February 2012

KPE is pleased to announce the hiring of Sam Ucman and Trevor Huffaker. Sam is a licensed Structural Engineer and comes to KPE from Kansas City where he worked for a structural engineering firm. Sam graduated from the Peter Kiewit Institute at the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a Master of Science degree in engineering. Trevor Huffaker is our new Built Environment Expert and will be managing our Des Moines Office. Trevor has been working in Des Moines for several years for an architectural firm focusing on Educational, Commercial and Municipal facilities. Trevor graduated from the Architectural College at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture.

December 2011

KPE would like to congratulate Patrick Straatmann and Richard Hensley on their recent professional exams. Patrick passed his Professional Engineering licensing exam and is now a licensed professional Electrical Engineer. Richard passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and is now an Engineering Intern.

November 2011

KPE hosted a display booth in the Trade Show at the Iowa Association School Boards Annual conference on November 16-17. KPE held a drawing for a $100 gift card to Omaha Steaks which was won by Megan Rickels of Vinton-Shellsburg Community Schools.

Bids were received for the Sudlow Intermediate School Climate Control Renovation Project in Davenport, Iowa. The winning bid from Ryan and Associates was within 3% of KPE's Opinion of Probable Construction Cost.

October 2011

Phase I construction is complete in the IPERS Modernization Project and the occupants have moved into the newly renovated space from their temporary locations in the building. Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) hired KPE as Principal-in-Charge in January to provide all engineering and design (and construction management services) for a $4.4 million modernization and renovation project.  The project modernizes HVAC systems and associated building finishes and replaces lights while re-programming the office layout.  The project includes independent power and metering for net metering capability for future Net-Zero Energy Building status using future Photo Voltaic (PV) arrays.  The HVAC system includes a centralized closed loop geo-exchange heat pump plant coupled to a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system with a horizontal directionally bored well-field.  The VRF terminal units are supplied neutral ventilation air from a dedicated outside air system (DOAS) with energy recovery units (ERU) equipped with hot gas reheat for dehumidification. A VRF system works extremely well in a Phased project like IPERS. Terminal units are assigned to condensers according to phases so when one phase is complete, those condensers and their terminal units are brought online while work can continue in the next phase.

KPE was awarded the "2011 Best of Bellevue Award for Electrical Engineering" by the U.S. Commerce Association.

September 2011

KPE is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Electrical CAD Designer, Christina Huff. Christina comes to KPE from Denver, Colorado where she worked for engineering companies focusing on commercial applications including schools, medical facilities and hotels.

KPE is designing new parking lot lighting for the Tiospaye Topa School in La Plant, South Dakota for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Facilities Management and Construction (OFMC) Great Plains Region.

August 2011

KPE is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Electrical Engineering Manager, Kyle Ganskop. Kyle comes to KPE from a midsized multidisciplinary firm in Florida where worked as an electrical project engineer. He focused mainly on power distribution and controls for water and wastewater treatment facilities, landfills, and NASA facilities. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University. Kyle also spent 8 years working as an electrician. 

July 2011

KPE is designing MEP systems including centralized geo-exchange heat pump plant coupled to VRF system for new Educational Resource Center (ERC) for Lewis Central Community Schools in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

KPE is designing a VRF system for a Union Pacific Railroad renovation project to its rail yard office in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

KPE is designing MEP systems for new Union Pacific yard offices in Green River, Wyoming, California Junction, Iowa and Arden, Nevada.

KPE is designing renovation of a Union Pacific yard office in Avondale, Louisiana.

June 2011

KPE awarded contract by BVH Architects for MEP design of renovations to the Lewis Central Elementary School Gym and surrounding classrooms in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

KPE awarded contract to design renovations to another cottage at New Hope Village in Carroll, Iowa.

KPE awarded contracts by TransSystems for MEP design of new Union Pacific yard offices in Green River, Wyoming, California Junction, Iowa and Arden, Nevada.

May 2011

KPE awarded contracts to design mechanical renovations for Sudlow Intermediate, Young Intermediate and Wilson Elementary for the Davenport Community School District.

KPE is pleased to announce the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) has signed a contract with Hansen Company, both located in Des Moines, Iowa, to perform the HVAC, electrical, technology and architectural renovations for their FY11/FY12 Capital Improvement Projects. KPE designed a geo-exchange central plant coupled to a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system to provide an extremely energy efficient HVAC replacement of the gas-fired rooftop units. The HVAC renovations are being partially funded by a State Energy Program Grant from the Iowa Office of Energy Independence (OEI). Lighting will be replaced with more efficient fluorescent and LED fixtures. The building will undergo architectural renovations while maintaining the security and improving the functionality of the building. Construction will start May 26th and continue through mid-2012.

KPE is pleased to announce the hiring of two new full time engineers and a new administrative assistant. 

Dan Strain will be located at our Bellevue office. Dan recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dan has worked as an intern at KPE for the last three years.

Richard Hensley will be filling the position at KPE's existing Davenport, Iowa office. Richard is an Electrical Engineer with experience in Technology design and expects to take his PE exam this year.

KPE has also hired Jennifer Matthai as a full time administrative assistant. Jennifer has experience in the engineering field, previously working for EAD.

Laura Triplett & Samuel Eiserman are the recipients of KPE–Consulting Engineers, Inc.’s 2011 Engineering Scholarships.  Laura’s parents are Charles & Rosalia Triplett of Bellevue, Nebraska. Samuel’s parents are Sue & Tom Eiserman, also of Bellevue, Nebraska.

KPE’s Engineering Scholarship requires the recipient to be enrolled to study Engineering at an ABET (or equal) Certified College. Other requirements included a 500 word essay and letters of recommendation from at least two teachers as well as certification from the Principal/Guidance Counselor.  KPE’s scholarship is for $1,000 for the recipient to use as they see fit for their engineering education.

Laura is currently ranked number 1 in her graduating class of 105 seniors at Gross Catholic High School. Laura has a GPA of 4.26 on a 4.0 scale (Minimum required is 3.5) and had ACT scores of 29 in Math (29 minimum required) and 29 in English (29 minimum required).

Samuel is currently ranked number 49 in his graduating class of 387 seniors at Bellevue West High School.  Samuel has a GPA of 5.0 on a 5.0 scale (Minimum required is 3.5) and had ACT scores of 31 in Math (29 minimum required) and 31 in English (29 minimum required).

KPE’s goal is to proactively reduce the “brain drain” of our local community as we plant the seeds for KPE’s next crop of fine engineers.  We intend to have a reception on May 13^th at 3:00 at KPE for Laura and Samuel and their families, along with some school officials to recognize their impressive achievements.

March 2011

KPE Receives 2010 Best of Business Award

Small Business Commerce Association’s Award Honors the Achievement

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2011, KPE Consulting Engineers has been selected for the 2010 Best of Business Award in the Engineers-Consulting category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that KPE Consulting Engineers has been selected for the 2010 Best of Business Award in the Engineers-Consulting category.

The SBCA 2010 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

About Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is a San Francisco based organization. The SBCA is a private sector entity that aims to provide tactical guidance with many day to day issues that small business owners face. In addition to our main goal of providing a central repository of small business operational advice; we use consumer feedback to identify companies that exemplify what makes small business a vital part of the American economy.

January 2011

KPE awarded Design contract for Modernization of the IPERS Office complex which includes a centralized geo-exchange heat pump plant coupled to variable-flow-refrigerant (VFR) system to minimize operating and energy costs.

December 2010

KPE received 5 bids for its design of the Davenport CSD West HS Modernization Project with low bid at $4.6 million ($125k under budget).  Project utilizes centralized geo-exchange heat pumps coupled to a 4-pipe heating/cooling system and a horizontal, directionally bored wellfield.

November 2010

KPE received a low bid of $2.07 million for its design of Davenport CSD Adams Intermediate Modernization Project (12% under budget).  Project utilizes centralized geo-exchange heat pumps coupled to a 4-pipe heating/cooling system and a horizontal, directionally bored wellfield.

September 2010

KPE completed the comprehensive energy analysis for IPERS in Des Moines which provides a plan for attaining Net Zero energy status by modernizing the facility with energy efficient technology and adding solar photo voltaic cells.

July 2010

KPE awarded the status of #1 Ranked Engineering Firm for Energy Efficiency Design and Construction Management per the State of Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Architectural and Engineering Services and the Office of Energy Independence.

March, 2010

KPE’s analysis and design of a geo-exchange HVAC system for New Hope Village in Carroll, IA is awarded a $600,000 Block Grant

February/March, 2010

Completed designs and received bids under budget for Davenport Community School’s Blue Grass Elementary and Smart Intermediate HVAC Renovation projects.  Blue Grass utilizes centralized geo-exchange heat pumps coupled to a 4-pipe heating/cooling system & a directionally bored horizontal geo-exchange wellfield.  Smart utilizes Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems.

January 2010

KPE was awarded the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract for Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineering Services for Federal Facilities through the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs OFMC Great Plains.