Awards for Century West Engineering
Awards for Century West Engineering
"Thirsty" Asphalt Wins Environmental Sustainability Award 
The Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) recently bestowed their coveted Julian Prize for Sustainability for Public Works on the Port of Portland for installing 35 acres of environmentally-friendly “porous” asphalt at one of the Port’s auto-import facilities. While rain runs off most asphalt, porous asphalt allows stormwater to leak through the surface and recharge the ground water in a more environmentally friendly way. The Port also installed a system of swales and natural vegetation to handle heavy rain. The project was a model of environmental stewardship and smart business, which balanced benefits to the community, the economy, and the environment. Benefits from incorporating porous asphalt include:
- 100 percent on-site stormwater management
- Shortened design, construction and permitting process
- Lower annual operating costs, maintenance costs, and reduced stormwater fees
- Improved stormwater quality, with groundwater recharge
- Reduced impact on “storm surge” in adjacent waterways
- In warm weather, allows stormwater to cool before entering the river
- $250,000 in cost savings from reduced permitting requirements and the fact that no stormwater system was necessary
The Port added
porous asphalt to the AWC auto import facility at Terminal 6. AWC handles importing
operations for Hyundai autos. The Oregon APWA Chapter includes
more than 650 professional engineers, technicians, and others
who join together to exchange ideas and information, promote
education and training, and work as a team to meet professional
and community needs. The Oregon Chapter awarded three Julian
prizes in 2007. Partners in the porous asphalt project included
Auto Warehousing Company, Century West
Engineering, a leading NW consulting firm in
sustainable design; GreenWorks, a Portland based landscape
architecture firm with a sustainable design focus; and Cahill
Associates, a nationally recognized stormwater management
design firm.
Recognized Experts in Aviation
In 2001, the Oregon Airport Management Association (OAMA)
recognized Century West with its “Airport
Consultant of the Year” award. The OAMA award is
voted by members and recognizes “outstanding service
and integrity in consulting for the aviation industry in
Oregon.”
Pho
enix Award
In recognition of outstanding teamwork between RBLP and the DEQ, the Old Mill District was selected to receive a Phoenix Award in 2002. The Phoenix Awards are nationally recognized as the top award for excellence in brownfield redevelopment.
Providing a solution while restoring a natural landmark 
The rapid growth of Bend, Oregon, during the last decade required the construction of a new 5-million gallon drinking water reservoir. Pilot Butte State Park, a popular hiking area, was the designated site. Pilot Butte is a cinder cone that rises more than 550 feet within the city limits. Cinder cones are steep-sided volcanoes that form after an eruption when lava cinders are blown into the air and break apart into small fragments.
Because there was already a large steel tank perched on the northwest side of Pilot Butte, the city was concerned about the aesthetics of the second reservoir. To make matters worse, the south side of Pilot Butte had been used as a borrow pit, which left a large scar on the side of the cinder cone that was visible from the southern half of Bend. Century West Engineering developed an approach to conceal the reservoir while restoring the appearance of Pilot Butte.
Century West Engineering began the project by conducting a geotechnical investigation to determine how best to construct the 5-million gallon reservoir in the borrow pit scar. The natural tendency of a cinder cone is to slough when excavated, so Century West Engineering designed and tested a soil-nailing protocol for use in the project.
The crescent-shaped reservoir that Century West Engineering designed consisted of curved walls and post-tension concrete construction to support the massive soil loads of the restored Pilot Butte. The post-tension concrete design allowed the reservoir to be shaped to fit the contour of Pilot Butte, which helped make the camouflage successful. Additionally, the use of post-tension concrete reduced the potential for cracking associated with normal concrete construction.
Century West Engineering's design also included all of the reservoir's internal piping and pumping, and the water delivery system that connected to the city's water system. At the conclusion of this challenging project, the City of Bend awarded Century West Engineering a plaque "in recognition of outstanding work in the construction of Pilot Butte Reservoir."
Commercial/Industrial Project Awards
In 1999, the Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon awarded Century West an award for their work on the St. Francis Parking Lot. Awards are based on the overall quality of asphalt pavement construction.
