Charles Pankow Award for Innovation

Honoring Innovation and Collaboration in the Design and Construction Industry

The Charles Pankow Award for Innovation was established in honor of Charles J. Pankow (1924-2004) to celebrate collaboration in innovative design, materials, or construction-related research and development transferred into practice in a sustainable manner. ASCE recognizes that the process of innovation takes many forms; therefore, applicants should illustrate the full implementation cycle from research to development, through application in the field.

The Charles Pankow Award for Innovation is presented during ASCE's OPAL Awards Gala held each spring in the Washington, DC area.

All U.S. and international public, private, academic, or government organizations are eligible for nomination. In addition to demonstrating that collaboration was involved during any part of the cycle from development to application, the entry must also illustrate an innovative application as well as document its impact on overall construction industry performance.

Criteria for the Charles Pankow Award for Innovation

Nominations Are Due October 1 and Must Meet the Following Criteria:

1. Innovative Technologies

   Entries must demonstrate innovative design, materials, or construction-related research transferred into practice. All entries must be market-ready and/or commercially viable.

   Entries are invited in, but not limited to, the following categories:

   • Construction and Equipment
   • Energy Efficiency
   • Environment
   • Information Technology Systems for Design and Project Management
   • Materials and Systems
   • Public Works
   • Infrastructure Security and Resilience
   • Sustainability
   • Transportation
2. Collaborative Research and Implementation

   Studies of advancements in the design and construction industry have demonstrated that collaborative efforts among academia, industry, and government are often essential to the implementation of research. Entries must therefore demonstrate that collaboration was involved during any part of the cycle from development to application.

3. Impact on Construction Industry Performance

   The various sectors that comprise the diversified construction industry are focusing on ways to improve performance through the introduction of innovation into practice. Entries must demonstrate innovative approaches that have a positive impact on society by striving to achieve one or more of the following national Construction Technology Goals:

   • 50% reduction in project delivery times
   • 50% reduction in operations, maintenance, and energy costs
   • 30% increase in occupant safety and comfort
   • 50% less waste and pollution
   • 50% reduction in construction work illnesses and injuries
   • 50% fewer facility-related illnesses and injuries
   • 50% greater durability and flexibility

• Download the Official Nomination Form
• All entries must be received by October 1.

Selection Jury

All entries will be reviewed and finalists and the winner will be selected by a jury of design and construction industry leaders from academic, corporate, and government communities, as well as associated media.

Past Award Winners

2008

Lightweight Modular Composite Firewall System

Composite Support & Solutions, Inc.
Southern California Edison
San Diego State University
University of Southern California

2007

Cable-Stayed Bridge Cradle System

FIGG Engineering Group in collaboration with:

FIGG Engineering Group
in collaboration with:
Ohio Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Maine Department of Transportation
CTL Group
DSI America
University of Toledo,
Department of Civil Engineering
Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel,
The University of Western Ontario
Lawrence Technological Institute
University of Maine,
Civil Engineering Department

2006

The Shawnessy Light Rail Transit Station Thin-Shell Pre-Cast Platform Canopy System of Ductal® Fiber- Reinforced Concrete

Lafarge North America, Inc., City of Calgary,
University of Calgary, Stantex Architecture Ltd.,
Speco Engineering and Strudes Inc.; et al.

2005

Coupled Truss Walls with Damped Link Elements

WSP Cantor Seinuk, Enrique Martinez Romero,
S.A., Taylor Devices, Inc., and the State
University of New York at Buffalo

2004

Steel Plate/Composite Concrete Shear Wall System

Magnusson Klemencic Associates and
NBJ Design; et al.

2003

Tunnel Jacking Design for the Boston Central Artery Project

Hatch Mott MacDonald with
Mott MacDonald; et al.

2002

MMFX Microcomposite Steel Rebar

MMFX Technologies Corporation and the
Federal Highway Administration; et al.

2000

Economical Rehabilitation of a SteelTruss Bridge Using an FRP Deck

New York State Department of
Transportation, Hardcore Composites; et al.

1999

Composite Transmission Tower and Construction Technology

Ebert Composites Corporation and W. Brandt
Goldsworthy & Associates

1998

Ice Ban™ Deicing Products

Ice Ban America, Inc., Archer Daniels Midland; et al.

Smart-Leg Shockless Load Transfer System

ETPM International, the European Commission; et al.

Knapp Street Laboratory and Environmental Information Center

Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., with the New York City
Department of Environmental Protection
Engineering

1997

Simplified Monitoring System for Civil Structures

Strain Monitoring Systems; et al.

Eclipse™ Shrinkage Reducing Admixture

Grace Construction Products and
ARCO Chemical Company

High Performance Steels for Highway Bridge Applications

American Iron & Steel Institute,
Federal Highway Administration; et al.

1996

Development and Application of Aramid Tendons

Sumitomo Construction Co., Ltd.,
Japan Highway Corporation; et al.

The FIRP™ Glulams

Oregon State University and Wood Science &
Technology Institute

Carbon Shell Space Truss Bridge

University of California, San Diego, Division of
Structural Engineering