CEC ensures that stormwater on every project site is treated properly and managed responsibly to minimize the impact of heavy rain events to project sites and buildings. We know that every jurisdiction's requirements differ, so we understand the details of an agency's requirements--whether a city's, county's, the DEQ or Army Corps--before we begin.

Site grading, closely connected to stormwater management, determines where runoff water will go on site. The ability to reshape the ground of a site to manage stormwater and incorporate aesthetics into that design, while maintaining existing drainage patterns, is an art at which CEC is highly skilled.

When charged with both grading and stormwater management, we oversee these critical and integral design aspects of a project. At the same time, when others provide the grading design, we bring our storm drain system expertise to the project team in an iterative and collaborative process.

CEC is noted for our detailed labeling and descriptions of all hardscape site elements with northings and eastings, including detailed points and radii on all curves. To the contractor we provide these conscientious preparations in a digital file to be downloaded into their survey instruments. This enables the contractor to lay out the site more easily and accurately than utilizing dimensions noted on a drawing.

Erosion control protects our fish and other aquatic life in waterways. To this end, a construction erosion control permit is almost always required from the local jurisdiction and, in some cases, the DEQ. Within the design and permitting process, CEC engages with contractors and their Site Logistics Plan so the Erosion Control Plan contains the substantial and important information contractors need to obtain the permit and implement required erosion control measures.

CEC provides the design and layout of a sewer pipe system between the public system and the building it serves. We work with the building plumbing designer to ensure a match with their building connection locations and elevations. Our site constraints and their building constraints necessitate a vital collaboration that results in a system that works as economically as possible.

CEC coordinates water meter and backflow prevention with the local jurisdiction to meet their requirements on every project. We design site fire protection systems for review and approval by the fire marshal to avoid problems during construction. Working closely with the building plumbing designer, we order fire hydrant flow tests and use the results to perform flow and pressure calculations to ensure the building demand will be met.

Similar to Site Layout plans, Paving Plans require a high level of detail and clarity to delineate various pavement areas, curb types, and the beginning, ending and interfacing of each. When a geotechnical engineer provides pavement section recommendations, we incorporate them with diligence and accuracy. This degree of thoroughness allows contractors to bid projects accurately and build them efficiently.

We are meticulous in providing our clients with reports that determine existing utilities, necessary public improvements to extend public services, the cost of Systems Development Charges (SDCs) to develop the site, including identifying red flags, fatal flaws, and site grading or earthwork constraints. The clarity and detail we provide enables our clients to determine the viability of their proposed investment.

CEC is highly experienced in working on sustainable projects. All our projects incorporate some level of sustainable design, whether it is stormwater treatment, detention or retention; rainwater harvesting; or using environmentally friendly pipe materials, among others. Many of our projects are either often LEED certified or designed to LEED standards. While LEED is the most common sustainable benchmark program, we are experienced with other programs as well, including Green Globes and the Living Building Challenge.

We care about our client's budget, so we work closely with them within the scope of our services to ensure their goals are met cost effectively. In cases where a dedicated cost estimator is included on a project, we typically review their estimate to verify the civil work is accurately represented and provide feedback to our client.

CEC can act as the prime consultant for the design team for site related land use applications, such as Site Review, or work as a sub-consultant on a team. We ensure all current versions of applications required are in hand. We pay close attention to and carefully track the requirements of the land use application versus those of the construction drawings, since land use and building permit documents are often prepared and reviewed for permit concurrently. This ensures an organized process and efficient use of our client's resources.

CEC's attention to detail and ability to navigate complex processes with ease serve our clients well during the public improvements review and permitting process, which is considerably more detailed than for private improvements. When a project includes both private and public improvement work, CEC's depth of knowledge about jurisdiction requirements and its dedication to clarity allow success in meeting the challenge of scheduling and design coordination inherent in such hybrid projects.