Awards
The award we seek is the gratitude of our client for a job well done. If it doesn’t help us build faster, more economically, or to a higher quality standard, then we aren’t too interested in spending a lot of time on it. Therefore, we rarely apply for awards. And make no mistake, the vast majority of awards involve an application process…and often a little politicking as well (no time for that either). However, just because of the nature of the work we perform, we have picked up a few awards along the way. But whether our client has another project down the road or not, we place no award above the loyalty we earn when we meet or exceed their expectations.
Charity
We take seriously our obligation to share our many blessings with those in need. Based upon published statistics, BSI annual giving outpaces industry averages (on a percentage of profit basis) by a wide margin. But we believe that charity should be its own reward, so the majority of our contributions are done on a low-profile basis. We don’t look at charitable gifts as an opportunity for a press release. We just think it’s something we are called to do.
We do a significant amount of our work for non-profit organizations and try to support those who put their trust in us. But we don’t mix contributions and our services. This can present conflicts of interest and is usually not in the best interest of the client. We like to think that the best service we can provide for an institution is to deliver a quality building that will stand the test of time, for the lowest overall cost.
Green & LEED Buildings
We were doing Green before Green was cool. Before there ever was a U.S. Green Building Council, BSI was a trailblazer in environmentally sensitive construction through our work for organizations like the Missouri Botanical Garden, a leading proponent of sustainable practices. The Monsanto (now Bayer) Research Center, which we built for the Garden in 1997, was the first building of its kind in the region and incorporated many of the criteria that would later become the basis for LEED certification. Today BSI has several LEED Accredited Professionals on staff and has completed LEED-certified buildings for Washington University in St. Louis, Wells Fargo, St. Louis University, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and others.. We are currently working with other clients on LEED certification during the preconstruction phase. LEED certification or not, BSI has long been a proponent of sound engineering and good management practices that make sense for the building user and the environment.
MBE/WBE Outreach
Since our founding, BSI has always adhered to a strict non-discrimination policy. In our dealings with subcontractors and suppliers, we focus on the best value for the project without regard to race or gender. This means that we utilize minority and women-owned business enterprises on our projects whether or not there are contracting goals. However, some organizations and public entities desire certain percentages of MBE/WBE firms. With our vast experience working in urban areas, BSI has developed an excellent track record of meeting contracting percentage targets in a fair and straightforward manner. And when it makes sense for the client and/or project, BSI has effectively formed partnering agreements with emerging firms.