Collaboration from day one: how engineers elevate design

Each February, Engineers Week offers a moment to recognize the technical expertise that supports nearly every aspect of the built environment.

Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, Engineers Week is focused on recognition, but it also is an opportunity to inspire the next generation, highlight the impact of the profession, and strengthen connections. This year, it was celebrated Feb. 22-28.

From the perspective of an architect working side-by-side with in-house engineers, the real value of engineering appears long before construction begins and well before most people even notice.

“How a building performs from an HVAC and electrical standpoint is just as important as the layout and program of spaces,” said Chase Kramer, AIA, an architect and director of design at TSP, which provides architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning services.

And the relationship between architecture and structural engineering is not transactional. Instead, it is foundational.

“Good architecture doesn’t arise from passive coordination with structural engineers,” Kramer said.

“The structural solutions become part of the design itself, which is why having engineers in the same office as architects is crucial to achieving effective and beautiful design solutions.”

Kramer said integration works best when engineers are involved from day one.

“Our design process is focused on hearing and understanding the client’s needs before we ever put pen to paper to come up with any solutions – and this goes for everyone on the design team,” he said.

“Having engineers involved in early conversations ensures they fully understand those client needs and can provide the best-tailored solutions for them.”

That approach goes beyond workflow, shaping accountability across the team.

“Our engineers aren’t here to validate architectural ideas,” Kramer said. “They’re here to make sure the building performs the way the client expects. Sometimes that means asking hard questions, which makes everyone sharper.”

For TSP Electrical Engineer Jake Buckmiller, PE, that teamwork is what elevates engineering beyond technical execution and into true strategic partnerships.

Even with careful planning, every project can present problem-solving opportunities when multiple firms are involved.

“Occasionally, specialized spaces like electrical, IT, or mechanical rooms aren’t fully defined early in the process,” Buckmiller said.

The issue, he explained, is less about oversight and more about how those spaces are viewed.

“These highly technical areas are generally not the first thing that comes to mind when imagining a building,” said Buckmiller, who serves as TSP’s electrical discipline leader.

Rather than solving potential problems later in the process, early involvement goes beyond smoother coordination and protects the client’s long-term investment.

“When engineers are involved from the start, we’re helping shape buildings that function as well as they look,” he said. “That’s when design and performance really start working together instead of competing with each other.”

Did you know? Recognizing the importance of integrating form and function, TSP added full-time engineers and interior designers to its practice in the 1950s, around the same time Engineers Week was established.