Architectural Firms Concentrating More on Environment

Environmental concerns have made the headlines in the last year in Northwest Arkansas, particularly in Fayetteville with its strict, new building ordinances. But architects and engineers say its much more than a local issue.

“It’s not something new,” said John Nourzab, a principal with CEI Engineering Associates Inc. of Bentonville. “It’s just been escalating nationwide. There are certain federal and state regulations, and they are enforcing them more these days. They’re pushing them pretty hard.”

A vast array of specialties line the 2001 Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s annual architectural and engineering firms list. McClelland Consulting Engineers Inc. of Fayetteville lists among its specialties environmental and geotechnical work.

“We’re now having these phase I and phase II environmental studies,” Nourzab said. “Any time you buy or sell a certain piece of real estate, you have to have a certified environment scientist see if there’s any contamination on it. Many, many properties have underground tanks — maybe some were old gas stations. They used to just pump the tanks empty and fill them with sand then leave ’em and go on. Now, you have to see if there is soil contamination and things of that nature. People kind of ignored those issues in the past. Now, they can’t.”

Perry L. Butcher & Associates of Rogers continues to be the largest firm in the area, growing its local staff to 175. It was the architectural firm for the new Best Western Inn of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs. PBA is the fourth largest firm in the state. It opened its fourth branch office earlier this year in Windsor, Conn. It also has a branch office in Dallas, a marketing office in Los Angeles and an international office in Shanghai, China.

Benchmark Group of Rogers was second with a staff of 132, followed by CEI with 100 and Crafton, Tull & Associates of Rogers with 64.