Boston – Nitsch Engineering of Boston has earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 54th annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) for the Christian Science Plaza Restoration and Repair project in Boston.
Nitsch Engineering transformed what was once a 10-acre closed space into an open, welcoming plaza that connects people to each other and the surrounding area. This project included substantial re-construction of the reflecting pool, expansion of the Massachusetts Avenue lawn, and more efficient use of stormwater. The project team tackled longstanding issues of ponding, lack of access for disabled citizens, and the non-sustainable use of water.
The project team implemented innovative stormwater management techniques, such as a new 20,000-gallon external cistern that stores rainwater from the Mother Church roof. The stormwater supplies non-potable water to existing injection wells that help stabilize the structure’s wooden support piles. This new resilient and sustainable design reduces the system’s operating costs and benefits the surrounding community by increasing groundwater recharge in Boston’s Groundwater Conservation Overlay District.
The project is eligible for additional honors as part of 173 entries this year representing engineering excellence from throughout the nation and the world. Award criteria focused on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and generating excitement for the engineering profession.
Recognition of all award winners including top winners, 20 Honor Awards, 16 Grand Awards, and the “Grand Conceptor Award” for the year’s most outstanding overall engineering achievement, will take place during the 2021 Virtual EEA Gala, to be held on June 17.
