Engineering the right design
Structural engineering and design firm based in Albuquerque, New Mexico
With decades of experience and one of the largest structural engineering teams in New Mexico, our engineers are an integral part of Dekker. Our team works on projects across the country, from large towers to smaller structures and new builds to complex renovations. Close partnership between engineers and architects leads to more efficient, safe, and sustainable designs.
Built-in collaboration
Our in-house structural engineering team of almost 20 collaborates with our architects to marry design and structure across all project types.
We have licensed PEs in AZ, CO, ID, KS, KY, NH, NM, OH, TX, and WI.
With decades of collaborative experience, both our architects and structural engineers have broadened their perspectives on what makes safe, functional design that stands the test of time. Our structural engineering team thinks about a building holistically from Day 1: considering not just the structure, but how it connects to the architecture, and the surrounding site.
Full collaboration between our structural engineers and architects means faster iteration in design. Instead of structural engineering having to adapt solutions to a set-in-stone architectural design (or shooting down an idea that's already begun developing), constant communication between our two studios ensures more elegant and optimal designs. By getting involved in early conceptual design, the structural engineering team can ensure optimal layout and feasibility of the project’s big idea.
Collaboration between the higher education architecture studio and structural engineering studio was essential in achieving the unique structural features to meet the client’s needs and vision. The University of New Mexico's College of Nursing and Population Health blends traditional and modern architecture. Earthy terracotta and stucco are balanced with plenty of glass, exposed structural steel, and stainless steel details.
The building is one of the first in New Mexico to incorporate a buckling-restrained braced frame lateral system — which is how the structural engineering team accommodated an open layout, 3-story building more than 35 ft tall.
A more sustainable foundation
The best way to engineer a sustainable structure is to focus on efficiency: reducing building materials. Our structural engineering team works closely with our architects to come up with efficient and sustainable solutions, even on projects where sustainability is not the central focus.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY — SE 2050 + AIA 2030
Our structural engineering firm is committed to doing the work to reduce embodied carbon. We signed the SE 2050 commitment to net zero, in addition to the AIA 2030 commitment for net zero emissions in the built environment.
We research carbon reducing strategies like mass timber, CarbonCure, or carbon-reducing concrete products, and match them with the scope, context, and location of our project.
Decarbonizing the film industry
The design of this major studio expansion began with exploring the right mix of sustainable solutions that would meet the energy-intensive needs of film production.
The team collaborated with in-house sustainability experts to research methods for minimizing embodied energy in construction: fly ash, metakaolin, mass timber, and CarbonCure. After extensive analysis, ground source heat pumps (with 800+ boreholes averaging 300ft deep) were selected. The project met the client's commitment to low-carbon solutions and decarbonization — without sacrificing on production amenities.
Pursue a meaningful career in structural engineering
Mentorship and community engagement is a core part of the structural engineering team at Dekker. Our engineers have played an active role in our local Structural Engineering Association chapters, both as members and organizers.
Thanks to the breadth of projects our team works on, our EITs have the opportunity to substantially contribute to a wide range of projects during their time at Dekker.
Interested in a meaningful career in structural engineering? Check out available opportunities on our Careers page.
