Since the late ‘80s, DCI’s technical staff have been providing structural solutions that support specific programming requirements. For greener, more sustainable projects, the standard has been LEED design—bronze, silver, gold, platinum—and that design standard continues to grow with the release of other certifications. Depending on where your project lives, local entities may also have their own special designations.

For our firm, this has included Living Building (check out Watershed and The Bullitt Center), Seattle’s Deep Green Pilot Program (check out Stone34), and, most recently, a national standard with the SE 2050 Commitment Program.

While our involvement in sustainability has been an active one, DCI’s commitment has taken on a more intentional path with the official announcement of our in-house Sustainability Group leaders. This team is comprised of staff with various levels of experience and technical design focus, providing a dynamic approach to sustainable design integration.

Last year, we announced Ethan Martin as Director of Sustainability and Mass Timber; and joining him will be Roger Heeringa as Principal in Charge of Sustainability and Jessica Martinez, Structural Sustainability Specialist. Together, they provide a whole-picture solution: from project-specific guidance to big-picture solutions.

Meet the Team!

Principal in Charge of Sustainability
Roger Heeringa, PE, SE LEED AP – As part of the DCI family for as long as the firm has been around, Roger is an invaluable asset as the Principal in Charge of Sustainability. His vision, client relationships and intuitive spirit will help guide DCI’s Sustainability Group into the next chapter of green design.

Director of Sustainability & Mass Timber
Ethan Martin, PE – With a deep background in mass timber design and code development, Ethan is leading DCI’s mass timber division and will oversee strategy efforts for Sustainability across all of the company’s 14 regional offices.

Structural Sustainability Specialist
Jessica Martinez, PE, LEED Green Associate -- As Chair for the DCI’s Sustainability Committee, Jessica also serves on the Seattle Carbon Leadership Forum chapter where she provides the structural perspective to impact meaningful change in the building industry. As Structural Sustainability Specialist, Jessica will provide Project Management-level guidance on projects that prioritize sustainable solutions.

DCI’s In-House Sustainability Committee
This is DCI’s tech committee that’s been exploring sustainability practices for quite some time. Located in various regional offices, our on-the-ground team of dedicated Sustainability Committee members are collaborating on research and education to make sustainable design a standard across the entire company.

“Structural engineers were the original sustainability consultants,” Jeff Brink, DCI Engineers’ CEO says with a smile. “We have always been focused on building taller and spanning farther with less. That focus on doing more with less has now been expanded to recognize our field can have tremendous impact on reducing the embodied carbon and carbon footprint of our buildings. Utilizing specific materials and modifying how we design structures allows us to create cities and communities that are sustainable and enjoyable for many generations to come.

“When it comes to providing better value to our clients and team members, prioritizing sustainability has to be at the center of what we do as it’s the very essence of who we are as innovative structural engineers.”