ROYAL OAK, MI — HED, a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm, announces that it has been honored with a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the 56th annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). The award recognizes HED for the 140,000-square-foot Ford Motor Company Robotics Building (FRB) project at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards recognize firms that demonstrate exceptional innovation, technical expertise, and engineering excellence.

"We are honored to receive this National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies," said Michael Cooper, PE, LEED AP, MBA, FACEC, President of HED. "This award is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our talented team, as well as our strong partnership with the University of Michigan and Ford Motor Company. At HED, we believe in the power of integrated architectural and engineering design to create exceptional spaces that not only function effectively but inspire and enrich the lives of the people who use them. The Ford Motor Company Robotics Building project is a shining example of this, bringing together architecture and engineering best practices to deliver an inspiring learning environment for students and faculty."

The Ford Motor Company Robotics Building at the University of Michigan is a facility that combines advanced robotics research with research spaces to foster innovation and technological advancements in higher education. HED's engineering team played a pivotal role in the design and execution of the building, developing structural, mechanical, and electrical systems and ensuring integration of advanced technologies.

Their collaborative approach with the architectural team resulted in a blend of form and function, where engineering solutions enhance the architectural vision. Systems including lighting, power, and life-safety systems are energy efficient, contributing to FRB's LEED Gold Certification. The structural engineering promotes innovation and collaboration through cantilevered "wings", serving as one of the most prominent design elements of the building.

"The University of Michigan's College of Engineering is very pleased with the new Ford Robotics Laboratory," said Deanna Mabry, RA, NCARB, Associate Director of Design, University of Michigan, "Its beautiful and modern space, along with its centralized atrium, has made the new building a signature asset of the college."

HED's achievement will be celebrated at the ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. This event brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and engineering professionals from across the nation to acknowledge and celebrate achievements in the field of engineering.