As a contractor that designs, installs, commissions, and maintains facilities, MacDonald-Miller’s engineering staff brings innovation and a practical approach to every design.

For us, pure Design-Build has always meant that design and construction are provided by a single company, integrating the approach, and guaranteeing all aspects of the work. Our commitment to Design-Build has never wavered, nor been considered a trend – it’s simply the best delivery method possible.

Integration has become an industry buzz-word; yet for us it’s always meant that designers and craftsmen have collaborated during the design and construction. As our model has been refined over the years, we are blurring the line between design and construction and providing more efficient and seamless project outcomes. It is our standard that at specific milestones an engineer’s design is reviewed by our foreman for constructability.

This review process results in a design that truly reflects what we will install.

Some of the key elements in our process are:

  • Engineers receive feed-back from our field personnel on construction techniques continuously to reduce cost on our projects
  • Engineer's software design tools are compatible for a simple refinement process as we move into fabrication and installation providing a less costly process for our customer
  • Our project foreman is responsible to work with the engineers and detailers to produce our final shop drawing package to eliminate waste and changes
  • Our design software is compatible with estimating to allow for accurate timely pricing information for our customer
  • Our team coordination process is documented on the drawings and back checked along the way reducing change-order costs

With a collaborative approach to design, we focus on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD).

This allows all team members associated with the project to provide input into all phases of a project’s design. Our philosophy advocates a proactive, solution-oriented process that focuses on our customer’s success.

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In-House Engineering


We know that mechanical systems affect the economic and environmental performance of a building.

Our engineering team’s experience with systems types, energy analytics, and building systems evaluation ensures sound mechanical designs that are cost-effective and sustainable. Our in-house staff is one of the largest engineering groups in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a team that consists of registered professional engineers, including LEED® Accredited Professionals, design engineers, and CAD support staff. We maintain the staff and the resources needed to ensure that all designs are accurate and created in a timely fashion. Our Design-Build project experience ranges from small retail spaces to 40-story office buildings, and our portfolio also includes bio-tech and lab projects, hospitals, banks, hotels, apartments, theaters and campus office environments.

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Engineering Services

  • Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning Design
  • Plumbing Design
  • Construction Specifications
  • Fire Sprinkler Performance Specifications
  • Constructability Reviews
  • Peer Review
  • Utility Rebates
  • Energy & Life-Cycle Analysis
  • Existing Building Systems Evaluation
  • Bid Analysis
  • Problem Solving In The Field
  • Value Engineering
  • Load Calculation
  • Occupancy Utilization
  • Performance Specification
  • Equipment Application Analysis
  • Environmental/Regulatory Research
  • Dust/Fume Containment
  • Temperature Control – Design/Development
  • Pressurization Studies

Our teamwork is highly sustainable.

Creating an efficient building requires an integrated “Team Approach.”

And, what anchors seamless team interaction is a deep understanding of how each building facet complements or detracts from energy performance. As building systems are interdependent, a cohesive upfront focus on design is essential. Early in-depth analyses are critical to maximize a building’s green potential, while making astute use of project funds. We have certified Energy Managers and controls engineers on staff working with our engineers and other design team members to assure superior outcomes.

  • In the design phase of your project we can investigate energy efficiency scenarios including building envelope upgrades, glazing location, quality and quantity, building rotation, shading devices, and natural ventilation - in addition to high performance mechanical systems.
  • For existing buildings, we can provide energy analysis services ranging from an isolated energy efficiency measure (EEM) to complex whole-building energy models.
  • Financial analysis services span simple payback calculations, all the way to present value or return-on-investment (ROI) models. Financial models are only as accurate as the cost data used. And since we build the majority of our designs, our costs are accurate and complete, including first cost, energy and maintenance cost, and cost to other trades.
  • Our four principal offerings are LEED-related energy simulations, utility rebate energy models, total life cycle cost (LCC) analyses, and Energy Star certification.
Modified Image Final Install
Original Image Rendering

Beyond CADD

MacDonald-Miller is a Northwest leader in Virtual Design and Construction.

We offer a multi-platform software solution utilizing Revit, Fabrication CADmep, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks, Trimble Rapid Positioning Systems and a variety of Computer Aided Manufacturing solutions. Our ability to fabricate and estimate finished parts and assemblies from the components in our CAD drawings makes "fast-tracking" a project achievable.

Our Building Information Modeling capabilities allow us to meet every Level-of-Development (LOD 100-500) that a project may demand. Computer Aided Drafting & Design (CADD) is still a power tool for schematics, one-line diagrams, isometrics, details and 2D plans. Our VDC process reduces error, improves coordination and communication, and minimizes field changes which saves the project team time and money.

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The best systems are designed that way. Would you like to know what our engineering team could design for your building?

Contact us today!

We make buildings work better.