BKD Build Indiana Awards: rewarding excellence in construction.

• Author: Held, Shari

EACH YEAR THE BKD Build Indiana Awards are awarded to builders for excellence in teamwork, project management and innovation to overcome challenges and produce quality projects. The awards are sponsored by BKD LLP, an accounting and advisory firm with 27 offices within 11 states including Indiana, and Associated General Contractors of Indiana, a construction industry association. The 2004 winners are:

The BKD Governor's Award

Weddle Bros. Building Group LLC, Bloomington, for the EvansvilleVanderburgh Public Library, Oaklyn Branch, Evansville

From the west, south and north, the earth-sheltered design, which features a clerestory with 11-foot windows, appears to be a covered bridge. Poured concrete was used for the underground walls and natural materials were used in both the interior and exterior. A wildflower-planted green roof system helps the structure blend into the environment.

With the uniqueness, however, came challenges. Constant wet conditions made project sequencing difficult. Another hurdle was placing the drainage materials and soil on the roof without using heavy equipment. Weddle solved this by the creative use of a truck-mounted blower.

"Weddle has always been innovative and eager to try new things," says president Lee Carmichael. "Green design and green construction is definitely the wave of the future."

A serpentine-shape "cloud gate," designed from perforated stainless steel, is both decorative and functional. Operated by counterbalances, it can be raised during the day to diffuse the sunlight in the clerestory and lowered and locked into position at night to secure the library from the public meeting room areas.

Since the 18,000-square-foot library opened, patron visits have surpassed 35,000 monthly and book circulation has tripled.

"We plan on being one of the leaders in this type of construction," says Carmichael, "so to win this type of award for our first one has meant a lot to us."

Industrial/Utility Award

Bowen Engineering Corp., Fishers, for the Lafayette wastewater treatment plant upgrade and expansion

Located on the south bank of the Wabash River just south of downtown, everything about the Lafayette wastewater treatment plant upgrade and expansion project was big, including the challenges: flood conditions caused months of lost construction time, numerous types of soil compositions required different foundation designs and even soil modification to ensure stability and, as if that weren't enough, temporary piping...