KANSAS CITY, Missouri — A testament to the firm’s dedication to project quality, Burns & McDonnell has received three of the five United States Air Force (USAF) Design Awards. All three awards were received in the Facilities New Construction category.

The USAF Design Award winners:

McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base KC-135 Maintenance Hangar & Shops, Honor Award

Designed with flexibility to support both KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, the 57,400-square-foot, LEED Silver–certified hangar provides a hangar bay, corrosion control section, avionics shop, and maintenance and general-purpose shop area. As the prime architect-engineer, Burns & McDonnell provided full design and construction support services for the new hangar, creating a significant leap in operational efficiency and safety for the Tennessee Air National Guard and 134th Air Refueling Wing. The hangar's design focuses on sustainability and resilience, with features that enhance seismic resistance and energy efficiency.

Travis Air Force Base KC-46A Hangar, Merit Award

The three-bay maintenance hangar at Travis Air Force Base supports the KC-46A fleet, with designed flexibility to also accommodate KC-10 and C-17 aircraft. With 119,550 square-feet of hangar space and 57,750 square-feet of support space, the hangar includes shops for nitrogen, battery, hydraulic, testing, and oxygen systems, plus administrative areas and a breakroom. Burns & McDonnell provided complete design and construction support services for the project. The facility's sustainable design features translucent wall panels and fabric hangar doors for natural lighting, high-efficiency boilers, and economizers on air handling units for free cooling, all of which enhance energy efficiency. A 35-year life cycle cost analysis and detailed energy analysis identified energy savings of 47.5%.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord Special Tactics Squadron Operations Facility, Citation Award

Marking a significant enhancement in operational capabilities and training efficiency, the 85,030- square-foot Special Tactics Squadron Operations Facility consolidates units from four separate buildings into a single, cohesive two-story structure. The comprehensive space includes areas for administration, training, maintenance and storage, as well as an 85-foot drying tower for parachutes, two simulation areas, classrooms, and medical and secure planning rooms. As prime architect-engineer, Burns & McDonnell designed the facility to seamlessly integrate with the base's architectural compatibility plan, utilizing materials high in recycled content to achieve sustainability goals. The structure features concrete masonry units with an exterior brick facade, designed as special masonry shear walls to enhance seismic resilience. Innovative use of masonry's load-bearing capabilities maximizes interior space, eliminating the need for interior columns. This project also received the Excellence in Masonry Award in the Government category from the Masonry Institute of Washington.

"Our Burns & McDonnell team is honored to receive three USAF design awards this year, recognizing our commitment to design excellence and project success, and our long-term mission support for USAF, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, and USACE clients," says Dave Barr, leader of the Federal Business and a senior vice president at Burns & McDonnell." We are dedicated to delivering innovative and resilient infrastructure solutions that bolster the readiness and efficiency of our military forces, and we look forward to continuing to serve as a trusted partner for our federal clients."

About Burns & McDonnell

Working from more than 75 offices around the world, Burns & McDonnell designs and builds critical infrastructure. Our family of companies — driven by engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists — delivers projects grounded in safety and a desire to make a difference as we make our clients successful. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn more.