Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Name	Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Type	Private
Founded	1956
Headquarters	Waltham, Massachusetts
Industry	Engineering, Architecture, Construction Consulting
Num employees	~1,200

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger is a United States–based engineering firm specializing in building science, structural engineering, and construction consulting, founded in 1956. The firm provides investigation, design, and rehabilitation services for structures, materials, and enclosures, serving clients across sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, and historic preservation. Its work intersects with professional communities and institutions including American Society of Civil Engineers, National Institute of Standards and Technology, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and major universities and cultural institutions.

History

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger traces origins to founders with ties to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and postwar engineering practice in the 1950s, growing through partnerships and project-based expansions tied to regional development in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The firm expanded its portfolio during periods of urban renewal and infrastructure investment connected to agencies like Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Metropolitan Transportation Authority, while participating in investigations related to high-profile events involving entities such as National Transportation Safety Board and municipal authorities. Over decades SGH developed specialized groups aligned with standards-setting bodies including American Concrete Institute, ASTM International, Structural Engineers Association of California, and National Roofing Contractors Association, enabling collaborations on landmark building assessments, seismic retrofits influenced by research from United States Geological Survey and codes from International Code Council.

Services and Expertise

SGH delivers multidisciplinary services spanning structural engineering, building enclosure consulting, materials science, construction engineering, and forensic investigation, interfacing with professional organizations such as American Institute of Architects, Royal Institute of British Architects, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and regulatory authorities like Occupational Safety and Health Administration in project delivery. The firm’s expertise covers seismic design informed by research at California Institute of Technology, wind engineering tied to studies at University of Florida, corrosion analysis linked to protocols from National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and waterproofing solutions reflecting standards from National Roofing Contractors Association and International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. SGH provides testing and modeling services that incorporate methods from American Society for Testing and Materials, finite element approaches used by practitioners in European Committee for Standardization, and instrumentation techniques deployed in collaborations with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Notable Projects and Case Studies

Project work includes complex assignments for cultural institutions like Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian Institution, and historic preservation projects involving National Park Service properties and listings in the National Register of Historic Places. Transportation and infrastructure engagements feature collaborations with Amtrak, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and state departments of transportation such as California Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Department of Transportation on bridge, tunnel, and station efforts. High-rise and mixed-use building projects have brought SGH into partnerships with developers linked to Related Companies, Tishman Speyer, and owner-operators of properties in central business districts like Chicago Loop and Lower Manhattan. Forensic investigations and failure analyses have intersected with incidents reviewed by National Transportation Safety Board, legal proceedings in federal courts including the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and insurance claims involving carriers such as AIG and Lloyd's of London.

Research, Innovation, and Publications

The firm contributes to technical literature and guidance through papers presented at venues like ASCE SEI Conference, journals of American Concrete Institute, and symposia hosted by International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. SGH personnel participate in standards committees associated with ASTM International, American Society of Civil Engineers, and the International Code Council, and collaborate on research projects with universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, and Columbia University. The company’s innovations in modeling, sensor instrumentation, and materials characterization have been shared at conferences of Society for Experimental Mechanics and published in outlets aligned with Transportation Research Board and Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities.

Corporate Structure and Global Presence

Operating as a privately held engineering consultancy, the firm maintains regional offices and project teams across the United States with clients and partners extending to Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, engaging with multinational developers and contractors such as Skanska, Bechtel, Turner Construction Company, and financial stakeholders including World Bank and export credit agencies. Corporate governance and professional leadership include fellows and members of American Society of Civil Engineers, National Academy of Engineering, and adjunct affiliations with academic institutions like Harvard University Graduate School of Design and Yale School of Architecture. The company’s project delivery model integrates collaboration with design firms including SOM, Foster + Partners, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and contractors coordinating with certifying bodies such as Underwriters Laboratories.

Awards, Recognition, and Industry Impact

The firm and its staff have received recognition from industry award programs administered by American Council of Engineering Companies, Engineering News-Record, American Society of Civil Engineers, and preservation honors from National Trust for Historic Preservation. Project awards and citations reflect performance in areas championed by organizations like International Code Council, Royal Institute of British Architects, and Green Building Council initiatives associated with U.S. Green Building Council and LEED certification efforts. Through contributions to codes, standards, and investigative best practices, the company has influenced professional practice cited in guidance from Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and academic curricula at institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Category:Engineering companies of the United States