The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has announced the winners of its 2025 National Design-Build Project/Team Awards competition.

The program promotes exceptional diversity in project size, sector, and geography while celebrating the innovative and collaborative teams who produce projects that inspire. This year nearly 80 projects were submitted from across the U.S. to compete across 10 project categories including aviation, civic buildings, transportation, and water/wastewater, were recognized at DBIA’s Design-Build Conference and Expo on Nov. 4 in Las Vegas.

Within the water/wastewater category, three Brown and Caldwell-involved projects received accolades:

• National Merit Award – Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility Expansion (Fulton County Department of Public Works)
• National Merit Award – McAlpine Creek Wastewater Management Facility Reliability and Process Improvements (Charlotte Water)
• National Merit Award – Rocky River Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase 3 Expansion (Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County)

“Practicality and real‑world experience are the backbone of our future‑forward approach to delivery, operability, and maintainability. Collaborating with owners and contractors on these award-winning projects, we’ve worked together to simplify the complex, deliver faster, maintain quality, and lower costs.”

Tim Masterson, Brown and Caldwell Senior Vice President and Integrated Project Delivery Director

Learn more about each of the projects below from DBIA’s Project/Team Awards page.

The AW-BC JV

Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility Expansion in Roswell, GA

The Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) Expansion is Fulton County’s largest-ever capital infrastructure project, providing advanced wastewater treatment for more than 250,000 residents, businesses and institutions. The expansion upgraded the facility’s capacity from 24 million gallons per day (MGD) to 32 MGD and replaced its aging conventional treatment system with state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology which dramatically improves the quality of water discharged into the Chattahoochee River, a critical water supply source and a protected trout stream. The facility was designed for gravity flow, eliminating the need for energy-intensive pumping and saving an estimated 40 million kWh over 20 years, which greatly reduces operating costs.

The project is a joint venture between Archer Western and Brown and Caldwell, who have an extensive history of working together. When the project began, Fulton County immediately decided on Progressive Design-Build (PDB) to foster early collaboration and trust with these two seasoned construction firms and other stakeholders. The PDB approach allowed for early site work even before the design reached 80% completion, which accelerated the schedule by two months and saved over $2 million. Prefabrication and modularization — including precast concrete panels — also reduced costs, and the reuse of existing infrastructure and onsite material processing avoided over $25 million in additional expenses.

Overcoming Challenges with 20 Years of Experience
Delivering a complex facility while keeping the existing plant in continuous operation required careful planning and meticulous sequencing. Navigating COVID-19 restrictions, global supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures also significantly increased the project’s complexity. A comprehensive risk management plan and the team’s culture of trust and transparency — rooted in 20 years of working together — helped the project finish on time and within budget despite these unprecedented challenges.

The new facility enhances quality of life for plant staff and neighbors through noise and odor controls, ergonomic workspaces and improved safety features. The MBR system’s compact footprint supports future expansion to 38 MGD, ensuring the plant will meet community needs for the next 50 years while exceeding current and anticipated regulatory limits. By combining advanced treatment technology, sustainable design and DBIA best practices, the Big Creek WRF sets a benchmark for cost-efficient, environmentally responsible water infrastructure delivered using PDB.

Congratulations to Fulton County and the entire Design-Build Team!

• Owner Advisor: Gresham Smith
• Design-Builder: Archer Western / Brown and Caldwell JV
• General Contractor: Archer Western
• Engineers: Brown and Caldwell; SLKing and Associates; Willmer Engineering
• Subcontractors: Excel Electric; Lewis Contracting; Global Controls

McAlpine Creek Wastewater Management Facility Reliability and Process Improvements in Pineville, NC

The McAlpine Creek Wastewater Management Facility, originally built in the 1960s and the largest of Charlotte Water’s five treatment plants, underwent a six-year $120 million rehabilitation to address its aging infrastructure. The project extended the service life of critical equipment by approximately 25 years, upgraded systems to meet future demand and increased wet weather capacity by 40 million gallons per day, helping to protect local waterways during severe storms. Other considerations such as reducing maintenance and operation costs, improving the safety of the facility’s staff, and ensuring future regulatory compliance were also central to the goals of this project.

Early Integration and Smart Planning Keeps the Project On-Line and On Time
Adding to the project’s complexity was the need to keep the plant in operation during construction. By using Progressive Design-Build (PDB), the project team was able to integrate very early with engineering firm Brown and Caldwell and Charlotte Water to develop a phased construction strategy to anticipate issues before they impacted the project’s schedule. For example, they were able to procure items like clarifier equipment before construction began, which reduced the risk of delays due to long lead times. Charlotte Water also conducted early testing with different epoxy coating systems with the team, selecting a single-coat solution that shortened the schedule by seven months and saved $3 million in labor.

The project also made extensive use of prefabrication to reduce schedule impacts and limit on-site disruptions. Stainless steel aeration header piping was pre-fabricated offsite with input from the contractor and engineer, reducing field welding and installation time. Three prefabricated electrical equipment houses arrived fully equipped and tested, eliminating prolonged power interruptions and expediting the schedule. And careful sequencing enabled new facilities to be built without affecting ongoing operations.

The cost efficiency enabled by the team’s advanced planning allowed them to deliver more than $15 million in additional value — such as pump station overhauls, hydraulic upgrades and repurposed structures — without increasing the original budget.

The result is a resilient, future-ready facility that will continue to provide safe and reliable water service to one of North Carolina’s largest municipalities for many decades.

Congratulations to Charlotte Water and the entire Design-Build Team!

• Owner Advisor: Black & Veatch
• Design-Builder: Garney
• General Contractor: Garney
• Engineer: Brown and Caldwell
• Subcontractors: East Coast Construction Services; Southeastern Consulting Engineers; Warren Environmental

Rocky River Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase 3 Expansion (Progressive Design-Build (PDB) in Concord, NC

The Rocky River Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (RRRWWTP) Phase 3 Expansion addressed the urgent need to increase treatment capacity and improve reliability for one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing service areas. Operated by the Water & Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County (WSACC), the facility’s expansion was essential to meet the region’s increasing demands and ensure long-term operational resilience. Originally projected for completion in 2027, WSACC set an ambitious goal to deliver critical capacity sooner — ultimately completing the project three years ahead of schedule thanks to a phased implementation strategy with Progressive Design-Build (PDB).

PDB enabled WSACC, Crowder Construction and Brown and Caldwell to form a fully integrated team at a very early stage. This early engagement and planning allowed the team to procure long-lead items — such as electrical gear and piping — before design was finalized, mitigating delays and later, avoiding post-COVID supply chain risks. Design and construction overlapped wherever feasible, while prefabrication, modular assemblies and strategic sequencing reduced field labor and minimized operational disruptions.

Delivering Innovations and Savings
Some of the major upgrades to this water treatment plant include improved nutrient removal to protect downstream waterways, conversion from high-purity oxygen to diffused aeration for greater energy efficiency, and safety-driven upgrades such as enclosed chemical storage, improved ventilation and redundant power systems. These enhancements not only safeguarded operators and the public but also reduced chemical use and energy consumption, aligning with WSACC’s sustainability goals. Where possible, existing infrastructure was rehabilitated and reused, reducing capital costs, construction waste and environmental impact further.

The phased delivery approach, disciplined cost management and a shared-savings financial incentive structure returned nearly $8.5 million to WSACC which helped maintain stable utility rates for residents. Community engagement, including outreach and education, reinforced public trust while the added capacity immediately relieved water capacity constraints.

By utilizing design-build best practices, the RRRWWTP Phase 3 Expansion delivered a high-performing facility years ahead of schedule and under budget. This project stands as a model for how PDB can overcome challenges, accelerate delivery and provide lasting environmental, economic and community benefits.

Congratulations to Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County and the entire Design-Build Team!

• Design-Builder: Crowder Construction Company
• General Contractor: Crowder Construction Company
• Engineer: Brown and Caldwell
• Subcontractors: Donley’s Concrete Group; Precon Corporation; CITI, PicTec; Diamond Trucking of NC, Inc.