management and Technology from Syracuse University, and an MBA from the University of Southern California, Eric Whitford combines deep technical expertise with a business-minded approach to innovation.

DCI's new Head of Technology is passionate about using tech to help teams work smarter, collaborate more effectively, and build for the future. We're excited for the leadership, perspective, and energy he brings to DCI as we continue engineering what's possible together.

Welcome to the team, Eric.

Portland's cycling culture was on full display at yesterday's criterium race around Lloyd Center, with riders racing through one of the city's most recognizable districts and reminding us how deeply bikes, community, and public spaces are woven into Portland's identity.

Serving as the backdrop was DCI's PDX Music Venue, a new 4,217-capacity concert venue under construction on the site of the former Nordstrom store. The approximately 70,000-gsf venue is designed to become a major destination for live music and entertainment, helping anchor the next chapter of Lloyd Center's redevelopment.

DCI supported demolition of the former Nordstrom building and provided structural engineering for the new steel-framed venue, which includes long-span roof systems over the performance stage, viewing balconies, mezzanines, and back-of-house areas throughout. The project transforms a long-vacant retail space into a community gathering place that will bring new energy to the district for years to come.

Photos by Erin Spaulding, DCI Engineers Associate, Communications Manager

Owner - Monqui Presents
Architect - Works Architecture
General Contractor - Lease Crutcher Lewis
Structural Engineer - DCI Engineers

Great work doesn't happen by chance. It happens because talented people consistently show up, collaborate, solve problems, and help move projects forward.

We're proud to recognize seven team members on their well-earned promotions and are grateful for their contributions to DCI's work.

Congratulations, all!

Last week, partners gathered at the former Broadmoor Golf Course site in Northeast Portland to mark progress on Prologis Broadmoor — a build-to-suit parts distribution facility taking shape just minutes from PDX Airport. Once operational, the facility will help fulfill a 24-hour delivery promise for parts reaching dealerships and customers nationwide.

"It really takes a village" was the phrase of the day, and the engineering behind the building shows why. The single-story tilt-up structure is built with a 36' clear height for high-bay racking and efficient flow, with a steel-framed roof — open web steel joists and wide-flange or joist girders — spanning long distances economically. Lateral stability comes from two internal steel braced frames working alongside the concrete tilt-up wall panels, with a metal deck roof diaphragm tying the whole system together.

The site is solar-ready and includes 45 acres of restored wetlands, a partnership with the City of Portland and State of Oregon. As one speaker put it: this land "wasn't being utilized" — now it's helping restart Portland's economic engine.

Prologis
CBRE
Sierra Construction Company, Inc.

We're excited to welcome Chet Emmett to DCI Engineers as Managing Principal of our Dallas office.

Chet's experience designing a wide range of project types, combined with his entrepreneurial background and commitment to collaboration, make him a great fit to lead our Dallas team. As DCI continues to grow throughout Texas, his leadership will help create new opportunities for our clients, partners, and employees.
Learn more about Chet and DCI's vision for the future in our latest news post.

https://www.dci-engineers.com/news/dci-engineers-welcomes-chet-emmett-managing-principal-of-dallas

ICYMI: Big news for Northlake Commons!
In June, Northlake Commons received the 2026 AIA Architecture Award — the top national honor from the American Institute of Architects, recognizing the best contemporary architecture across the country.

Sitting right on Seattle's Lake Union, Northlake Commons is one of the largest mass timber buildings in the nation. Built on the site of a former industrial brownfield, the project transformed the land into a healthy, restorative space for people to work, gather, and connect with nature — with sweeping lake views, a new public plaza, and over 60,000-sf of outdoor terraces.

Behind the scenes, the engineering is just as impressive. Concrete parking levels support mass timber framing above, designed to flex between office and lab use. The lower two floors are lab-ready right now, and the upper floors were built with the capacity to upgrade to higher lab standards down the road. The team even developed a clever mortise-and-tenon "goal post" connection for the timber framing, which sped up construction and gave the building its clean, exposed-beam look.

It's a proud moment for everyone who helped bring this vision to life, and a great example of how sustainable, resilient design can also be beautiful and welcoming.

Photos by Built Work Photography